Mercedes-Benz C250 CGI: technology meets luxury

Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

While there is something reassuringly familiar about the Mercedes-Benz C250 CGI Coupé, it still exudes a distinctive aura of prestige and elegance.

Sitting smugly in the Silver Star Motors Limited showroom at 51 South Camp Road, Kingston, it stands out for good reason. Making its debut in the Caribbean and Latin American market, the vehicle commands undivided attention. But don't try to get too close; sales executive Crafton Miller zealously guards this prized possession.

Miller spews information as he and Automotives flit around the showroom, examining his latest 1,800 cc toy: "Developing 204 horsepower, moving from zero to 60 in 7.2 seconds, it gives 38 miles to the gallon, with seven-speed automatic transmission with tiptronic," he said. Automotives is hard-pressed to determine whether he's really trying to sell the car or boasting about it.

enduring luxury

Successor to the CLK and smaller than the E coupe, the Mercedes-Benz C250 CGI Coupé combines exciting new technology with enduring luxury in both sedan and coupé forms. In the words of Miller, it offers a mix of "performance and performance without going over the top".

Leather-covered luxury, multi-function three-spoke steering wheel in charge of 17-inch, five-spoke alloy rims, agility control suspension and tire pressure loss warning system - the list of features is extensive.

The manufacturer insists that with the widest array of models, styles and powertrains it has ever offered, the 2013 C-Class is all about choice. However, it never asks you to choose between sophisticated luxury and sporty spirit, between reassuring safety and refreshing performance. And even with all of their underlying virtues, the sport sedans, luxury sedans and coupes of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class still deliver overtly honest value.

It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that C-Class drivers follow their own stars, but the truth is they drive them.