2002 Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor Sports Coupe

"Affordable Mercedes." Most people might find that word pairing the ultimate automotive oxymoron. With the arrival of the new C-Class Kompressor Sports Coupe, those folks may have to start rethinking the ground rules in the entry-lux game. Starting at $24,950—plus a $575 destination fee—this rakish rear-drive hatchback becomes the lowest-priced Mercedes sold in America. But price is only part of its appeal. There's enough high-quality substance in this value-driven package to find favor with plenty of customers who could afford to spend considerably more.

Entry-level in price (for a Mercedes), the C-Class Sports Coupe is one of the only rear-drive two-door hatchbacks on the American market.

Although largely based on mechanicals from the recently launched C-Class sedan, the new Coupe shares no common sheetmetal at all with its 4-door stablemate or with the upcoming Sport Wagon variant. Wheelbase stays the same at 106.9 inches, but the Coupe is 7.2 inches shorter and nearly half an inch lower than the sedan. Despite its sweeping roofline, interior space is only slightly compromised. Only rear head and shoulder room are impacted, and even in those cases, there's still no problem in accommodating two average-sized adults in reasonable comfort.


Continuing on in the C-Class sedan playbook, the new Coupe comes with a massive roster of standards that span the safety, comfort and convenience fronts. In addition to Mercedes' classic near-impervious passenger cell, it boasts no fewer than eight airbags—dual front plus side front/rear and head curtains. The 4-wheel disc binders are bolstered with Brake Assist as well as conventional anti-lock circuitry, and M-B's Electronic Stability Program is also part of the mix.

Even the base Sports Coupe comes with a tilt column and front buckets. Options include leather upholstery, a sunroof, Bose sounds, Tele Aid navigation/emergency service and COMAND system-info center.

Highlighting the list of creature features, the Coupe comes with automatic dual-zone climate control, a tilt-telescoping steering column, sport buckets, AM/FM/cassette sound system, power windows/locks/mirrors, automatic headlamps and redundant controls in the steering wheel. Key options include the Tele Aid navigation system, Bose sound system with CD changer, power seats, leather upholstery, and a Panorama sunroof that provides 30 percent more open air than a conventional counterpart.


The Coupe's drivetrain is directly borrowed from the SLK 230. Making 192 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 200 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,500-4,800 revs, the 2.3-liter supercharged and intercooled DOHC four is a solid match for the mission at hand. The fair amount of the sonic sturm und drang this engine possessed at birth has been engineered out over time. Those efforts, coupled with generous quantities of sound-attenuation materials in the Coupe's basic structure, help keep a lid on NVH levels. Although it must motivate nearly 400 more pounds in this application than it does in an SLK, the force-fed four delivers surprisingly sprightly acceleration, whether mated to the standard 6-speed manual gearbox or the optional 5-speed Touch Shift automatic. This time around, the Touch Shift adds a new flourish: By holding the shift lever toward the down side of the gate for one second, the transmission will automatically drop down to the "most suitable gear" for the circumstance.