With the new Mercedes C230 Sports Coupe’s surprisingly low price, there are bound to be a lot of drivers new to Mercedes running around out there in the next year or so.  To those Mercedes neophytes:  Welcome!  You’re about to learn what that three-pointed star is all about.  Even though it’s at the bottom of the lineup, the C230 Sports Coupe doesn’t lack for any of the qualities that make a Mercedes what it is.

As part of Mercedes’ attempt to broaden its appeal in the US, the C230 Sports Coupe’s mission in life is to make Mercedes-Benz’ unique blend of performance, quality, and luxury available to buyers all across the economic scale, rather than just the super-rich.  Based on the new-for-2001 C-Class sedan, Mercedes’ “two-door debutante” is the only “premium hatchback” currently for sale in the United States.  And as the price leader, it’s Mercedes’ all-important introduction to new buyers.

For those who aren’t intimately familiar with the marque, the C230 Sports Coupe’s styling is classic Mercedes.  Like the rest of the C-Class, it has oval headlamps and a wide chrome grill whose basic look dates back to Mercedes cars of the Sixties.  The hatchback body is proportioned nicely despite being chopped seven inches, with only a hint of stubbiness at the tail end.  The classic Mercedes nose keeps the C230 Sports Coupe from looking like an economy car.  This is the long-hood, short-tail look popularized by classic muscle cars, taken to extremes.  16″ alloy wheels are standard.  At the rear, there’s a small window in the hatchback, reminiscent of Honda CRX and Mazda MX-3, which improves visibility slightly.

Not doing much for visibility but helping the mood inside tremendously is the optional “panorama sunroof.”  Check this option box, and the C230 Sports Coupe arrives with a full-width sunroof over the front seat passengers, and a second glass panel over the rear seat.  Retractable covers make the C230 Sports Coupe’s interior bright and airy, even on rainy days.  The front section of the glass roof can be opened just like a sunroof as well.  Should you choose to move farther up the pecking order into more expensive Mercedes cars (or trucks) in the future, the interiors will remain familiar places.  The C230 Sports Coupe shares the C-Class’ “rainbow” speedometer/tachometer and driver information center, and adds cool upholstery to the seats.  Our three ergonomic complaints are all typical of Mercedes.  First, the psychotic sound system’s vague, confusing controls will require repeated trips to the owner’s manual.  Second, the sound system’s insistence on varying volume with speed means that the radio is perpetually too loud or too quiet.  GM cars also have this feature, but unlike Mercedes’ it can be turned off.  Lastly, the C230 Sports Coupe has a pedal parking brake, whose operation in a manual transmission-equipped car can require some foot-jockeying.

Once on the road, it’s a good idea for Mercedes tyros to remember that Mercedes cars do not care how fast you are going.  Period.  The C230 Sports Coupe is capable of the same effortless autobahn cruising as every other Mercedes product we’ve tested.  For drivers used to other cars, this can be a shock.  Even a capable Corvette or Celica tends to accompany high speed with a certain amount of drama, if only to remind you that you’re really, really exceeding the speed limit.  There are no such indicators from the C230 Sports Coupe.  Forty, eighty, and one hundred twenty miles per hour all feel the same.  It’s an amazing feat for a small car.  Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

The slick freeway manners come thanks in part to a 2.3 liter supercharged 16-valve four-cylinder.  Not only does this engine–shared with the SLK roadsters–pump out 192 horsepower, but a wide torque band makes that power available just about whenever it’s requested.  With its belt-driven supercharger, there’s almost as much off-the-line grunt as a six-cylinder engine, but without the larger motor’s fuel consumption.  Standing starts on extremely steep hills brought out a bit of four-cylinder breathlessness, but the belt-driven, nearly silent supercharger took care of them in short order.  The motor is hooked up to a very smooth-shifting six-speed manual transmission.  An automatic is also available.  The six-speed has longish throws, but straddles the line between sporty and easy to drive very well.  The C230 Sports Coupe’s top speed is reached in sixth gear, and is faster than you ought to be going on public roads.

The suspension does its part to contribute to the C230 Sports Coupe’s Mercedes experience.  Compared to its four-door counterpart, the Sports Coupe is slightly lowered, and the shocks are stiffer.  A three-link front suspension does wonders for steering feel, especially at high speeds.  At the back, a multi-link rear is similar to the C-Class sedan’s but has been stiffened to keep the rear-drive car from getting too tail-happy.  Four-wheel disc brakes and Mercedes’ Electronic Stability Program (ESP) are also standard.  ESP combines skid control and a panic-braking-assist systems into a general traction control package, and as on other Mercedes (we keep saying that, don’t we?) its function is almost seamless.  The C230 Sports Coupe is more than capable on the freeway, and it doesn’t mind an occasional twist thrown its way either.  It’s not a full-fledged sports car–an Honda S2000 or BMW M3 would leave it for dead on a race track–but the C230 Sports Coupe is willing to play.

Best of all, the C230 Sports Coupe isn’t a stripped-down, bargain-basement Mercedes.  Standard equipment includes anti-lock brakes, an antitheft system with a cool infrared key (instead of the typical metal and plastic affair), cruise control, front and side air bags, and heated mirrors.  Mercedes’ Tele Aid emergency service system is also included.  Not a bad deal for $24,950.  The panoramic sunroof adds $995 to the bottom line; our test car stickered for $26,590 and was more than a bargain at that price.  Audi and BMW are also poised to roll out “premium compacts” in the next few years, but it’s a sure bet none of them will have anything like the C230 Sports Coupe’s Mercedes mystique.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 Mercedes C230 Kompressor Sports Coupe, which we tested.
Base price:    $24,950
Price as tested: $26,590
Engine:     2.3 liter DOHC supercharged 16-valve I-4
Drivetrain:     six-speed manual, rear wheel drive
Horsepower:     192 @ 5500
Torque:     200 @ 2500-4800
Est. mileage:    19/29