The C200 Kompressor’s 1800cc four-cylinder unit hails from the latest Mercedes-Benz engine family, and is equipped with the unique twin pulse ignition system. Lt uses a combination of different technologies like supercharging, charged air cooling, four valves per cylinder, fully variable camshaft adjustment and balance to deliver optimum driving enjoyment and smoothness with optimum fuel efficiency.

The Mercedes engineers have optimised fuel consumption by improving the thermodynamic efficiency while also shifting the operating points over the entire torque spectrum. The 1.8-litre engine with supercharging has also had a positive effect on the consumption figures thanks to lower frictional losses and improved thermodynamics. The engine achieves its maximum torque of 221Nm between 3500 and 4000rpm. And this helps move it substantially quickly off the line.

The twin pulse system and the unique combination of supercharger and balancer shaft resolves one of the paradoxes encountered in the development of four-cylinder engines. The balancer shafts compensate for vibrations inherent in most engines of this type and thus ensures a level which is exemplary for a four-cylinder engine. One needs' to compare this engine with all the other four-cylinder engines in the market today. In other words by using supercharging and the very latest engine mods plus electronics the new four-cylinder powerplant delivers pulling power and smoothness comparable to many other six-cylinder units on the market.

The C200K also features the same Tiptronic kind of five-speed automatic gearbox which we have tested on numerous cars sporting the three-pointed star. This gearbox incorporates fuzzy logic control to implement precise gear-shifting as well as ruling out any gear-hunting. It also allows gears to be selected manually with just a touch needed towards the right to shift up and to the left to shift down should you decide to employ manual shifts.