Merc’s small 4-seater cabriolet is perfect for leisurely motoring

No amount of reminding will seem like overstating the obvious when we point out that convertibles are impractical cars for Indian conditions. Right after you put down the roof, if the heat and the weather don’t get to you already, the pollution and the grime will. And then there is the risk of aerial attacks that are unique to India – projectiles aimed at the car by curious and indifferent bus goers, and these could range from empty water bottles to pan-spit.

But, the lure of going top-down is still strong, and there are enough Bollywood heroes and heroines to emulate here. There is still a certain appeal to the prospect of laidback driving with the wind ruffling your hair and your favourite album streaming out of the stereo. A partner next to you could be an optional extra.

So, when you hesitate to even crank down the windows, where and when can one hope to drive a convertible in India?

The small window of opportunity offered by the Indian winter is your best bet. Balmy in most parts of the country, except up north, this is the season when midday temperatures stay south of 30 degrees centigrade and the sky remains clear after the end of the monsoons. When it comes to convertibles the prospect of driving them top-down is similarly limited even in countries like the US and in Europe, where severe winters mean that spring and a bit of the fall seasons are the only time one can hit the road. Car companies usually time the launch of their convertibles to coincide with these driving seasons.

I grabbed that window of opportunity last month taking Mercedes-Benz’s newest cabriolet – the C300 for a drive around Mumbai and Lonavla – maximum city and its neighbouring, touristy hill-station. The combination of long straights on the expressway and the twisting roads leading up from Lonavla town were perfect conditions for a mix of ‘top-up’ and ‘top-down’ motoring.

The C300 Cabriolet is one of Mercedes-Benz’s smallest convertibles. Yet, it is more practical than most others in this size class. The most important point here for Indian buyers is the fact that it is a two door convertible, but still has very usable seats at the rear. So seating four adults shouldn’t be a problem. It also features a fabric soft top, which then leads to a bit less of the area before the boot being taken up for the folded roof storage. Of course, convertibles are notoriously poor at being family cars and are even less practical if you are a heavy packer heading for a weekend holiday. So, with the spare wheel strapped in, the C300’s boot barely had enough space for a backpack and a small suitcase.

From the front, the C300 Cabriolet has the pleasing, classically proportionate looks of the new C-Class. There are elements that have been given a sportier twist to suit the C300’s cabriolet character – features like the diamond radiator grille, the large air intakes and the chrome trim on the front fender. The wheel arches are just a shade more pronounced and the shoulders a bit more prominent to highlight the strength of the rear. The sloping rear end features two-section LED tail lights, rear bumper with diffuser and two chrome tailpipe trim elements further enhancing the sporty stance of the C300.

The black fabric roof in my test mule was attracting a lot of stares even when it was closed. The soft top can be retracted and reengaged via a switch on the centre console, is fully automatic taking 20 seconds to open and can be operated up to a vehicle speed of 50 kmph. In case you are wondering, this fabric soft top is dirt-repellent, weather-resistant and can even handle a battering from those monstrous cleaning spindles at the automatic car wash. The fabric top can also be specified in a dark red, if you want the neighbours to go (a darker shade of) green with envy.

Get behind the wheel of the C300, punch the engine start button and the first bit of flair you encounter is the automatic seat belt feeder which helpfully shoots out and offers you the belt. In the absence of the B-pillar the belt retracts into the panel behind the front seats. The cabin of the cabriolet is very much the C-Class’ cabin and all the elements are exactly the way they look like in the C sedan. But in the C300 cabriolet, the touch and feel is a little more premium. I particularly liked the large swathes of open pore wood trim, the perforated leather seats and the chrome silver controls and knobs.

The rear seats can be split folded to get more storage space. The front seats get electrical adjustments and there is discreet ambient lighting to go with the Cabriolet character. The cabin feels more premium with the better quality materials that have been used, but the in-cabin ambient noise levels are higher (compared to a hard top), especially when you are stuck in city traffic.

However, thermal insulation was still quite effective. When the soft top is down, engaging ‘Aircap’ reduces the turbulence in the cabin by deploying a louvre on the windscreen and a draught-stop or foil at the rear, behind the rear head restraints, which is raised up to deflect the wind.

The C300 Cabriolet is offered with Merc’s 2-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine. This 1,991cc engine is as laid back in its character, as the C300 cabriolet is positioned to be. If you are expecting white knuckled performance you will have to head to a AMG showroom.

The M274 engine in the C300 produces 245hp of peak power and 370Nm of torque. The numbers themselves sound pretty good for a two-litre, but are best suited for long, steady straights. The engine is paired with Merc’s high-tech 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission.

The Dynamic Select drive mode selection allows a choice between Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual. Powertrain character changes from Blech to Blah to Wow as you move through the modes.

Acceleration from standstill to 100kmph takes 6.4 seconds (not surprisingly) and the claimed top speed is 250kmph. But the ride quality in the new C300 Cabriolet is very pliant and comfortable. Trust Merc to get this right especially in the Indian context, whether it is patched up concrete or broken black top roads.

The C300 Cabriolet didn’t leave me breathless with its performance. You can carry decent speeds into the turn confidently and in sport and sport plus modes it is eager to please you, but it doesn’t feel like it is in elements when you tackle a corner fiercely. It is perfect for coasting along long straights and weaving leisurely around winding hilly roads.

Priced at about ₹60 lakhs (ex-showroom), the C300 is the perfectly sized cabriolet for the buyer in this price class. The top-down season is still on, so take out that cheque book and plan your Bollywoodian experience in the C300. Remember to cut out the running around trees bit.

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