With airport security tightening along with the inevitable delays and general hanging around, us Brits are binning the plane in favour of, no, not the train but in fact the car.
Becoming more adventurous we are boldly going where no other Brit has boldly gone before. To the continent and beyond! Mum, Dad, children, dog and in some extreme cases the in-laws. Well they serve their purpose as reliable babysitters.
Now the biggest obstacle facing any family travelling with the car is its ability to accommodate not just all the occupants, but the suitcases possibly camping equipment and the multitude of in car entertainment gadgets to keep those little ones amused. So the car has to be spacious flexible and practical. The obvious choice would be an estate unless you have so much clutter you need to hire a transit. However estates are often regarded as the workhorse of the car industry therefore lack the glamour and sophistication other cars boast.
That is, unless you invest in the new Mercedes Benz C-Class Estate. Hot on the heels of the luxury C-Class saloon, this new estate range takes the same qualities as the saloon in terms of safety and comfort but with the added benefits of space plus versatility.
There are eight engines to choose from all with significant improvements to reduce fuel consumption in some cases by 12 per cent mated to various trims according to the engine size. Prices start from £24,630 for the C180 Kompressor rising to £33,265 for the flagship C320 CDI which will not tug on the purse stings too much considering what equipment comes as standard. Just be aware of the optional extras or packs that could send the price tag spiralling higher than fuel prices.
My test car for the week was the C220 CDI that stands in at £26,760 and came with the upgrade package SPORT that costs £2,895. This gained me Parameter speed sensitive power steering that was blissful, Sports Braking system that was reassuring, 15mm lowered Sport suspension giving a superb ride and handling in addition to little touches of elegance in the guise of Sports seats and Sports pedals.
The exterior styling will certainly cause a stir at the English Ports with 17-inch alloy wheels, body coloured bumpers, door handles and door mirrors that are electrically adjustable heated and folded. The front styling is so Mercedes with the long bonnet, huge grille and large headlights clusters, my car having the optional Bi-Xenon light with the enhanced cornering function that is fantastic when driving in the dark. Do not forget, the continent does not enjoy evenings where it is light up to 10.00 pm as it is here in the UK.
source:femalefirst
