Category: Affordable Sports 
Price Range: £19,672 to £51,570
The concept, bold looks, enjoyable handling, practicality, spray-reducing wheel-arch liners
Automatic transmission, awkward rear end styling, parking brake, rubbery steering, unexciting C200 K engine, lack of rear wiper, illogical electric window switches (they move in and out, not up and down)
The Sports Coupe hasn't taken off to quite the degree expected, as it's neither an out-and-out sports coupe nor a luxury cruiser - but it's an interesting concept, and a nicely adult proposition for those who have outgrown their hot hatches but who aren't ready for a stodgy saloon.
This car rides better that you'd expect it to, despite its short wheelbase and stiff suspension; it soaks up all but the worst surfaces and bumps, even with the lowered Evolution set-up (though that does, of course, give a harder ride). High-speed cruising is quiet, the engines refined, and the only black mark goes to the slightly disappointing cabin ambience; there are some cheap-looking plastic mouldings, and it doesn't feel as special as a Mercedes should. As expected of a car called a 'coupe', it's not particularly spacious, with rear seat room less than generous - call it a 2+2 when it comes to accommodating adults. The boot's not bad, though fitting in a couple of golf bags will be a struggle (the usual benchmark for measuring luggage capacity). Plenty of space up front, however, for all but the tallest or widest of drivers and front seat passengers. Shamefully, a CD player is only offered as an option - at Mercedes prices, that's pretty tight. Radio/cassettes all round, though the system's quality is pretty decent. Satellite navigation is a further option, as part of the COMAND communications system, and the set-up fitted is excellent, with good mapping and precise commands.
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wrote on 14 11 2006