27/06/2008 07:15. To those of you unfamiliar with Mercedes-Benz nomenclature, the number of M-B ‘classes,’ not to mention the models within them, is enough to fill an entire web page. The C-Class, as tested here, is near the entry point – just above the B-Class where vehicles start a tick under $30K, and miles below the SLR where you can spend $495,000 US and beyond.

I had the opportunity last spring to take the all-new C300 and C350 rear-drive models for some dry-weather testing in and around Ottawa, and on the nearby Calabogie race track. Needless to say, these vehicles, which start at $41,000 for the rear-drive C300, were a step up from their predecessors both in terms of power and handling, and their AMG styling – part of the no-charge sports package – left me with no... // Independent and Free Press