99 C230 KOMPRESSOR SPECS ROCKER COVER FULL

The ride never became punishing, but this vehicle is not for those who like a soft ride. The ride was firm, revealing the pitiful state of most roads in Pennsylvania. The recirculating ball, power-assisted steering was responsive and direct, steering the car exactly where it was pointed. A good performance for a rear-drive automobile. Although the electronic stability program isn’t offered, the car never fishtailed, even in wet weather. Braking was excellent in all kinds of weather, with short straight stops. Traction control is standard as is four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes.

Power is fed theough a five-speed automatic transmission that adopts its shifts to suit the driver’s driving style.

With the exception of the engine noise, you’ll forget you’re driving a four.

99 C230 KOMPRESSOR SPECS ROCKER COVER FULL

Power is well-controlled, with full power available closer to highway speeds. While not the quietest engine ever encountered, it lends the car a sporty edge. The engine initially seems every bit of four-cylinders, but the crankshaft-driven supercharger kicks in with a hearty whine and lots of power. It also makes this car a real alternative for someone looking for a car in the low 30s price range, something that couldn’t be said of its predescessor. That’s only 0.1 second slower than the more expensive six-cylinder model. Zero to 60 now takes a mere 8.1 seconds, two seconds quicker than last year and closer to other cars in this class. You’d expect double-overhead cams and four valves per cylinder, but it’s the Eaton supercharger with an intercooler that adds the oomph. The numbers: 185 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque from a 2.3-liter in-line four-cylinder engine. That translates into a 37 horsepower increase and 38 pound-feet of torque increase. Thankfully, this year the standard engine comes from Mercedes Benz’s SLK coupe. When it debuted last year, the underpowered C230 came with a mere 148 horsepower, less than a Nissan Altima. After having redone its entry-level line for 1998, you’d think the folks at Mercedes Benz would leave well enough alone for their most affordable sedan, the C230.īut with increasing competition in the near-luxury class - those cars with base prices from $30,000 to $40,000 - the folks at M-B addressed one of the C230s biggest deficits: power.

99 c230 kompressor specs rocker cover