With sharper styling and more athletic looks, it looks as if Mercedes' new C230 Kompressor sports coupe, which is based on the C-Class sedan platform, is intending to attract the younger consumers. Backed with a policy that projected it as "more car without more cost" the C 230K definitely lives up to its sporty image.
The most striking feature of this powerful car is its 192 hp supercharged 2.3 litre 4-cylinder engine that provides an output of about 185 hp and a torque of 200 lb-ft. This is called a 'Kompressor' in German and hence the particular name for this practical and efficient vehicle. One of the conspicuous characteristics of this engine is the immediate torque as soon as the accelerator is pressed. With a 6-speed manual transmission and a 5-speed automatic touch shift transmission, the 1-100 km/hour mark is attained in 7.4 seconds and 7.7 seconds respectively. Another special trait of the 5-speed automatic transmission is the adaptive shift logic which automatically adapts its shifting reaction to driving circumstances. The shift gate provides tangible pointers for those wanting to shift for themselves.
