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Mercedes C180K TWINPULSE

Merc cleans up

The company car market is a very lucrative business for firms such as Mercedes, with chairmen, management and thrusting sales reps all aspiring to put a three-pointed star in the front of their reserved parking spaces.

By Craig Cheetham

November 2002

The company car market is a very lucrative business for firms such as Mercedes, with chairmen, management and thrusting sales reps all aspiring to put a three-pointed star in the front of their reserved parking spaces.

But new company vehicle tax legislation has proved a major headache for the German company, because its most popular and reasonably priced models started to look distinctly less affordable when the new taxation rules came into force in April.

The entry-level Mercedes C180 put out 225g/km of carbon dioxide, which meant its driver faced a 27 per cent tax liability. Meanwhile, the firm's arch-rival, BMW, was surging ahead, with the popular 318i model emitting CO2 at only 175g/km thanks to its innovative Valvetronic system. This made the car 10 per cent cheaper in taxation terms - and that saving is enough to pay for an exotic holiday every year.

Mercedes has now addressed the situation, however. Because of a new range of four-cylinder engines called TWINPULSE, the latest C180 matches the BMW exactly on CO2 emissions. As a result, a higher rate taxpayer will be more than ΂£900 a year better off driving a new C180 than the old one.

The improved powerplants work by electronically controlling the valve timing to ensure that the car will always deliver its optimum power at the most efficient point, while the addition of a supercharger means that as well as being cleaner and more economical, the new units also have added grunt.

The C180K returns a combined fuel economy figure of 38.2mpg compared with the previous model's 30.1, while a claimed 9.7 seconds time for the 0-60mph sprint is 1.3 seconds quicker than that of the outgoing machine.

And it certainly feels livelier on the road. Whereas the old C180 used to behave lethargically - especially with an automatic gearbox - the newcomer is a much perkier proposition. Thanks to the supercharger, the peak torque of 220Nm comes in at only 2,500rpm, meaning the car is much quicker off the mark. In addition, it's quiet and refined. Whereas the previous engine sounded rough and coarse at high revs, a revised balancer shaft set-up makes for smoother running and less noise, especially at motorway speeds.

The C180 still doesn't have the handling edge of some rivals, but firm seats and a supple ride make it a satisfying cruiser, while good grip levels and well weighted steering ensure the car remains predictable when cornering. We'd still go for the auto, though, as it's more pleasant to use and hill starts with the foot-operated parking brake are less fraught. The downside is that the CO2 rating rises to 202g/km.

The entry-level C-Class has finally got the engine it was waiting for - and it's a vast improvement. If you don't believe us, ask a fleet manager...

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FIRST OPINION

    Now tax-friendlier and much better to drive, the C180K makes the entry-level Mercedes saloon a far more convincing proposition. And with no price increases, the machine makes just as much sense financially as a private buy as it does a company car.
 

AT A GLANCE

    New engine also available in Sports Coup
 
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