What If You Could GROW Your Mercedes?

What If You Could GROW Your Mercedes?

Will Cars of the Future be Made of Wood? While yet to have a release date, Mercedes Benz has given us a sneak peak at the Alpha, the first wooden chassis car of their line. The concept of making cars from wood might be raising many a skeptical brow, due to such things as deforestation and the material making a stand in for modern metal alloys. Perhaps this skepticism in the market is why we鈥檙e so far off from seeing this come to the market. However, Mercedes does offer some wonderful concepts with this new technology concept. When we imagine an automotive production line, we think of mostly metal parts being put together down an assembly line. The Mercedes-Benz Alpha concept challenges this modern manufacturing style by introducing an entirely new production method. What if you could GROW your Mercedes? That鈥檚 the idea behind the Alpha. It鈥檚 two-part wood frame/chassis is thoughtfully formed from the second a seedling is planted. Using age-old grafting and tree-shaping techniques, entire genetically modified, fast-growing groves could be shaped to efficiently produce the vehicle鈥檚 various components in an eco-friendly way. After harvesting the pre-shaped timber, each section can be carved to the appropriate shape to form parts of the frame. With this technique, nature itself becomes the cleanest, most efficient manufacturer without any artificial and polluting production processes. In fact, the trees are clean air contributors while they grow. Furthermore, the final production unit鈥檚 electric power brings its total carbon footprint down to almost zero.

SAGUENAY, Que. 鈥?When one thinks of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the two-door variant isn鈥檛 usually the one that first springs to mind. When it comes to this vehicle (and almost every one where there鈥檚 a coupe and sedan available), the sedan is king. And it makes sense too, especially in a Canadian marketplace where practicality often ranks high on the list of car shopping needs. That said, it鈥檚 a shame the two-door model doesn鈥檛 get as much love because the C-Class Coupe, the smallest Mercedes coupe on the market that鈥檚 also available as a sedan, is a fine car. For 2017, the C-Class Coupe is available in several variants, but for the purpose of this story, the focus will be on the C300 4MATIC version, which is now available in dealerships nationwide. As the name would suggest, it comes one way. Several packages and stand-alone options are available as add-ons, but the car exists, in Canada at least, without much mechanical variation.

The C300 4MATIC Coupe is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine (241 horsepower / 273 lb-ft. Mercedes鈥?4MATIC all-wheel drive system is standard on all models sold in Canada. The 鈥?7 is larger all the way around than its predecessor, yet Mercedes engineers have managed to shave 50 kg (110 lb) from its structure, which means the C300 is still pretty quick: 0-100 km/h in just 6.0 seconds. From a design perspective, the C300 cuts a slippery, athletic profile with a low, wide-set stance. A refreshed front end features a front grille framed by large headlamps complete with LED signature lighting (that also serve as daytime running lights) and a single blade diamond grille with a large Silver Arrows badge in the centre. The 鈥減ins鈥?that populate the grille are finished in either chrome or satin black depending on trim package. Inside, the C 300鈥檚 cabin is loaded with amenities and finished in high-quality materials.

Although some things take a bit of getting used to (such as the stalk-mounted gear selector), most of the car鈥檚 primary controls are within easy reach and are fairly intuitive to use. The standard Artico leather seats offer 16-way adjustment up front, which makes finding the right driving position easy. Same goes for the power-operated tilting and telescoping steering column. All contact points are pleasing to interact with and have a nice quality feel. In Comfort and even Sport mode, the 2.0-litre turbo goes about its business rather quietly, unless the accelerator is stabbed hard. Although the 241 hp / 273 lb-ft. 鈥檛 provide for a feel that is especially sporty. 250) does liven things up a bit, however. C300 is at it鈥檚 most engaging in this spec. Overall, the C300 4MATIC Coupe is handsome, well-equipped, impressively engineered and competitively priced and comfortable to drive. It鈥檚 not the most sporting option available, but it should be noted Mercedes has that market covered with forthcoming AMG variants, the C43 and C63, both of which are heavy on performance.

In the compact luxury coupe market, however, where style, comfort and amenities are usually more important to consumers than torque, horsepower and a snarling exhaust note, the C300 4MATIC is a very compelling option. Sleek, handsome and athletic. The C 300 is a looker from all angles. Typical Mercedes- cleanly designed, finely crafted and loaded with amenities. AIRMATIC and sport suspension, but a bit sedate otherwise. Impressive. From a full suite of standard safety features to improved an infotainment system, AIRMATIC and Dynamic Select, the C 300 is on the cutting edge. The C300 4MATIC is an attractively styled, well-engineered and finely built car that鈥檚 comfortable to drive and loaded with standard features for a competitive price. This is a bit niggly, I know, but the C 300 4MATIC is a bit lacking when it comes to delivering an overall dynamic driving character. The C300 4MATIC isn鈥檛 the sportiest compact luxury coupe available, but if that鈥檚 what you鈥檙e after, Mercedes has AMG variants coming, (C43 and C63), that will scratch that performance itch. However, this car nails the aspects that matter most: style, comfort and available amenities, and they are likely to carry the most weight with consumers. Travel and other expenses for this story were paid by the manufacturer.