"RE: Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG 4Matic: Driven

[Matt Bird]

foxhounduk said:

MustardCutter said:

I hate to be 'that guy' but:

"Though rear-biased to the tune of 33:63"

Where does the remaining 4% go, subspace?

Well spotted son

Indeed, very good spot! Missed by Dan and I both, embarrassingly. Amended to 33:67 now. Thanks for pointing it out.


Matt

[Alucidnation]

Im sure its a great car but ..... meh, not for me.

[r129sl]

Will it be available without the frankly embarrassing Max Power addenda?

[SFO]

why delay introduction to UK for year??

[Sheepshanks]

godskitchen said:

That screen really was an after though.

It'll be gone by the time this model hits the UK.

Nickbrapp said:

I Wonder what the switch on the door pocket does

Opens and closes the rear door.

SFO said:

why delay introduction to UK for year??

They can't do AWD in RHD cars with the current gearbox - the steering column is in the way of the drive shaft to the front axle.

[ghibbett]

I think this looks like a winner (price dependant). Family wagon that can pootle and return 35mpg (so prob 30mpg - still good in my book) yet has some decent go when required. If they put this engine in the E, I'll have one.

[Atmospheric]

Sound through the speakers? Oh dear.

[51mes]

Next year for the AWD - thats a really PITA, the original dates I'd heard were June for RWD and October for AWD.

I've got my eye on one of these to replace my ML by Christmas

Want AWD, estate, auto, and 1800Kg towing capability

really fancy it in the deep metallic blue with the beige leather interior.

S.

[David87]

I really like the look of this. I bet in the real world on damp British roads it won't be much slower than the C63. Will AMG soon be offering 4Matic on the C63, I wonder?

[Sheepshanks]

David87 said:

I really like the look of this. I bet in the real world on damp British roads it won't be much slower than the C63.

In the real world, on damp British roads, you could argue that no car is much slower than a C63.

[Burwood]

bertie said:

Burwood said:

toppstuff said:

unpc said:

bertie said:

Why wouldn't you want 4wd in a family estate, unless you habitually drive around with the kids in the back and the arse end hanging out?

More to the point, why would I want to carry all the cost and weight of 4wd when in 35 years of driving I have never needed it on a road car.

It has 4WD because lots of people buy Audi Quattros. They may or may not "need" 4WD but they want it. That is reason enough I guess.

precisely

Well I would prefer 4wd because my wife isn't a powerfully built PH type with the fast reflexes of an avid racer and a diploma in giving it a dab of oppo on the way to Sainsbuys, so the surefootedness in crappy weather that 4WD gives is welcomed.

Obviously I'd be OK because I have testicles the size of medicine balls and never go anywhere without the rear tyres lit up.

It's a family car, not a sports car!

exactly why i like it. it's wet, icy and snows-why not this merc. Im not a big fan of bmw having owned flagship 'dogs'. It's a 40k fast practical car. much like

[SFO]

51mes said:

Next year for the AWD - thats a really PITA, the original dates I'd heard were June for RWD and October for AWD.

I thought C450 was only with 4WD

[P1H]

Burwood said:

bertie said:

Burwood said:

toppstuff said:

unpc said:

bertie said:

Why wouldn't you want 4wd in a family estate, unless you habitually drive around with the kids in the back and the arse end hanging out?

More to the point, why would I want to carry all the cost and weight of 4wd when in 35 years of driving I have never needed it on a road car.

It has 4WD because lots of people buy Audi Quattros. They may or may not "need" 4WD but they want it. That is reason enough I guess.

precisely

Well I would prefer 4wd because my wife isn't a powerfully built PH type with the fast reflexes of an avid racer and a diploma in giving it a dab of oppo on the way to Sainsbuys, so the surefootedness in crappy weather that 4WD gives is welcomed.

Obviously I'd be OK because I have testicles the size of medicine balls and never go anywhere without the rear tyres lit up.

It's a family car, not a sports car!

exactly why i like it. it's wet, icy and snows-why not this merc. Im not a big fan of bmw having owned flagship 'dogs'. It's a 40k fast practical car. much like

If people want 4wd that is of course enough to justify it.

But for me, the idea that (excluding in remote areas) people 'need' a 4wd car for wet or icy roads in the UK is nonsense. The TC and DSC on this Merc will stop you long long before any requirement for adjustment. Maybe it is required every 3 years or so we have serious serious snow.

[WokkaWokka]

bertie said:

I have testicles the size of medicine balls

You should probably get that checked out!

One another note I fancy one of these, good power and its got to be an estate too. Blue with creme leather would be very nice.

[Burwood]

P1H said:

Burwood said:

bertie said:

Burwood said:

toppstuff said:

unpc said:

bertie said:

Why wouldn't you want 4wd in a family estate, unless you habitually drive around with the kids in the back and the arse end hanging out?

More to the point, why would I want to carry all the cost and weight of 4wd when in 35 years of driving I have never needed it on a road car.

It has 4WD because lots of people buy Audi Quattros. They may or may not "need" 4WD but they want it. That is reason enough I guess.

precisely

Well I would prefer 4wd because my wife isn't a powerfully built PH type with the fast reflexes of an avid racer and a diploma in giving it a dab of oppo on the way to Sainsbuys, so the surefootedness in crappy weather that 4WD gives is welcomed.

Obviously I'd be OK because I have testicles the size of medicine balls and never go anywhere without the rear tyres lit up.

It's a family car, not a sports car!

exactly why i like it. it's wet, icy and snows-why not this merc. Im not a big fan of bmw having owned flagship 'dogs'. It's a 40k fast practical car. much like

If people want 4wd that is of course enough to justify it.

But for me, the idea that (excluding in remote areas) people 'need' a 4wd car for wet or icy roads in the UK is nonsense. The TC and DSC on this Merc will stop you long long before any requirement for adjustment. Maybe it is required every 3 years or so we have serious serious snow.

four months a yr we are winter tyred with 4wd on our main two cars. I accept this merc would be st without winters also

[51mes]

SFO said:

I thought C450 was only with 4WD

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mercedes/c-class/87209/hot-mercedes-c450-estate-4matic-spied-undisguised

but yeah all the latest stuff seems to say AWD only, also some dates next summer!

[bertie]

P1H said:

Burwood said:

bertie said:

Burwood said:

toppstuff said:

unpc said:

bertie said:

Why wouldn't you want 4wd in a family estate, unless you habitually drive around with the kids in the back and the arse end hanging out?

More to the point, why would I want to carry all the cost and weight of 4wd when in 35 years of driving I have never needed it on a road car.

It has 4WD because lots of people buy Audi Quattros. They may or may not "need" 4WD but they want it. That is reason enough I guess.

precisely

Well I would prefer 4wd because my wife isn't a powerfully built PH type with the fast reflexes of an avid racer and a diploma in giving it a dab of oppo on the way to Sainsbuys, so the surefootedness in crappy weather that 4WD gives is welcomed.

Obviously I'd be OK because I have testicles the size of medicine balls and never go anywhere without the rear tyres lit up.

It's a family car, not a sports car!

exactly why i like it. it's wet, icy and snows-why not this merc. Im not a big fan of bmw having owned flagship 'dogs'. It's a 40k fast practical car. much like

If people want 4wd that is of course enough to justify it.

But for me, the idea that (excluding in remote areas) people 'need' a 4wd car for wet or icy roads in the UK is nonsense. The TC and DSC on this Merc will stop you long long before any requirement for adjustment. Maybe it is required every 3 years or so we have serious serious snow.

Ive got RWD stuff with modern TC and I've got 4wd stuff and I drive them both day to day and the 4wd stuff feels far more secure in cold wet winter.
For pure enjoyment I prefer RWD, but for a family estate with over 300bhp, 4wd seems preferable to me.

[Osinjak]

Oh God please, not another bloody 4WD vs RWD thread. Pretty please?

[mrclav]

scherzkeks said:

Other than the new engine, what makes this car any different than a regular C class with sports pack? Almost seems like they have just plonked a bigger engine into the top end std. model and fitted it with the AMG pack. Think I preferred it the old way, quite frankly.

Did you read the article? From what I recall the following didn't feature in the old C-Class Sport pack.

Article said:

And it's more than just a souped up engine, featuring C63-inspired aluminium suspension components with beefed up steering knuckles, increased negative camber front and back and firmer mounting bushings to improve response. Three-stage adjustable AMG Ride Control dampers also feature. It also gets the C63's linear ratio steering rack in place of the progressive one of the standard car.

[scherzkeks]

mrclav said:

scherzkeks said:

Other than the new engine, what makes this car any different than a regular C class with sports pack? Almost seems like they have just plonked a bigger engine into the top end std. model and fitted it with the AMG pack. Think I preferred it the old way, quite frankly.

Did you read the article? From what I recall the following didn't feature in the old C-Class Sport pack.

Article said:

And it's more than just a souped up engine, featuring C63-inspired aluminium suspension components with beefed up steering knuckles, increased negative camber front and back and firmer mounting bushings to improve response. Three-stage adjustable AMG Ride Control dampers also feature. It also gets the C63's linear ratio steering rack in place of the progressive one of the standard car.

The old AMG pack cars had faster st. racks as well as new dampers/springs, geo, bushings, and tire specs. They also offered an advanced ride control option on the old car in addition to the std. agility control dampers. Just wondering how much really separates this one from a std. AMG pack, motor aside.