Does Mercedes need another member of what it calls its Sports Club? Models like the SLK roadster, the SL and CLK are there already, but the point about the new Sports Coupé, based on the C-class saloon, is that it's a more compact four-seater with a much lower entry-level price.All the engineering is from the saloon, but the two cars don't have a single exterior body panel in common. The Sports Coupé has some very subtle aerodynamic touches, on the outside and underneath, with a body design which offers a low drag coefficient and minimal lift. By Mercedes standards there's a stubby and high-tailed rear end, with that kind of tiny rear-cabin side window which seems to shriek, "Cramped passenger room here!"Fortunately, that's an optical illusion of the more enjoyable kind. Rear headroom is unexpectedly generous, well beyond the two-plus-two style, and quite enough for a six-foot passenger. As in most coupés, though, there's less in the way of kneeroom. If you need to carry two tallish people in the back, which few cars of this kind do, for any length of time, some shuffling forward of the front seats has to be negotiated.Like most recently introduced Mercedes models, this one has a far better fascia and console design than Stuttgart used to bother about, but it's good to see that plain, simple instrumentation is still the rule. The minor controls and switchgear are actually pleasant to use rather than strictly utilitarian, and the whole set-up just looks far better. Somebody has lost the place when designing the instrument cowl, though. It seems to have one upward curve too many.The test car had anthracite leather trim (a £1220 option) and the console was finished in aluminium. Sporty and businesslike just about sums it up. A leather-rimmed multi-function steering wheel is standard, and I wouldn't object to not having the bulging thumb rests that come with the AMG upgrade, about which more in a moment.There's a pronounced upwards slant to the side window line as it heads towards the driver's shoulder, but it isn't too oppressive. Getting into the back seats is easier than in some coupés, because the front ones have a sensible forward movement and there's an arrangement to get the headrests out of the way. Luggage space is better than in many rivals, too, partly because the spare wheel is of the space-saver persuasion. I'm not wild about that, in this kind of car. The rear seats fold down to provide extra load space, if you don't mind the cargo being in full view.The front seats are well designed, providing plenty of support in the right places, although like most German seats they do seem too firm for the first few miles. It's worth taking your time fiddling around to find the best seating position, because the seat adjustments, plus the rake and reach adjustment of the steering wheel, allow plenty of variations.Standard engine in the C 230 is the supercharged 2.3-litre unit familiar from other Mercedes models in various ranges. Some people complain that engines of this kind make slush-pump noises, but I find the physical effect of the revised Eaton-Mercedes supercharger, with its surge of power and no boost delay, more interesting than agonising about the sound effects. And the C 230 certainly provides seamless acceleration, if hardly in the supercar class.Standard equipment includes ABS, brake assist, an electronic stability programme and the rather useful ASSYST service indicator. There are airbags all over the place, automatic climate control, and a headlamp assist system able to recognise when darkness is falling, as well as when the car is heading into a tunnel or an underground parking area.The test car was fitted with a five-speed automatic box with both cruise control and that "tip" manual change facility Mercedes does so well. Somehow, the tiny sideways nudge of the selector lever needed to move up or down a gear feels much more precise than the more muscular fore-and-aft movement demanded by other systems.The really big extra-cost option, from a very extensive additional equipment list, is the Evolution Panorama AMG package. It's mostly cosmetic, although it includes a sports suspension and a sports exhaust system, plus a full-length panoramic glass sunroof. Whether it's worth an extra 13% or so on the standard price is open to discussion.The Sports Coupé is a mid-range Mercedes, obviously designed with a few keen glances across in the direction of Munich. It goes quickly and handles well, without offering anything like the performance or (in the future) exclusivity of Stuttgart's more expensive coupés. But it's well-priced, and it takes Mercedes into yet another new market sector. Engine 2295cc, 4 cylinders Power 197bhp Transmission 5-speed automatic Fuel 28.8mpg Acceleration 0-62mph: 8.1 seconds Top speed 147mph Price £24,700 Details correct at publication date
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