Sport C 300 All-Wheel Drive 4MATIC Sedan
2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

2016 C-Class Photos
When it comes to performance cars, we admire Audi's template. There's a basic model, then an S, and if applicable, an RS at the top of the range. Each vehicle has exponentially better dynamics than its lesser sibling, so that there's no confusing the driving experience of an A5 with that of an S5 or an RS 5. Same with the A7, S7, and RS 7. BMW has tried to replicate this formula with cars like the 135is and 335is, and more recently, the new M235i and X4 M40i. Mercedes' analog is the new (stillborn) AMG Sport line, and this C450 AMG 4Matic challenger to Audi's S4. It's got the right credentials – AMG's brand cache is backed up by a twin-turbo V6, a tweaked 4Matic all-wheel-drive system that sends two-thirds of its power to the rear axle, a sportier aesthetic, and sharper, more precise reflexes. But what a car like this needs is verve and drama. It has to make you want to drive it hard. With the C450, a week behind the wheel showed off stellar driving dynamics, but its character is too cool and businesslike – this is more C300 than C63. Driving Notes Unquestionably the star of the show, Mercedes' new 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V6 is a hoot. More than any other piece of this car, it feels like a true product of AMG. It revs fast and fierce to its 6,500-rpm redline, and sounds damn good along the way, thanks to the AMG performance exhaust. And with all 384 pound-feet of torque on offer between 2,000 and 4,200 rpm, it always feels like the punch you're asking for is readily available. Mercedes went far enough with the C450's engine, but it didn't with the transmission; the C450 uses Merc's long-serving 7G-Tronic automatic. It's fine if you leave it in full automatic and the drivetrain in Comfort. It's less fine if you switch to Sport or Sport+. And it's really not fine at all if you select the full manual mode. It's quick on wide-open-throttle upshifts and other aggressive situations, but it stumbles on downshifts. We found ourselves clicking the left paddle two or three times trying to force the seven-speed automatic to drop down. It was similarly fickle around town, where the gearbox just wasn't keen on shifting up. The polar opposite to the mainstream transmission is the C450's suspension. Multi-link arrangements sit fore and aft and are paired with standard three-mode adaptive dampers plucked directly from the C63 AMG. They're firm in their sharpest mode, offering up precise, sports-sedan-worthy reflexes and reactions to steering inputs without being punishing over Michigan's third-world roads. Left in their softest mode, though, the ride is scarcely less comfortable than a C300 with the Sport Pack. The steering also came up for special praise. It's fast, precise, and wonderfully weighted without feeling taxing or difficult at lower speeds. What's impressive, though, is how good the steering feels in its lightest mode. From on-center through to full lock, the weight builds …
Full Review
When it comes to performance cars, we admire Audi's template. There's a basic model, then an S, and if applicable, an RS at the top of the range. Each vehicle has exponentially better dynamics than its lesser sibling, so that there's no confusing the driving experience of an A5 with that of an S5 or an RS 5. Same with the A7, S7, and RS 7. BMW has tried to replicate this formula with cars like the 135is and 335is, and more recently, the new M235i and X4 M40i. Mercedes' analog is the new (stillborn) AMG Sport line, and this C450 AMG 4Matic challenger to Audi's S4. It's got the right credentials – AMG's brand cache is backed up by a twin-turbo V6, a tweaked 4Matic all-wheel-drive system that sends two-thirds of its power to the rear axle, a sportier aesthetic, and sharper, more precise reflexes. But what a car like this needs is verve and drama. It has to make you want to drive it hard. With the C450, a week behind the wheel showed off stellar driving dynamics, but its character is too cool and businesslike – this is more C300 than C63. Driving Notes Unquestionably the star of the show, Mercedes' new 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V6 is a hoot. More than any other piece of this car, it feels like a true product of AMG. It revs fast and fierce to its 6,500-rpm redline, and sounds damn good along the way, thanks to the AMG performance exhaust. And with all 384 pound-feet of torque on offer between 2,000 and 4,200 rpm, it always feels like the punch you're asking for is readily available. Mercedes went far enough with the C450's engine, but it didn't with the transmission; the C450 uses Merc's long-serving 7G-Tronic automatic. It's fine if you leave it in full automatic and the drivetrain in Comfort. It's less fine if you switch to Sport or Sport+. And it's really not fine at all if you select the full manual mode. It's quick on wide-open-throttle upshifts and other aggressive situations, but it stumbles on downshifts. We found ourselves clicking the left paddle two or three times trying to force the seven-speed automatic to drop down. It was similarly fickle around town, where the gearbox just wasn't keen on shifting up. The polar opposite to the mainstream transmission is the C450's suspension. Multi-link arrangements sit fore and aft and are paired with standard three-mode adaptive dampers plucked directly from the C63 AMG. They're firm in their sharpest mode, offering up precise, sports-sedan-worthy reflexes and reactions to steering inputs without being punishing over Michigan's third-world roads. Left in their softest mode, though, the ride is scarcely less comfortable than a C300 with the Sport Pack. The steering also came up for special praise. It's fast, precise, and wonderfully weighted without feeling taxing or difficult at lower speeds. What's impressive, though, is how good the steering feels in its lightest mode. From on-center through to full lock, the weight builds …
Hide Full Review

Retail Price

$40,950 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 2.0L I-4
MPG 24 City / 31 Hwy
Seating 5 Passengers
Transmission 7-spd w/OD
Power 241 @ 5550 rpm
Drivetrain 4MATIC all wheel
Smart Buy Program is powered by powered by TrueCar®
Autoblog Advertisement