Benz won't break bank

Tremblant, Quebec—After a day in the mountains and on the track, I found the Mercedes-Benz C230 Sports Coupe is fast, roomy, safe, and fun to drive. Released in mid-July, the coupe will target a younger than normal demographic for Mercedes.

A 2.3-liter, 192 horsepower, supercharged four-cylinder engine gives great performance on the highway and on twisty mountain roads. Providing a good blend of stability and comfort, the coupe comes with a forgiving suspension, traction control, ABS, and an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) which detects slides or spins and applies selective breaking to assist. Eight airbags, including side curtain and rear passenger side impact bags, are standard equipment.

Options for transmissions are a smooth six speed manual with well-spaced gates that give you accurate shifts, or a 'driver adaptive' five speed automatic with touch shift, which learns your shift points and power expectations, while giving you the option of poking through the gears without a clutch. The automatic was responsive and tight, but I prefer the feeling of unity with the vehicle when driving a stick.

Versatility is a plus in the coupe. Front seats slide forward and decouple from the tracks for great access to the roomy, 60/40-split, folding rear seats that lay flat, providing 38.1 cubic feet of cargo room.

Rocker buttons on the steering wheel let the driver adjust more than 50 functions in the vehicle. The data is displayed on a small screen under the speedometer, although I found the "windows" type interface somewhat difficult to navigate.

Base MSRP is $24,950, but don't expect a CD player or leather heated seats for this small sum. I believe the most useful options are the panoramic sunroof with rain sensor, Bose premium sound, and the COMAND system, which integrates navigation, telephone, and audio controls. These options will of course increase the cost of the vehicle, but a well equipped Mercedes for under $30,000 is still a reasonable price.

One thing I would like to see is an AMG version of this coupe. AMG models come with modified engines, brakes, wheels, suspensions, air dams and interior components all designed by world champion racecar builders with the spirited driver in mind.