If there’s one thing that whispers “class” (I can’t say “screams class” – that’s not classy enough), it’s a lovely German-designed coupé. You just can’t go wrong with this – like a luscious cheesecake base with just the right combination of creamy and tangy. Add Mercedes-Benz’s traditional excellence and you’re adding a generous dollop of coffee to that cheesecake.  Throw in a diesel engine and you add a bit of oomph – a shot of chocolate liqueur, perhaps. Made to a recipe like that, it’s no wonder that the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé Diesel is every bit as luxurious and decadent as a coffee and chocolate liqueur cheesecake… and just as mouth-watering.

A coupé that doesn’t have terrific exterior styling just doesn’t count as a coupé, any more than a cheesecake is a cheesecake without cheese (even it’s a non-dairy variety). Of course, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé Diesel has all the lovely styling you could want. The side-on view is smooth and rather minimalist, although this highlights the sleek characteristic roofline of a classic coupé. Seen from the front, the Mercedes logo takes centre stage, with the twin lights (LED high-performance headlights with headlamp assistance) and the vents sweeping diagonally towards it. The rear is decorated by a subtle spoiler and an equally discreet exhaust. Nineteen-inch 12-spoke alloy wheels complete the package.

The velvety heart of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé Diesel is the 2.1-L diesel engine with two turbochargers and direct injection. This engine’s power curves peak at 150 kW but this is eclipsed by the sort of torque that you only get from a diesel engine: 500 Nm. The fuel economy figures are deliciously on the low-calorie side (if only we could say the same about coffee and chocolate liqueur cheesecakes!), with a combined fuel consumption figure of 4.4 L/100 km, although the Eco stop/start function probably has something to do with that. So do the four driving modes:

The transmission inside the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé Diesel is Mercedes’ famous 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic system, which also helps maximise the fuel economy with its creamily smooth shifts. The smooth shifts also add to the overall comfort, as does the sports tuned suspension and the leather upholstery (which includes the steering wheel with paddle shifters). In fact, comfort to the point of voluptuousness seems to be the overall name of the game for everything from the four-way front seat lumbar support and the rear seat’s armrest through to the dual-zone climate control system. Driver aids come in the form of keyless entry and starting, cruise control with variable speed limiting function, front and rear parking sensors and a 360° camera, as well as all the active safety features. These active safety features include the brakes, which come with all the trimmings: the HOLD function to keep the car still at the lights without you having to hold down the foot brake, brake drying, hill start assistance and brake assistance. Other safety features include the Pre-Safe accident anticipation system, the ESP with acceleration skid control (a must on a sporty unit like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé Diesel with all that low-down torque), and the blind spot assistance. We can’t forget Mercedes’ Attention Assist feature, which detects by the way you’re working the steering wheel that you’re getting tired and lets you know that you need to stay awake and/or take a break.  The warning on the dashboard comes in the form of a coffee cup icon.

Driving the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé Diesel sounds like plenty of fun to me, but the infotainment system and connectivity also helps to keep the passengers (all three of them) entertained (it’s never quite as fun for the passengers as it is for the driver). The sound system is a five-speaker system with front bass (no more deafening the rear seat passengers with pounding bass when the driver and front passenger want to enjoy it). It’s rigged up to the 7-inch display screen, which also works with the Garmin MAP Pilot navigation and the Bluetooth connectivity. The sound system takes CDs and MP3 input, iPod, iPhone and 2 USB input ports (located in the centre armrest). The LED ambient lighting with three colours and five levels of dimming are perfect for highlighting the interior trim, which features not only leather but also the trim, which comes in either brushed aluminium or black ash open-pored wood.

Current model series include:

• Mercedes-Benz C 250 d

For any more information on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé Diesel, 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 quotes requests out to our national network of Mercedes-Benz dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!