Mercedes-Benz C-class
Mercedes-Benz C-class Mercedes-Benz C-class
They returned to the hotel on the modern Mercedes-Benz S 250 CDI (such a version will appear with us only at the beginning of 2013). The car slowly made its way along the stagnant evening, rapidly darkening Stuttgart. The modern diesel engine is rumbling, it’s stalling in the fight for the environment, you’ll hardly stop (I turned off the device by pressing the Eco button and it’s annoying to stop stopping almost every half minute). Correctly, in quite decent Russian, navigation tells the way. The climate in the cabin is stable. Once tuned with knobs and Auto button - and forgot.
Suddenly, somewhere on a dark side street a familiar angular silhouette flashed and the low lights of the 190th. Not the one I rode today, but very similar. Thirty years have separated this model from our time, but in today's life, as it turned out, it not only does not look, but it does not feel like a dinosaur …
Mercedes-Benz C-class
Mercedes-Benz C-class Mercedes-Benz C-class
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
We have repeatedly addressed the topic of automotive progress. They tried to trace the long road of folk cars, starting already with Ford T (ZR, 2008, No. 1), compared mass models of the last decades (ZR, 2010, No. 11), and got acquainted with the latest history of the flagship BMWs (ЗР, 2012, № 12). This time they turned to the brand, which is rightfully associated with the front line of automotive engineering.
Mercedes-Benz was one of the first in the world to use engines with compressors, the first to launch a passenger diesel engine in a series. Back in the 1930s, hydraulic brakes and independent rear (nothing to say about the front) suspensions became the norm for the brand. Then there was a fuel injection, introduced in the 1950s, disc brakes in a circle, anti-lock braking system …
Helmut Kohl became the chancellor of Germany in the distant 1982 now, and Yu. V. Andropov. Few could imagine that the giant Soviet Union did not have long to live, and Germany, which seemed to be forever divided, would unite in less than 10 years.
Mercedes-Benz W201
Mercedes-Benz W201 Mercedes-Benz W201
That year, Daimler-Benz launched the compact Mercedes-Benz 190 (factory name W201), quickly nicknamed “Baby Benz.” It is from this model that the history of the modern “C-class” is traced (although the letter C appeared only in the next generation index). The small (140 mm shorter than the modern model and with almost 100 mm less base) sedan on the now ridiculous 14-inch wheels had, however, completely independent suspensions and disc brakes. True, the anti-lock braking system was still an option.
As, however, and single-point fuel injection "KE-Jetronic." On the basic version was an M102 engine with a Stromberg-175CDT carburetor, it developed 105 hp, and with a converter, as on this machine, 102 forces. To him - the basic four-speed manual gearbox. Optional - five-speed. Well, the better off ordered a four-speed automatic.
For ten years of production of the 201st, he, of course, has grown with more expensive and powerful versions. There was even a snappy version from AMG with a 225-horsepower engine. Lord, in the late 1980s, such a modification looked just crazy! At the opposite end was a version with a diesel engine developing 75 hp. And it was enough!
In 1993, both we and the Germans already lived in other countries. It was difficult for yesterday's Soviet citizens to get used to the fact that German cars with a star, whose name had been aspirated for several generations, could be bought in a store (unless, of course, there was something).
Mercedes-Benz W202
Mercedes-Benz W202 Mercedes-Benz W202
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz S with the designation W202 kicked off in Stuttgart. Externally, the car had nothing to do with the previous one. But the Germans have always been able to combine advanced technical solutions with healthy conservatism.
Suspension and steering designs are virtually unchanged. The brakes added a basic anti-lock system. And the diameter of the brake discs managed to grow another 190th: from 262 mm in front and 258 in the rear to 273 and 279 mm, respectively. But carburetors have gone down in history, engines with distributed injection have appeared (these changes, of course, did not coincide exactly with the change of generations, but were introduced gradually). The weakest engine, a 1.8-liter gasoline, was already developing 122 hp, and diesel - as much as 102 forces. The four-speed mechanics were no longer installed on the Mercedes, and a five-speed automatic was already available as an option. The sedan grew in length by 40 mm, in the base - by only 30 mm. For the first time in this class, a station wagon appeared.
Mercedes-Benz W202 was produced only seven years. On the threshold of a new century, the world introduced the W203 family. In it, the “C-Class” received an all-wheel drive version and two-door bodies, including those with a soft roof.
However, the main thing was hiding inside. The company decided on a small but revolution, using the McPherson front suspension and rack and pinion steering instead of worm gear. They also upgraded the brakes. In particular, they put larger wheels: 288 mm in front and 278 mm in the back.
Base motors remain the same. The most powerful one was already developing 367 hp, and it no longer seemed crazy. A six-speed manual became the standard box, and a seven-speed automatic, which first appeared on the most prestigious S-Class, became an optional one.
By the way, now these are even put on commercial vans.
Mercedes-Benz W203
Mercedes-Benz W203 Mercedes-Benz W203
And one more important detail: the car was generously stuffed with electronics and passive safety devices. It had a switchable stabilization system. In addition to front airbags and side curtain airbags, airbags for rear passengers were offered for a fee.
The sedan has increased in length compared to the 202nd by 53 mm, the base has increased by 25 mm.
And finally, the Mercedes-Benz W204, with the first presentation of which five years have passed. And it seems yesterday was … He grew another 50 mm, the base added 45 mm. In addition to the sedan and station wagon, you can buy a CLC hatchback and coupe. The base gasoline engine is now 154-horsepower, diesel - 120 hp. Boxes - six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic. The front suspension, like the rear, is multi-link. Of course, the electronics have been modernized to help the driver cope with increasingly powerful and fast cars.
Mercedes-Benz W204
Mercedes-Benz W204 Mercedes-Benz W204
It is likely that the current "C-class" will be on the assembly line for another two or three years. It is unlikely that the next model will become revolutionary, except that it will gain some kind of super-ecological modification. The time of the great automobile races has clearly passed.
TIME MACHINES
Well, now we will travel across four "Mercedes" with the arshin of the consumer, for whom the cabin amenities are important.
By today's standards, the interior is simple. But there’s nothing to get used to - I sat down and went
By today's standards, the interior is simple. But there’s nothing to get used to - I sat down and went. By today's standards, the interior is simple. But there’s nothing to get used to - I sat down and went.
Of course, the wide, incredibly soft chairs of the W201 model now cause irony. But he sat down quite comfortably, despite only two adjustments of the “chair” and not a single one at the huge steering wheel inspiring respect. The steering wheel, for me, could be raised, but not so bad. And what a review! Thin racks and a low glazing line allow you to see the world wide and undistorted.
Power windows and a sunroof with a solid brilliant constipation and after three decades work easily and gently. As well as the funny (how long have they been considered normal!) Slider for controlling the fan. The anthem to German rationalism is the manual control of the left external mirror, coupled with the electric drive of the right.
But the back is very crowded. Even a passenger is a little taller than average. But the car is small! Therefore, the loss of 65 liters of boot volume (manufacturer data) does not seem crushing. Moreover, the existing 410 liters are not bad by modern standards, especially if there is a niche for a full-size spare wheel in the trunk floor.
The owner of the 201st, who bought ten years later the 202nd, fell into a different world. Naive sliders and pens disappeared, the interior became much richer. The seat can now be adjusted in height. The climate is controlled by convenient regulators. Sunroof and power windows - with electric drive. True, the corresponding buttons are still on the box between the seats. But in other low-cost models, they do this today.
The second-generation car looks and is equipped much richer than the 190th
The second-generation car looks and is equipped much richer than the 190th. The second-generation car looks and is equipped much richer than the 190th.
The seats are much stiffer than before. But the feeling of spaciousness in the front diminished. The trend will continue in subsequent years. In the name of safety, the doors and the tunnel between the driver and the passenger will start to get fat. Probably because of this, the parking brake received a foot drive in the 202nd.
For the sake of the rear passengers, they did not make a revolution either. The most suitable unit for increasing space, displayed without measurements, is “a little”. The trunk did not grow much, but the lid - to the bumper.
In terms of rear passengers, the next model, the Mercedes-Benz W203, is much more comfortable. However, the driver and passenger were no longer free again.
In our hands - a version with a powerful engine in a rich configuration. And that means - leather, buttons on the steering wheel, electric drives of everything and everything
In our hands - a version with a powerful engine in a rich configuration. And that means - leather, buttons on the steering wheel, electric drives of everything and everything. In our hands - a version with a powerful engine in a rich configuration. And that means - leather, buttons on the steering wheel, electric drives of everything and everything.
But it is possible that the whole thing is in psychology. Indeed, the richer the finish, the more spaciousness is desired.
Visibility due to powerful racks is worse. True, exterior mirrors have grown. Buttons for adjusting the seats brought to the door - in my opinion, the best of all possible solutions. The steering wheel is also adjustable, which also received buttons.
In general, “buttons” are one of the keywords in describing the saloon of the 20th. The "accordion" on the dashboard at first is simply scary. What to do, there are more and more devices in cars, and another six to seven years will pass before the joysticks appear.
Those who drove Mercedes 30 years ago could not even imagine that the youngest sedan would have such a luxurious interior
Those who drove Mercedes 30 years ago could not even imagine that the youngest sedan would have such a luxurious interior. Those who drove Mercedes 30 years ago could not even imagine that the youngest sedan would have such a luxurious interior.
Here it is, a multicircle on the tunnel of the modern 204th. For someone who got behind the wheel of the 190th 30 years ago, this thing, like a large color display, would look like one of the dubious inventions of the director of a science fiction film. Is the joystick more convenient for buttons? With so many options - yes: there simply would not be enough room for buttons in the cabin. In addition, the generation of "users" is accustomed to computers. Just another problem arose: you have to wander around the menu and submenu. But who could have imagined that the Mercedes would speak Russian without an accent! In this regard, cars have overtaken many of us. Grunts, however, interpret that the modern generation has finally forgotten how to navigate in space and use the map. But how cool it is when a car drives you through a strange city!
The fact that the seat can be adjusted to a millimeter in all conceivable dimensions is also not bad at all. Tough? There is little, but you do not get tired in it. The back is not very spacious, but quite tolerable. To increase the scope for spoiled legs, you still need to increase the base. And here it’s not far to the next class …
Mercedes-Benz C-class
Mercedes-Benz C-class Mercedes-Benz C-class
THIRTY YEARS AND TWO LITERS
On the go, it was possible to fully compare the “extreme” generations - the 201st of 1984 and the modern Mercedes-Benz S 250 CDI. The first is gasoline, carburetor, the second is diesel. The volume of the cylinders differs by only 150 cubes, and the power - exactly twice! True, the curb weight has grown as much as 480 kg.
The first and most surprising impression of the 190th is the silence in the cabin. With intense acceleration, the diesel 204 growls clearly louder. Of course, adjusted for a much more powerful overclocking. According to passport data, a modern sedan wins a gigantic 5.3 seconds from a veteran. And still I will not name the 190th slow-moving boat. The car quite decently merges into the city and even into the autobahn, the motor spins merrily up to 5000 rpm. Further - just a pity!
The gears shift no worse than on many modern machines. The brakes are decent and very understandably manageable. Just do not bring the car to a situation where you feel the lack of anti-lock braking system.
Steering column switches that combine the control of direction indicators and wipers on Mercedes appeared a long time ago
Steering column switches that combine the control of direction indicators and wipers on Mercedes appeared a long time ago. Steering column switches that combine the control of direction indicators and wipers on Mercedes appeared a long time ago.
But - forgive me the current engineers! - 190th more comfortable. The suspension easily swallows minor bumps that the W204 on 17-inch low-profile wheels takes with hostility. Of course, the old car heels more, and the slow, smeared reactions to the actions of the steering wheel, especially in the “near-zero” zone, can even frighten the modern driver. But, choosing the nature of the car for a normal daily ride, I would have thought hard which suspension to prefer. However, such a choice is not before us.
In general, the Mercedes-Benz 190 is a perfectly liveable car. It is no coincidence that there are still many such sedans on German roads. But in most respects, of course, he cannot compete with the current ones. He’s not trying …
PROGRESS TAX
It's hard to argue that cars are getting better. In any case, from the point of view of an ordinary driver who needs to move comfortably and safely from point A to point B, this is so. Nevertheless, technical development, in my opinion, is not without paradoxes. Engineers are diligently increasing power and speed, achieving sports or, at least, near-sport handling, and there are more and more speed limits on the roads, and fines for exceeding are higher.
On the left grew the second lever - cruise control. From now on, drivers of all "Mercedes" will hurt him from time to time
On the left grew the second lever - cruise control. From now on, drivers of all "Mercedes" will hurt him from time to time. On the left grew the second lever - cruise control. From now on, drivers of all "Mercedes" will hurt him from time to time.
