3 months ago 07th Jul 09:36
Some say that when a marriage or relationship breaks down, the injured party rejuvenates into a stronger, more positive, person. Out of nowhere comes a new lease of life. New challenges are taken on with vigorous enthusiasm.
Well proof of the pudding is the break-up of Daimler Chrysler UK that saw the Chrysler group split from Mercedes Benz. Since the break-up, Mercedes Benz certainly have not sunk into despair licking their wounds. They have just got on with what they do best – producing lovely luxury cars and updating existing models.
Concentrating on the C-Class, the Coupe of the range, a new baby of the family, has arrived – the CLC. Slotting in below the CLK, CLS and CL, the idea of the CLC is to appeal to customers who, perhaps are not as affluent, yet desire such an attractive, quality car.
Well, thanks to the CLC, they can. Ten variants are on offer, with prices starting from a very respectable £19,920 for the entry 180 Kompressor on the SE trim, rising to £23,385 for the top-of-the-range 220 CDI Sport.
Taking some exterior styling characteristics from its older siblings, the CLC is a stunning-looking car, as you would expect given its heritage, yet has its own additions, making it distinctive from the rest of the family. For instance, the completely new, arrowed front, the wide, louvered radiator grille incorporating the three-point star in the middle, flanked by lovely projection beam headlights that extend into the wings. The profile and the lines steadily rise to meet the rear spoiler, while the flared wheel arches cement presence. The rear is a little disappointing for a Mercedes and appears to be rather bunched up. The back window also happens to be very small and seriously hinders rear visibility.
Inside, the materials used are not the best Mercedes Benz have come up with and have that second-hand quality feel about them. Despite being a Coupe, the interior is pretty spacious, especially for the rear passengers, with a splashing of storage binnacles to give a hint to the practical nature of this CLC. Along with the door pockets and bottle holders, there is a storage box in the centre armrest and one in the centre console. However, the luggage area is large and, with the rear seats splitting, bulkier loads can be accommodated with ease.
Two trims are available, the SE and Sport, both with an impressive list of standard equipment such as a three-spoke, leather-trimmed, multifunction, height-adjustable steering wheel, automatic climate control, Audio 20 radio /CD player, electric windows, tinted glass and electrically-adjustable heated door mirrors.
Your Comments:
Be the first to comment!