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C207 or W212 That's part of the Question

22K views 34 replies 10 participants last post by  mjpowell 
#1 ·
G'day you lot. I'm interested in your thoughts re: the coupe verses the sedan, apart from the obvious 2 extra doors on the sedan. I currently have a W211, and must admit to being a covert from a dearly loved CLK430 which was flattened by a 4wd.

My first thoughts were the E series was an old man style car, when my beloved suggested it as a replacement, but some nice 19" wheels gave it a bit more grunt appeal IMHO.

So to the new stuff, the W212 appears to come with more features like lane assist etc, and I'm a big guy so the extra room is a consideration. Now here's my dilema, I love the look of the C207 but it IS smaller. I'd like to know if the AMG type seats are available at least in the front of the W212 that a lot of the C207's have fitted?
Also is it possible to order the sports type grille that the C207 uses for the W212? I think the W212 looks pretty good, but again IMHO it needs something to give it some extra bite?

Am I the only one with the dilema of coupe vs sedan or are there others going through the motions as well.

Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated folks, for whatever they are, I think we all agree that Mercedes do great cars.
 
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#4 ·
Don't confuse the E class coupe/drop top with a 2 door E class, because it is not. It is nothing more then an overpriced and over-styled C class 2 door that was designed to resemble a real E class. The last ever E class 2 door was available in 1995 and there hasn't been one since. To compare the two cars is apples to oranges.
 
#6 ·
Sounds like you may have an issue with MB as in Australia at least the C207 is marketed as an E class Coupe. Checked out a dictionary and it confirmed a coupe is a car with a fixed roof and two doors??

Mr. x if your issue is that your not overly keen on it, yep that's an opinion, we all have them and that's fine. Although I actually wasn't seeking to compare a the current 2010 E Coupe with the 1995 model.
Just seeking thoughts and opinions of the current E Coupe with the current E Sedan.
 
#7 ·
That's interesting stuff as I was also considering the CLS as an alternative (although a second hand one, prices in Oz are a killer lol) to both the E sedan or E coupe. I've driven the W212, and the W219, but not the C207 Yet

I think the issue for me will be the size though, as the coupe is a tad on the small side. It would have really blown me away if it was the same size platform as the W212.

The dilemma continues for me, all 3 vehicles mentioned have some pros and cons.
 
#9 ·
Yes. C207 is using C class chasis and E class body and interior. For Benz's marketing, C207 is E Class. Their target is higher salary group. I did a test drive with C207 and W212. The handling of C207 is better than W212. When driving C207, you can enjoy E class interior with sporty feeling. If i don't care my grandmother, i must choose C207. Now, i choosed W212 and my brother choosed C207.
 
#11 · (Edited)
A chassis is nothing more than the frame upon which the components are bolted. To say that this car is nothing but a C Class is ridicules. According to MB and other reputable sources it shares 60% of it's components with the W212 and offers all of the same tech options. The engines and transmissions are the exact same as the W212 and have been used in several MB cars. The V6 comes out of the W211. It's overall look is far more like the E Class than the C Class. MB used the C chassis because the E chassis would have been too long for a 2 door coupe. I don't give a crap what chassis the coupe sits on it is a truely beautiful car. Maybe Mr. X you should check your Lexus and see how many components it shares with the Camry. Oh, by the way has your Lexus been recalled.
 
#14 ·
Quite a strong statement for a first post on the forum. The C207 may share 60% components with a W212 but if that is the case, then it shares 75% of components with a W204. I would call this "MB and other reputable sources" ridiculous with their claim.

The chassis parts including the suspension parts are almost 100% the same as W204 while W212 has no more than a few screws that are the same with a W204.

If this discussion needs to continue, shall we start listing parts from EPC for a 204, 207 and 212?

I want to emphasise that the common 204 parts does not make the 207 bad, 207 owners should not take this issue so emotionally.

steelgrey, welcome to the forum.
 
#12 ·
I agree with you. The E class coupe is beautiful and it doesn't feel like a C class at all! I drove the C class and I drove both the coupe and the convertible E class. It's miles away from the C class. I still personally like the W212 better, so I would buy the sedan versus the coupe!
 
#13 · (Edited)
What is important though is the length and size of the framework, the suspension and how it's mounted to the frame. This will greatly differentiate the driving experience. I take it most E-Class drivers know what an E-Class is and why they drive it. And why they don't opt for a C-Class.

The 60% shared components with an E-Class is techie marketing speak too. Of course cars nowadays share a lot of components.

So the truth is, the E Coupe is not an E. It's an excellent C. If it could provide the comfort and ride as an E I would buy it in a heartbeat. The argument that the E Coupe would be too long has been confirmed by numerous sources. The reality is it would provide you with a superb coupe. One that would compete way too much with the CLS (100% E class with a very sleek and sexy body) and the CL / future S coupe. And that's the only reason why the E Coupe could not be developed on the superior E class platform. It would provoke cannibalism among the MB models. Pity. I would have loved a truly large coupe within the E class range.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I want to point out a couple of things people left out about W207.

First off E-350 Coupe/Cabs shares more components with C204 than the E-550 Coupe/Cabs at least in the USA and maybe in other markets depending on the way MB offers options.

The E350 Coupe/Cab is offered with the same transmission and suspension as the C-Class Luxury sedan and has an option via the appearance package on the E350 Coupe/Cabs which offers the same sport-tuned suspension that features agility control in the USA that C-Class Sports Sedan uses vs E550 is only offered with Dynamic Handling suspension which is the same transmission and suspension for the "Sport Version" E-Class Sedans in the USA. The brakes in the E-550 Coupe/Cabs are the same brakes as the E-Class Sedan vs E-350 Coupe/Cabs brakes are the same ones as the C-Class Sedan.

It seems the E350 Coupes/Cabs because it is based on the same V6 engine as the C-Class shares more components with C-Class than E550 Coupe/Cabs which uses the larger V8 engine which share transmission, brakes and suspension with E-Class Sedan. It is very possible in markets outside of the USA Dynamic Handling suspension is offered on other variants of E-Class Coupes/Cabs but not in the USA.

I am not claiming the C-Class Brakes, transmission or suspension is bad nor am I claiming the E-Class Sedan Sports tuned suspension and transmission and brakes are better just stating what is offered in the USA.

My wife test drove E-350 and E-550 coupe and preferred the way the E-350 Coupe handled over the E550 as the C-Class suspension and transmission makes the car handle and fell like a smaller car in her opinion. I personally have a E550 Cab and I do agree with her that E350 handles and drives completely different than E550 which drives like a much larger car even tho both cars are identical in size basically. Even with the "S" button engage on both cars they drive completely different.

Again I am not knocking the suspension and transmission used in the E-350 coupes/cabs nor am I saying the E-550 coupes/cabs is better both are different. I personally got the E-550 because I wanted the AMG sports styling on it which is not offered on the 350 at all in the USA. At freeway speeds in my option Dynamic Handling suspension is much better, it firms up more and is more responsive but for city driving I think 350 suspension might be better as it firmer at lower speeds.

Their are a couple of other minor difference between the 350 and 550 at least in the USA like the 350 only offer dual climate control zones like the C-Class and 550 offers 4 climate control zones like the E-Class Sedan. Again I am not claiming you can really tell a difference between 2 or 4 climate zones in E-Class Coupes/Cabs as the car is so small that it really is not effective at all to have those extra zones and I do not think anyone setting in the back seat can tell the difference anyways honestly. I know in Europe MB offers the upgraded 4 zone climate controls in all models but not in the USA.

I am sure if I continue to think about it, I can find some more subtle difference between the E350 and E550 were 350 uses parts or shares features from C-Class and 550 uses parts or shares features from the E-Class Sedans. Again all the above might be region specific and based on what options are offered in your home country so the above may or may not be true about 350 vs 550 differences where you live.
 
#16 ·
I should have known better than to post on this forum where "mine's bigger and better than yours" is so very important. I have read every review I could find on the E350 coupe and have found very few negatives unlike so many of this forum's experts who probably have not even driven a coupe. Mine may be smaller and have confused lineage but, I find it a great car to drive and a pleasure to look at so I'll just happily drive off into the sunset and just enjoy my car. Bye!
 
#23 ·
Perhaps, but some comments were completely wrong. Like: "The E-Class Coupes and Cabs are certainly not C-Class, They are basically the same as a CLK rebadged as an E-Class, which I think MB made a mistake in rebadging into E-Class. The CLK shared some parts from the C-Class and some parts from the E-Class. "

The CLK was a combination of C-class parts and E-class parts and it had a lot of CLK-class parts (essential body specific parts). But the C207 is not at all the same.

The E-class Coupe C207 is certainly not a C-class but if you care to spend some time looking at the parts the car consists of, and compare this to a CLK, you can find that the "lower part" of the car is (almost) 100% identical to a W204. It does not have any essential 212 parts like the 208 had from a 210 etc.

Why do you assume something about the C207 based on what a 208 or 209 was? :confused: Why not read EPC and find out what it actually consists of, no need for speculation or assumptions.
 
#26 ·
Are we going to nick pick my statement? You want to be money some of the parts from the E-Class Coupe are different than both C-Class and E-Class too? I still stand by my first statement that E-Class Coupe and Cabs are basically CLK rebadged into E-Class because Mercedes Benz choose to offer a coupe/cab with the styling of the E-Class Sedan vs the CLK had the front of an E-Class and the back of C-Class and was a lot more mashed together the fact still remains that the CLK used the C-Class Chassis and offered most of the E-Class options no different that the basic idea behind E-Class Coupes/Cabs.
My point is that the CLK had a completely different order of CLK specific parts compared to the C207, of course excluding the body panels that obviously are not from E or C.

The CLK did not use the C-Class chassis in the sense the C207 does, like most of the suspension parts on the 208 were from a 210 which is not the case for the 207 at all.

"The basic idea" is not measurable and you can have your opinion for that equally as others may have a different opinion (myself I could agree).

I'm quite disappointed when members have pretty strong views on this matter and have obviously not had even a quick look at EPC where one can judge this with figures instead of feelings.
 
#27 · (Edited)
The CLK did not use the C-Class chassis in the sense the C207 does, like most of the suspension parts on the 208 were from a 210 which is not the case for the 207 at all.
I could be wrong but I can dig up all the complaints on this board about the CLK where people complained that the CLK used the C-Class chassis and suspension also and were over priced comparable to E-Class and there for the CLK were rip off as well. Every E-Class owner has always had that point of view of the CLK/E-Class Coupe/Cab because they are not as good of a value as E-Class Sedan, I do not disagree with you on that point. Coupes and Cabs are inherently more expensive always weather justified or not that is a fact of life and your choice is to pay that premium to drive a one or buy a Sedan.

As far as Suspension being the same in the E-Class Coupe/Cabs as C-Class in the USA that is only true on the 350 as the 550 uses the same suspension as the E-Class Sports Sedan.

I never agreed with MB calling the E-Class Coupes or Cabs E-Class, and I thought they should have retained the CLK badge as they are not full blown E-Classes but they are clearly not C-Class either nor are they bad cars. And as far as coupes or cabs in the same price range imo the W207 is the sharpest looking and most comfortable, it is not as sporty as BMW 3 Series or Audi A5 but the interior fells larger and is much more luxuries and all of them are with $5k of each other when comparable equipped and lease out for about the same. The E-Class Coupes/Cabs competitors are Audi A5 and BMW 3 Series.

Again I am claiming anyone is right or wrong people are free to have their opinion and no one is forcing you to buy a coupe, if you are looking for most bang for your buck then you are always going to favor an sedan over a coupe no matter which manufacture .
 
#24 ·
The fact that E-Class Coupe is not based on the E-Class Sedan chassis is irrelevant in my opinion as the E-Class Sedan is not the E-Class Coupe competitor. Someone looking to buy a Coupe is not going to shop Sedan's and the same is true of someone shopping for an Sedan or Suv is not going to look at a Coupe or Cab.
It is very much relevant! What if MB is suddenly decided to build the E class sedan on the C class chassis, then used a whole bunch of C class components to cheapen the car and still charged the same amount for it? Would that be ok? NO! Why is it ok here?
Someone shopping for an E class surely is going to look at both the coupe and the sedan. 99.9% of buyers will have no clue that one is real and one is a fake (unless I happen to be there to tell them). There are loads of threads on here that prove my point. A lot of people are cross shopping without having any clue.
 
#29 · (Edited)
In the USA, E-Class Sport Sedan offer "Sports tuned Dynamic Handling Suspension" which is standard on the E550 Coupes and Cabs and not offered at all on any C-Class or E350 coupes or cabs. While the E350 Coupes and Cabs offer an options called "Sports tuned Agility Control suspension" which is the same option offered on all the C-Class in the USA. I assume their is a real difference between those 2 suspension, and the software they use and features and performance otherwise why would MB come up with 2 different names?

I am not a mechanic but when they state 2 models offer the same suspension even if they are not using 100% the identical parts because the wheel base and car width is different, they both supposedly operate and preform the same otherwise I am sure MB would call the options on the E350 coupes and cabs and C-Class by the same name as options offered on E-Class Sports Sedan and E550 coupes and cabs.

Trust me if the suspension were 100% identical on E550 Coupes and Cabs as the C-Class and E350 and MB just used a different name in the USA or E-Class Sport Sedan and E550 suspension were not comparable some class action lawyer would sue MB for misleading advertising as everyone loves to sue everyone in America which is why I assume the E-Class Sport Sedan suspension and E550 Coupe and Cabs suspension is based on each other and either use the same parts or slightly modified parts and C-Class and E350 Coupes and Cabs use either identical or suspension based on each other.

P.S. if outside of the USA they offer "Sports tuned Dynamic Handling Suspension" on C-Class which came out well before W212 then are you claiming that the E-Class suspension is based off of the old C-Class? If that is the case then are you claiming the E-Class Sports Sedan uses an inferior suspension to the E-Class luxury Sedan?
 
#30 ·
In the USA, E-Class Sport Sedan offer "Sports tuned Dynamic Handling Suspension" which is standard on the E550 Coupes and Cabs and not offered at all on any C-Class or E350 coupes or cabs. While the E350 Coupes and Cabs offer an options called "Sports tuned Agility Control suspension" which is the same option offered on all the C-Class in the USA. I assume their is a real difference between those 2 suspension, and the software they use and features and performance otherwise why would MB come up with 2 different names?

I am not a mechanic but when they state 2 models offer the same suspension even if they are not using 100% the identical parts because the wheel base and car width is different, they both supposedly operate and preform the same otherwise I am sure MB would call the options on the E350 coupes and cabs and C-Class by the same name as options offered on E-Class Sports Sedan and E550 coupes and cabs.

Trust me if the suspension were 100% identical on E550 Coupes and Cabs as the C-Class and E350 and MB just used a different name in the USA or E-Class Sport Sedan and E550 suspension were not comparable some class action lawyer would sue MB for misleading advertising as everyone loves to sue everyone in America which is why I assume the E-Class Sport Sedan suspension and E550 Coupe and Cabs suspension is based on each other and either use the same parts or slightly modified parts and C-Class and E350 Coupes and Cabs use either identical or suspension based on each other.
I'm not sure if this was supposed to be related to the discussion about the suspension parts on a C207 being from a 204 or a 212 which was the only point I was commenting. Considering the similarity of the E550 sedan and coupe suspension, I assume also US E550 sedan models have Airmatic suspension standard while Airmatic is not offered at all for the C207. Now how could the two be similar?
 
#35 ·
I am new here, and having replaced my W204 C350 with the C207 E350, while sure there are some shared components between the two, the ride quality is significantly better in the E350. Here in Singapore, very very few E500 (550 in US) come in, therefore the equally scarce E350 is fully spec'd, AMG kitted and wheeled etc. The lower end coupe is the E250 which is powered by the 1.8 litre turbo charged engine.

The quality of appointment, interior luxury and yes replicated E sedan console far surpasses that in the W204.

Final point, there is nothing wrong with the W204. It is a fantastic compact saloon. In this day and age when manufacturers be they aircraft engine, car, washing machine....anything..... strive to manage optimization of platform development investment to drive down production cost, then such reuse is a fact of life.

Bottom line I love the E350 coupe it is a fantastic, well made vehicle and certainly provides a superior drive experience and level of ride comfort to the W204 C350. I am in a position to be able to compare the two vehicles because I have owned them both.
 
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