C-CLASS W203

About the C-Class W203

The W203 C-Class was Mercedes trying to cut costs and getting caught. The interior materials were a step down from the W202 in some areas, with soft-touch surfaces replaced by harder plastics. The M271 supercharged four-cylinder in the C 230 Kompressor made 189 hp and was fine for commuting. The M112 V6 in the C 320 made 215 hp and was better. The C 32 AMG got a supercharged V6 at 349 hp, fast and subtle. The C 55 AMG followed with the 5.4 V8 at 362 hp. The W203 drove well for its era, with a balanced chassis and decent steering feel. The sedan looked elegant from outside. The coupe variant was either love or hate. Reliability was mixed, with the balance shaft bearing issue on the M271 haunting owners for years.