Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet First Drive Review

Now the cabriolet scene isn’t too big in India and that’s a given considering majority of the year the climate isn’t feasible enough to drop the top and enjoy the weather (unless you live in the Himalayas). But then when it comes to Mercedes, it isn’t about what’s feasible or not. It’s about bringing down their entire range in the Indian market and so we now have the C-Class Cabriolet too.

Now the big news is that this is the first ever cabriolet from the C-Class platform globally and it’s in India already. Seen from the front, it’s like your average C-Class but the cabriolet gets Diamond radiator grille. Get to the sides and the big differences come into the picture.

Apart from the black fabric roof, you also notice the absence of the rear doors. Now usually the coupe versions always manage to look better than their 4-door variants, but here, I somehow didn’t really agree. Go past the doors, and the cabriolets starts getting a little bulky at the rear. The sedan somehow manages to look lither than the cabriolet.

At the rear it’s like a scaled down S-Class cabriolet. It’s a nice clean rear which some may find a little bland. It gets a diffuser and twin visible tailpipe trim elements that add a sporty touch to the otherwise plain-Jane rear. It’s a good looking car the C cabriolet but I don’t see it being a crowd puller. If you would like to be subtle even with the top down, the C-Class cabriolet is right up your alley.

Firstly the C cabriolet is a 2+2 so you can forget about ferrying people in comfort. But let’s talk about the front seats first. They are fantastic. Comfortable they are, but also quite sporty thanks to the contours that hug you around the waist and keep you in place when you decide to hustle the car around twisties.

The dashboard remains pretty much the same with the floating 5.5 inch screen and a mix of black, aluminium and open pore brown ash wood trim. Quality of materials look and feel top notch and you have absolutely nothing to complain about.

Getting onto the rear isn’t a big task as one might think. Just pull the very well made aluminium lever on the top of the front seats and it folds and slides in front for easy ingress and egress. But do not expect much from the seats.

Me being on the healthier side, I was just about comfortable. Under thigh support is lacking but legroom is not an issue. For short city commutes it shouldn’t be a problem but it’s a kiddy seat at best.

Getting to the roof of things, all you need to is hold down the button on the center console and the car goes from roof to no roof in about 20 seconds flat. Apart from the standard fabric roof, you can also opt for an optional acoustic soft top version that ensures very low noise levels and excellent thermal insulation. Even though its fabric, its wash proof, dirt-repellent and weather-resistant which is a good thing considering our very dusty environment.

Driving with the roof down is a pleasant experience but the moment you try to go faster the wind and turbulence can shake things up a bit. To counter that, the car also gets Aircap which pops a louvre on the windscreen while a draught stop positioned behind the rear head restraints extends upwards. This combination works well and sanity prevails.

The C300 gets a turbocharged 1,991 cc 4-cylinder petrol engine which pushes out a healthy 245bhp @ 5500rpm and 370Nm between 1300-4000 rpm. Once you drive around in the C300, you really wonder why Mercedes never offered this with the standard C-Class. It’s very refined and should you step on it, clears it’s throaty with a raspy exhaust note. Mercedes claims, the car will hit 100kmph in 6.4 seconds and hit an impressive 250kmph. I easily saw north of 220kmph with more go available so that top speed is definitely believable.

But we decided to test Mercedes’ claim anyways. Pedal to the metal, the C300 hit 100kmph in 7.2 seconds on the Vbox, while the roll-on from 20 – 80kmph took 4.48 seconds. The more ideal 40-100kmph took 5.43 seconds which speaks volumes about the engine’s drivability.

Making it further engaging is the 9-speed gearbox which alters its ratios quite well depending on the conditions. Yes it’s still not as quick as a twin clutch but it’s not too slow either. You also get drive mode selectors which alter the engine mapping and suspension according to driving conditions.

Sport plus evokes the most aggressive response from the engine and gearbox. The Agility control suspension gets selective damping and lowering and it really hunkers down in sport plus. We hit a lot of twisty’s and the C300 really surprised us with its agility. While the engine finally gets the much needed grunt, the suspension works very well giving you enough feedback from the steering wheel to keep pushing harder. Of course if you overdo it, it’s also got a barrage of electronics to keep things in check.

Comfort and Eco modes keep the car relaxed and at its softest. Ride quality is pretty good and the Merc swallows most undulations with ease. It’s only the sharp bumps that filter in thanks to the relatively lower profile tyres.The C300 isn’t a sports car that’s meant to stitch corners, but given the task, it does quite a good job. Munching long highways is pretty much its forte and few cars in the segment will match it here.

It’s pretty simple why you would need the C 300 Cabriolet. If you have always liked the C-Class and always wished for one without a roof, here it is. The other big reason is that engine. It’s a lovely lovely engine that really changes the character of the C-Class from a Great Dane to a Labrador retriever. Yes it really feels that different compared to the standard car.

To put it simply, the C-Class Cabriolet priced at Rs. 60 lakh (ex-Delhi) does not have a direct rival. There is the A3 convertible but then it’s not only a segment lower but also down on power and presence compared to the C. BMW has the Z4 which is almost 18 lakh more and is strictly a 2 seater. You also have Mercedes’ own SLK 350 but that too is priced on par with the Z4. So if the A3 Convertible is too passé for you and the SLK and Z4 have two seats too less, the C-Class Cabriolet fits in perfectly!

Pictures - Kapil Angane