OD Garage: 2013 Mercedes C-Class C Edition intro

In a few months time the C-Class as we know it will no longer exist. It will be replaced by a brand new car that is contemporary in several respects, least of all its styling. Will it be any better looking, that is a wholly subjective area and until I see the car in the flesh I will hold any comment. What I do know though is that for the next 6 months I have the keys to what is essentially the last of the C-Class line. This one is the Edition C that was launched to commemorate the sale of over ten million C-Class cars around the world.

In many ways this isnt a very special car, there are a few cosmetic changes and nicer seats inside. Yet it is special, after all not many cars can claim to have sold over ten million units and my long term is a celebration of just that. I last drove the C-Class eons ago, so the memory of just how surprisingly good this car can be had faded away. The Edition C then is a strong flashback to what the C-Class represented. Good quality, a comfortable and plush glasshouse and when the mood suits you a good companion to indulge in some spirited driving. Of course the C-Class wasn't what I'd call a dynamic set of wheels yet it's satisfying.

The Edition C is a customized C220 CDI, and it's only available as a diesel. As a treat the Edition C get specialized body work such as the AMG sport kit which includes blacked out two-tone 17" alloys with low profile tyres, blacked out headlamps and a blacked out front grille. Like the sports editions a large 3 pointed star appears centre stage on top of the grille rather than the conventional hood ornament.

So my immediate reactions to the first couple of weeks that I have used the car? It's a fun to drive sedan, not in the sense of great usable power but in the sense that there is a sport button that allows the engine to respond quicker. The low profile tyres are quite sticky so there is decent grip to be had out of them. Surprisingly the ride quality which you would normally expect to be stiff because of the low profile tyres is absent, this cars ride is simply quite brilliant. Its neither soft nor washy and on the contrary is firm, supportive and it does not crash through potholes or jars over rough patches.

If there was something I would have liked at first glance to be a little different then it would be some of the interior detailing. A few more flourishes to mark out the celebration effect would be nice, probably something to the effect of a different coloured stitch on the seats. Or a motif embossed into the steering wheel or in the clocks or on the upholstery.

Read our launch report of the C-Class C Edition here