Valery Borisovich has not pleased me from the first day of exploring. Taciturn man with a sharp eye, under which a priori feel guilty.
As long ago I returned for the first time in his hands one of the test Mercedes, felt like under the microscope. That machine is dirty, it is reached to him from the sink, then something else, and only when one below the bumper, he found a scratch, I mentally prepared to buy this Mercedes. Although I did not leave a scratch.
The Lord spared me. And Valery B. (at that time the car gave me another officer) said that was up to scratch me. And apologized. The I won my heart. In fact, many people believe an apology unnecessary fines.
Since then, the case of Valery Borisovich I went smoothly. Later I learned that he was working at Mercedes for 15 years, and his meticulousness even beginning to like me. The most surprising happened this time. He spoke with me. First time.
And the reason for that was the red Mercedes C450 AMG. «Nice car, right? — She claimed more than he asked. — Did you like? Surprisingly collected and harmonious machine. From all available now we have a test fleet is perhaps one of the most interesting. » And I could not agree more.
But the red «tseshka» in any case seen by other road users as «telkomobil.» And frankly, sitting behind the wheel of this car, I did not expect any surprises from it. But…
The first part of my test drive came to clean the roads and the lack of snow, which gave me the opportunity to test the car on the dynamic qualities. The proximity to the New Riga is good, you can always go to a wide freeway and give gas. It was interesting, not looking at high-speed and dynamic characteristics, to feel the car as it is. And Mercedes surprised me. Excellent acceleration and very impressive set of speed was not «girly», and the power of the three-liter biturbo V6 under the hood genuinely pleased. As it turned out, up to 100 km / h the car accelerates in 4.9 seconds, and the speedometer marked to 280 km / h but electronically limited to 250 km / h.
This pleasant surprise was the economy and the engine, which consumes an average of about 8–9 liters per 100 km in combined cycle mode «Eco». According to his passport specified 7.7, but at this level I could not get to go. This means that I, with a rather large km traveled per day do not have to fill up every day and even the next day, as it happened in some powerful and fast cars. But, of course, take a test drive C450 AMG and transportation all the time in the «eco» — a task that I personally can not afford.
With the AMG 450 is a product created on the basis of Mercedes AMG C400 4matic. The task in front of its creators was to approximate the finished car to his elder brother C63 AMG. Major works have been performed, touch the engine and suspension.
With 400 originally equipped with a new engine family Blue Direct, very advanced in their characteristics. But AMG engineers have been a number of operations, including the modification of turbo pressure, which will increase the capacity from 333 to 367 forces and raise the time from 480 to 520 Nm.
So and so fast in the base car has become much more drayvovym. However AMG'shnymi engines we already are not particularly surprising. Although he became smoother on acceleration and pedal has become virtually a magic wand that performs all the wishes of his mistress, no incredible results he did not shake. Yes, fast, dynamic car. But there are now many.
And here «tseshka „as though swallowed energy! The settings in this mode relate not only to the engine but also to the characteristics of the gas pedal, suspension and steering. And so precise and very finely tuned wheel after the sport mode, it seems, allows you to feel not just any movement of the car, but even the relief road motor by sharp pressing a pedal provides instant leap up to 2000 rpm, and then higher and the sound of the engine becomes much louder and more aggressive. Curiously, to increase the dynamics and faster transmission operation of the car there is a partial shutdown of cylinders during upshift and downshift is accompanied by the sound of traditional „shooting“.
In Sport + mode, this car is different from Comfort about the same as a family, «wagon» is different from the restive AMG GT. It's just night and day! Departure of the first day of «eco» and «comfort», I then switched Sport and Sport + and received a charge of excitement that is already more than the standard management did not return until the beginning of the snowstorm. However, even snow could not spoil the fun of managing this handsome red.
Blizzard Of course, I was upset, but not for long. The precipitated snow in two days, a few hours had time to turn into a disgusting mush under the wheels, thereby was a factor, which I did not have to experience all the charms of 450 AMG.
Work on the suspension of the car was one of the most important aspects for the Mercedes AMG. The basic version of the C400 was good to all, however, it is the suspension tuning is poor. Mostly too hard on the uneven coverage it gave to experience all the blows and shaking, so that the main task of engineers was to return the car to ride and to keep all drayverskie sensation. To do this, all of the same C63 were borrowed many components that help car cracks and swallow holes.
The main plus C450 AMG — in its all-wheel drive transmission, which allowed do not pay attention to what is happening under the wheels. Piled snow right lane? Schischenny snow on the pavement with sidewalk? Rural snowy roads? This car was all uneasy, despite the low clearance. 4matic in conjunction with perfectly tuned electronic give effect incredible stability, and the distribution of torque between the axles in proportion 33/67 in favor of the rear-wheel drive also make this car a fun and playful in those cases where it is required. And cranberry-red «girly» Mercedes provocatively undermined without a bush and demolition of slush, even in places where not every SUV dared to meddle. This can be conveniently rotated completely at ease slightly disrupt the rear axle and to enter into a small drift — without scaring other road users, but only a nice stern wag.
However, the «girly» — this is clearly not about this car. Not every girl dares to get behind the wheel of the Mercedes, simply because it can be frightened figures registered in its documents. Probably, right: not everyone needs 367 hp and the right wheel drive. But the girls advanced wholeheartedly recommend. Not from each powerful all-wheel drive car can get so much pleasure.
