Super CHARGE

The C200k has now been endowed with sportier and more aggressive styling to match the boost in performance. Aspi Bhathena casts discerning eye on the nuances of the changes that has elevated it to an absolute driver’s delight.

The first OVERDRIVE road test of the C­class was back in May 2001 when we tested both the C180 petrol and the C 200 CDI diesel-engined models. We had then bemoaned the lack of bottom-end and mid­range power in the petrol-engined car while being enamoured with the power and torque of the diesel car. In fact the diesel outperformed the petrol version in all departments including fuel efficiency and notably in the driving pleasure aspect.

DaimlerChrysler India started making the C200K to add the much required boost to the petrol engine car. The major drawback of the C180 was its lack of low down thrust as most of the time the car is driven in the bottom end of the rev range due to the traffic and road conditions in India. Once you had the engine spinning at higher rpm the C180 was perfectly okay but MBIL knew that it had to address the situation for its entry-level petrol offering and the C200K was the answer.