Like a bit of classy economical motoring while touring Australia? Look no further than the very fine Mercedes Benz A180 CDI. They say that Napoleon once said that ‘an army marches on its stomach”. I suppose this would have to be a fair comment regarding the modern tourist. There’s no better way to travel than to stop here and there and sample the food.

Those with greater appetites may find that the very frugal Mercedes Benz A180 CDI makes for a happy companion. The huge savings one experiences from the efficient diesel engine allows more dollars to be spent on other important things. Definitely the average fuel economy figure of just 5.2 Litres/100 km suggests there should be a little spare cash sitting inside the wallet.

There are many glorious drives around Australia, and right near the top of the list would have to be the special drive from Sanctuary Cove up to Tamborine Mountain. The road winds through farmlands, macadamia orchards and stands of eucalypts and rain forest. Through the rain forest there are some extremely steep grades, which the A180 CDI four-door will cope very admirably with. Always smooth and refined, the in-line 4 cylinder, 1991cc diesel motor develops a strong 80 kW that peaks at 4200 rpm. A maximum of 250 Nm ranges from between 1600 and 2600 rpm. I found the acceleration to be brisk, and the cruising ability to be effortless. The 0-100 km/h dash can be performed in 10.8 seconds, and the car is always happy to run past 110km/h without fuss. In fact the top speed for the Mercedes Benz A180 CDI is 186 km/h. Drive is, of course, via the front wheels, and the Autotronic 6-speed manual gearbox is simply superb.

The exterior design, while eye catching, makes the A-Class body appear long and wide. The A180 CDI boasts distinctive bumpers, large exterior mirrors, a radiator grille with a pronounced V-shape, sweeping headlamps and a pleasant cluster design for the taillights. The dynamic design is nothing short of class leading.

Luggage space is very good, so picking up the odd memoir here and there on your trip will be no problem. The cabin is spacious and very well endowed with high quality materials and electronic whizzes. The large windows allow light to flood into the interior, while the optional panoramic louvred sunroof opens up the view to the sky above. Standard equipment includes air-conditioning and an onboard computer as well as a multifunction steering wheel and Hill Start Assist. If you need more space, the optional EASY – VARIO – PLUS system lets you remove the rear seats and front passenger seat from the saloon in their entirety, giving you up to 1995 litres of load space.

You can choose from a wide range of equipment options, and you can transform the A-Class into your own very personal machine. You might opt for an integral DVD player for MP3 / WMA playback, a DVD navigation system, a Bluetooth interface and red and black leather seating for example.

Despite its compact exterior dimensions, it is packed with the latest safety technology from Mercedes – Benz. One neat feature occurs when the A180 CDI is braked to a halt from a speed of 70 km/ h or more. When this happens, the hazard warning lights are switched on automatically, giving you an extra level of protection. The Active Parking Assist system is also very handy.

The Gold Coast’s expanding fine dining scene is exciting. Grab yourself a Mercedes Benz A180 CDI, and then hit the road, sample the food, see the sights and have some very cost-effective fun.

The current model series includes the:

• Mercedes Benz A180 CDI

For any more information on the Mercedes Benz A180 CDI, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Mercedes Benz dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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