tea

as much as i love the new C class, $60,000+ for a fully loaded C400 is too much. If this car was out before i had bought my 3is, i'd definitely consider one with an MSRP in the $4x,xxx.

FastTags

What do you mean c400? I didn know they have c400

TangoRed

Welcome to the W205 C-class. They now have a C400. The C350 is dead.

JDR76

I like the interior but have yet to warm up to the exterior. The front starts off very strong and bold, which I like, but it gets too curvy and droopy at the rear, giving it a softer, less aggressive overall appearance. Nice car, and I can see why others like it, but the looks are definitely not for me.

SW17LS

You don't have to buy one fully loaded. Fully loaded we're talking about a LOT of equipment you typically don't see in the segment. No doubt its more expensive than its competitors...but its also more car.

This is something I wish Lexus would learn. Don't be afraid to offer a highly optioned car at a commensurate price. If they are offering a loaded C400 at $60k we should be able to have a $53k F Sport IS with memory seats.

RXSF

Do we know for sure that the C450 will replace the 400? The turbo 6 is already an all new engine. I thought the 450 was going to slot in between the 400 and Amg model. Mercedes keeps doing this to me

J.P.

I took one of my employees out shopping for his first "nice car" recently and we hit all the dealers. I have to say the new C pretty much smoked everything when it comes to the interiors. It may not be for you, but I think they killed it even if the screen seems a little odd.

JT4

I think the new C is a nice looking car. I just don't like the tablet like screen on the dash.. IMO looks like an afterthought.

RXSF

We all know cars take 7 or more years to design. It's clear to me that ehen the designers started on this generation of cars they took a chance and bet on the iPad and tablet craze. Now that nobody likes the design they are in too deep to make changes. I will bet the next generation or even mid cycle refresh may remove this design

JT4

You may be onto something...

SW17LS

I don't think its that. I read an interview with a designer one time not that long ago and they asked them what the deal was with pop up/sit up navigation screens. He said the reason they did that was so that they could put the nav screen up high on the dash while being able to keep the heigh of the dash low. A lower dash makes the interior feel bigger. In order to put the screen at that size and at that height they'd have to either make the dash much higher or put a big cowl around it or something.

If you sit in a new C compared to the old C, or say a 5 Series which still has the built in nav, vs an X5 with a similar style dash and a stand up screen, you can see the difference in the height of the dash and how open it makes the cabin feel. I like the look of the integrated screen, but the lower dash does feel roomier.

5 Series:



X5:

RXSF

It certainly can be a combination of many reasons. I have also heard that the tablet screens allow for a lower dash and therefore roomier cabin feel, but that doesn't explain why the S class still has the housed tablet. The C and the S were probably designed at the same time. Given that the S class has an older demographic, designers probably thought they wouldn't like the tablet style. The C on the other hand is marketed towards younger buyers who would be more inclined to be part of the tablet craze. If sightlines were the sole reason, it wouldn't make sense to leave the S class out of it when the older folk could certainly use as much help as possible to see out of the windshield

SW17LS

I think for a car as huge as the S Class making the cabin feel roomy was less of an issue than it was in the much much smaller C Class. The S Class also has that huge 12.5 inch screen.

TangoRed

I shouldn't have said supplanted- you're right, the C450 will be in addition to the C400. Used the wrong word. But yes they will actually be phasing in the I6 motors shortly, starting with the next E-class.

There was some argument over the new tablet design and how that would look with the S-class's chassis hard points according to the insider forum...remember the S-class is on a carryover platform. That being said, there's a chance the next E-class will mimic more of the S-class style when it debuts.

peteharvey

I'm looking at buying either a GS350 luxo, or a C300 2.0 Twin Turbo.
I have test driven both, and the C300 is a very decent car, esp for a four.

We will be test driving both again this weekend, but after thinking more and more, I suspect the C300 is more about very good badge and styling with a very decent four and all round car, while the GS350 is the opposite - the GS more about a decent badge and styling, with very good mechanicals and refinement.

Only more kilometres behind the wheel of each will determine their fate for me...