What do you want most from a car - moveable luxury or a soul-satisfying driving experience? Arup Das tells you what to expect from the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class and its rival, the BMW 3-Series.
Mercedes-Benz India has been on a roll; it broke the 10,000-units barrier last year and is poised to launch 15 cars this year.
The German company started 2015 with a bang by putting its entry-level sedan, the CLA, on the roads. Soon after, Mercedes-Benz took the gloves off by unveiling the C-Class, its bread-and-butter sedan.
The German car maker has confirmed that the diesel variants of the new C-Class will be available in India as completely built units, at least for the moment.
So, it is inevitable that old rivalries will be reignited as the C-Class takes on its arch rival, the BMW 3-Series.
You can actually divide the world into two halves when it comes to lovers of German luxury cars: those who love Mercedes-Benz and those who adore BMW.
Audi, of course, would beg to differ, for in recent times it has yielded the wrecking ball against the Stuttgart-Munich hegemony with fair success.
But today we focus on the 3-Series and the C-Class and their contrasting DNAs - while BMW believes in making luxurious but driver-oriented sedans, Mercedes-Benz thinks the utmost of comfort features.
Walking up to both these German machines patiently waiting for me in the parking lot, I could see that the C-Class was drawing more attention.
Not that the 3-Series looks like a bread box, but the C-Class is the flavour of the season, and many are curious to see what it offers. There is an air of sophistication around the C-Class, and much of this may be because it has borrowed visual cues from its flagship model, the S-Class.
There is a tectonic shift in terms of design as the front fascia has been sculpted to give the sedan a bold yet suave image. The LED lamps look brilliant and classy, while the large air vents on the front bumpers impart the premier AMG-ish feel to it.
If Mercedes-Benz's three-pointed star insignia is in your face, then the broad trademark kidney grilles of the BMW 3-Series, which now merge with the stretched and slimmer headlamps, have a robust feel to them.
Though the circular LED lamps might not stand out like the C-Class's, they aren't inconspicuous either. With the trend being a design paradigm across the portfolio, it is not surprising to see that there is a lot of the 5-Series in the 3-Series, while the C-Class has been inspired by the S-Class.
There is a lot to a car than just its looks. Once I sit inside the C-Class, I can see its cabin redefining luxury in this segment. The beautiful wooden centre console with brushed aluminium buttons and air-conditioning vents and the analogue clock are a visual treat.
The black-beige combination complements the cabin design and makes the interior feel roomier. If that is not enough to make you feel special then the Burmester audio system will definitely knock your socks off.
A special mention for the super comfortable 'Cobra' seats, as Mercedes-Benz calls them. The C-Class has a longer wheelbase than the 3-Series, and so the rear passengers get more breathing space.
The 3-Series' cabin is dual tone too, but there is also the M-Sport package that provides an all-black cabin with red upholstery.
Being a more drive-focused car, it lacks the feel of the Mercedes sedan, even though there is no apparent compromise in luxury. It offers most of the features that one expects in this segment, but they somehow don't stand out, perhaps because they are all too similar with the stuff available in the rest of the BMW cars.
Both these cars are powered by a 2-litre diesel engine, but the similarity starts and ends there. The C-Class is all about refinement, so when you step on the pedal you can barely hear the engine.
The way to enjoy it is to drive without breathing down its neck. It performs well in the low and mid ranges, which makes it a very good city vehicle. It is responsive but in a controlled fashion.
If you want to push it around a bit, then the 7-speed gearbox tends to think before taking the leap. With 167 bhp, the C-Class is hardly a slouch and with driving options like Sport and Sport+, the power response is amazing.
However, the suspension set-up of the Sport+ can be a bit extreme for city conditions. The steering wheel is light and comes with paddle shifts, which lets you give the lazy gearbox a boost and facilitates control of gear selection.
In contrast with the Mercedes vehicles, BMWs have always been about driving dynamics. Sit behind the wheel of the 3-Series, and you can feel the powerplant pulling at the tethers.
Sure, it is not as refined as most diesel engines, but I personally feel it adds a bit of character to the car. This 2-litre loves to growl, making no apology for the 181 ponies raring to go. It accelerates from the word go, leaving you wondering if this truly is a diesel drive.
This engine revs hard, so if you are the sort who likes to have 'me time' away from the family, then this sedan is all for you. It is great in slow traffic too -credit this to the 8-speed gear box that allows you to drive the car as you feel like.
It is one radical car if you aren't a back-seat driver. Now, if only BMW had added steering-mounted gear shifts, what a car it would be.
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a great all-rounder, with the best in interiors, a powerful engine and reliable ride comfort. It is also spacious.
If you plan to sit in the rear and be driven around, then fork out Rs 42.90 lakh and this gorgeous car is all yours. The BMW 3-Series is a beast, a sheer pleasure to drive, and with a gem of an engine mated with a responsive 8-speed gear box, it is a class apart.
But it is car that needs to be driven every day, preferably with the chauffeur on the passenger seat. As it is manufactured in India, the 3-Series can be yours for Rs 39.90 lakh.
Eventually everything depends on what catches your fancy - being driven around like a sahib or wielding the wheel like an adverturer.
MERCEDES-BENZ C 220 CDI
Engine: 2,143cc
Power: 167bhp @ 4,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,800rpm
0 - 100 kmph: 7.4 seconds
Price: Rs 39.90-42.90 lakh (Ex-showroom, Delhi)
BMW 320D
Engine: 1,995cc
Power: 181bhp @ 4,000rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 2,750rpm
0 - 100 kmph: 7.6 seconds
Price: Rs 35.90-39.90 lakh (Ex-showroom, Delhi)
Arup Das is Features Editor at AutoX.
