Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupes, Hatchbacks, Mercedes-Benz
Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sports Coupe
Click image to enlarge
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sport Coupe never really caught on here in the US, and it was ultimately dumped from the automaker's Stateside lineup. It has lived on in Europe, however, and it will be updated to bring it closer in appearance to the all-new W204 C-Class sedan. The latest spy shot , posted by a member at GermanCarZone, shows a mildly disguised prototype at a filling station.
As you can see, the new-gen C-Class face has been applied, but since the coupe will continue to be built on the old platform (W203), the rest of the car's outward appearance is basically identical to the old model (shown at right). This is about as basic a facelift as you can get, and from the look of it, the C-Class Sport Coupe should remain unlamented in the US even after Europe gets the "new" car. [Source: GermanCarZone via Carscoop]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James 12:02PM (8/26/2007)
Well, hell, if the old one failed, what makes them think slapping the skin of an '08 on some relic chassis, will trick people into wanting it? How would this be any different from say, BMW bringing back the 318ti, and it's chassis, but putting the new coupe headlights on the front.
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BCM 1:06PM (8/26/2007)
Not selling in sufficient numbers to justify homolating a US version doesn't mean the same thing happened in other markets. The USA isn't always the center of the universe.
Four reasons to lament: it was affordable, it was relatively economical, it was a hatchback, and it was the only US Mercedes available with cloth upholstery.
Nick 12:11PM (8/26/2007)
with green cars and small cars being the next big thing, if Merc could put a bluetec in it, give it 40+ mpg, I think it would be worth a second shot in the US. Personally, my next car is going to be an A3 or Volvo C30... They'd need to touch up the rear of the car so its not so fugly anymore, and it would be a contender.
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Ken 12:13PM (8/26/2007)
Hmmm, diesel or AMG please!
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El Calor 12:20PM (8/26/2007)
The new front end looks a lot better!
http://www.BenzForum.com
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Chuck 1:07PM (8/26/2007)
This will not work in the US. They need to do what BMW did with the 1 series. Create a US-friendly 2 door coupe design that says "sporty", not "expensive Golf/Rabbit"
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Bevill 2:24PM (8/26/2007)
My parents bought one of these when they first came out. It's a nice car with good performance and cost them arounk $25k. If you have to spend an extended amount of time in it though the seats get mighty uncomfortable though. It may be a hatchback but it's pretty useless and doesn't have the space that you'd get with other hatches. If they cleaned up the back and put a normal trunk on it it would probably sell better.
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greg 2:26PM (8/26/2007)
i like this car
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SOhp101 3:19PM (8/26/2007)
I've seen these around right when they came out... it was the saddest excuse for a Mercedes Benz I have ever laid my eyes on. Ugly exterior, so-so interior... no one in their right mind looking for a hatchback in the $25k+ range would settle for this. GTI/R32, 1 series, A3, please.
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KazO 4:12PM (8/26/2007)
I"ve been hearing for nearly a decade now that BMW Compacts and MB 'Sports Coupes' have never sold well. I guess all of them that HAVE been sold in the US are being sold where I live, since I see LOADS of these.
I understand why they wouldn't sell well, and it makes sense that BMW is going after that same market with the 1-series rather than developing a new E90-based Compact. MB doesn't really have the same option, since the A/B-class are conceptually completely different.
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CaliberSRT4 4:14PM (8/26/2007)
The only Mercedes that I truly liked too! I wouldn't ever buy one, but I wish they would bring it back to the U.S., it's just something different than most cars out there.
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SPG 9:31PM (8/26/2007)
I thought the "old" C-Class sport coupe was the only and I do mean only interesting offering from Mercedes during that design phase.
Now with the sharper more severe almost 80's look coming back with Mercedes I think we're going to be treated to an excellent car.
Also, it might be an older platform but it's an older Mercedes platform. Not like a ten year old Dodge platform.
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Evan Wojtanek 5:24AM (8/27/2007)
The rear visibility in these are horrible.
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Totalfixation 7:10AM (8/27/2007)
Can we like not bring this back please. It puts me to shame driving a Mercedes.
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RockStoneSteel 10:33PM (8/27/2007)
That slab sided rear fender looks like the trunk is loaded with heavy junk. There is such a disproportion the way the rear fender hangs so low over the rear tire, that it looks like the car has 18" wheels in front and tiny 13" wheels in back.
While the concept is great, a 2 door hatchback (more of which are needed in the US market), the proportions are in back are just wacky. It didn't sell then, and it won't sell now.
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IamZardoz 10:23AM (8/28/2007)
I used to own one of these....wait, my mistake, it was a Deawoo Cielo.
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Geoff 11:54AM (8/29/2007)
I bought one of these in it's inaugural year here in the US. I'd just had my '99.5 Jetta totaled in an accident (not my fault) and needed a way to get to work immediately upon receiving the insurance pay-out (and after driving Kia rentals to and from work for two weeks). At the time I lived in San Francisco and drove mostly there (hills) and on the freeway (in stop-and-go traffic) down to Palo Alto where I worked.
So, I wanted something more or less like my Jetta, but not another Jetta because at the time I was seeing myself coming and going about 50 times a day. Something with a reasonable engine (the Jetta had been a VR6) and an automatic (preferably of the shiftable/Tiptronic). Plus I wanted a hatch as the Jetta was too hard to get some stuff into (like furniture and music equip.).
Well, lo and behold, the only Golf at the time that came with an auto was the 2.0 normally aspirated version. BOR-ing. So, I looked at what else was around and for basically about the same money as a GTI (~$25K) this was the only other hatchback on the market with a) a Tip auto and b) within spitting distance of 200HP. The torque curve on this thing is pretty awesome. 2nd gear rawks, 3rd ain't bad (you do have to keep the boil on above 2nd). Handles great, a tad light in the rear. Another nice thing is that it averages about 28-30mpg. Oh, and it's a Benz :). Great car, still love mine.
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