C180 Kompressor: Better performance with new technology
C180 Kompressor: Better performance with new technology
Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A black Mercedes-Benz C200 was racing with a silver Mercedes-Benz
C180 Kompressor around a hairpin turn at the Sentul International
circuit in Bogor.
It was not an IndyCar race. And it was not even a street race
like in The Fast and the Furious.
The drivers? They were definitely not gang leader Vin Diesel
and undercover cop Paul Walker. They were journalists invited by
PT DaimlerChrysler Distribution Indonesia to test-drive the two
cars and compare their performance, particularly their
acceleration.
On a bright sunny day in Sentul, about 30 journalists packed
the pit to get a look at four Mercedes-Benz -- two C200s and two
C180 Kompressors.
Divided into groups of three, every journalist got the chance
personally to compare the two cars.
I drove the C200 first. Confined to a 600-meter length of
track, the car could only reach 130 kilometers per hour (kph). It
was a bit disappointing; I really hoped to go faster.
Driving the C200, I noticed the car was able to accelerate to
100 kph in about 10 seconds, close enough to the manufacturer's
claim of 9.7 seconds.
Then I tried the C180 Kompressor along the same length of
track. The car was lighter and smoother, though I could only get
it up to 130 kph, far from the max speed of 222 kph.
After driving both cars, it was obvious the C180 Kompressor
ran faster though its engine capacity was smaller, only 1,796cc
compared to 1,998cc for the C200. The engine of the C180
Kompressor was also quieter than the C200.
The new C180 Kompressor has an output of 143 horse power (hp)
at 5,200 rotations per minute (rpm) and a maximum torque of 220
Newton meters (Nm) at between 2,500 rpm and 4,000 rpm.
Fuel consumption is also better with only 8.4 liters of gas
per 100 kilometers compared to the C200, which needs a liter
more.
What kind of technology makes the C180 Kompressor perform
better? The answer lies in the advanced technology of the
twinpulse system, which combines super-charging, intercooling,
variably adjustable camshafts, four-valve technology, Lanchester
balancer and adaptive drive dynamics.
The compressor supercharge -- installed in all the new-
generation power plants -- helps the engine achieve impressive
torque from idle. It leads to the extension of the overall ration
by up to 13 percent. So the new engine will run with the throttle
wider open, making it more economical. It's the twinpulse effect:
higher performance with lower fuel consumption.
When developing four-cylinder engines, the balancer shafts
counterbalance the vibrations that would normally occur. This
ensures a level of refinement that is exemplary in this
displacement class.
The Lanchester harmonic balancer comprises two balancer shafts
that rotate in opposite directions to each other at twice the
speed of the crankshaft, to balance the inertia forces inherent
to a four-cylinder engine. This ensures smooth running and
acoustics similar to a six-cylinder engine.
But both the C200 and the C180 Kompressor are comfortable and
smooth enough to satisfy even a seven-month-pregnant woman like
myself.
The new C180 Kompressor will be available at Mercedes-Benz
authorized dealers starting this week. While the exact price has
yet to be released, PT DaimlerChrysler Distribution Indonesia's
deputy director of marketing, Anto Nurdiyanto, hinted it will be
slightly more expensive than the C200, which sells for Rp 455
million (US$49,500).
Completely knocked-down (CKD) C180 Kompressors will be
produced in 1,000 units based on the market segment in the
country.
"After the Bali bombing, everybody thinks twice about buying a
new car. It effects automotive sales, perhaps by up to 12
percent," he said.
Thinking of becoming another Vin Diesel? Don't even try to get
this car up to top speed on surface streets unless you want to
pile up a glove box full of tickets.