2011 Mercedes C-Class Facelift Latest Winter Spy Photos

I TOTALLY agree with you. The 6 cylinder Mercedes engines pale in both refinement and performance when compared to similar engines from other manufacturers. This would be my single largest reason for skipping over this otherwise desirable model. I will not be truly impressed until M-B can deliver world class power-plants for this segment. I've not been impressed with the sound or feel of the 3.5 ltr v6 in use.

Merc offers the 3.5 with DI in europe and it makes 300HP. Supposedly, US gas quality is/was too poor for the lean-burn modes of their DI strategy. However, BMW said the same thing in 2003 when they first offered the 760 V12 with DI and deleted the lean-burn modes from its ECUs, but then turned around and introduced the N54. Its been years now, and I suppose they're just going to bring in a new engine family with the "new" products instead of try and upgrade the now defunct 3.5L. Merc was ahead of the game at the start of this century with the modular M112/M113 SOHC engines. Then, Nissan crashed the party with its High-Output VQ's that "breath" so efficiently they can spit out 300HP. Before everyone knew it, 300HP was the V6 standard and 200HP was a "strong 4-banger". Give them time to catch up. The 5.5L is still best in class (although it drinks like a fish). BMWs twin-turbo 8 is much stronger, but at the expense of linear power delivery. BMWs turbo motors won't trump a naturally aspirated motor's linear throttling until they can find a cheap (enough) supplier of gasoline VGTs. The N54 is d*** close though!

great post BenzMan, good stuff

agree on the 3,5L V6, disagree on the 5,5L V8 - audi right now gets a new V8 engine in the new A8 that is still less powerful than M-B's by 15hp. BMW's new V8 twin-turbo is still new - i agree it's better than M-B's. all Merc has to do is put a turbo or two to their 5,5L V8 and sell it as a 450hp S500/E500/CLS500 etc and as a 550-600hp S/E/CLS etc AMGs. the V12s - there are not worth it any more. the V6 engines as well as the 4-cyl ones - M-B is really stepping down on the game, BMW and Audi are goin strong there. :?

Audi's engine is 1.3 liters smaller.

x-ray vision. duh.