02 C230 KOMPRESSOR ENGINE BAY MANUAL

The six-speed transmission is well suited to the car, too, with the top gear cutting the engine speed at 70 mph from 3,000 rpm to around 2,600 rpm - for a noticeable improvement in noise, engine wear and gas mileage. The supercharged engine is an ideal match for this 3,300-pound car, providing plenty of pep without being overpowering. Solid is a word that always comes to mind when driving a Mercedes.

02 C230 KOMPRESSOR ENGINE BAY MANUAL

You do get a choice of transmissions: a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic. The C230 comes in only one body style and with just one engine choice: a 192 horsepower, 2.3-liter, 4-cylinder engine with a belt-driven supercharger (that's the Kompressor part). Mercedes also hopes these happy, young C230 owners will hop their way up the Mercedes line, from the C Class to the E Class, finally graduating to an S600 before bequeathing their worldly belongings to their future Mercedes-owning offspring. No doubt the company hopes that its new, spunky hatchback will attract younger buyers who thought they couldn't afford a Mercedes, or buyers who want the nicest damn small car they can own. The C230 is something of a departure for Mercedes, which has a reputation for making solid, conservative expensive sedans. It's well designed, beautifully made, fun to drive and nicely equipped at a target price of $24,950. The C230 Coupe is a new model for Mercedes. But this car is clearly the new king of that hill. It used to be that a fully loaded VW Golf was as upscale as you could go with a practical and sporty two-door hatchback. It's also the nicest two-door hatchback on the market. The C230 Kompressor Sport Coupe is the smallest and least expensive Mercedes you can buy. 'It's hard to think of another hatchback coupe that offers the combination of solid feel, safety, sporty performance, airy feel and distinctive looks.'

02 c230 kompressor engine bay