Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/460267
photography Courtesy of MerCedes-Benz usa Dream machine The 2015 Mercedes-Benz c300 aims To change The view from The driver's seaT. by robert cocuzzo I believe that cars can impart an attitude in their drivers, as if sliding behind the wheel were putting on a costume and becoming a character in your own movie. The 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 makes me feel like a mobster. You know, the kind of goodfella who doesn't necessarily whack people but is still not to be trif led with. Even at a standstill, this Benz looks like a fist f lying over the pavement. Which is apparently no coincidence, as the salesman noted that the front bumper was designed so that if you were to hit a pedestrian, you'd pop him onto the hood instead of running him over. Good to know in case I need to collect a debt later today. After a zero-to- 60 test drive behind the dealership that prompted a sweet little old lady to shout, "Wipe that stupid grin off your face, you jackass—this isn't a racetrack," I'm off to cruise. Nearing 93 North, I f lip a switch on the dash and change the driving mode from Comfort to Sport+. All of a sudden I'm gripped by the unmistakable lurch of a sports car pleading for more speed. Its V- 6 engine becomes guttural, heaving with all the might of its 241 horses. Pressing the pedal to the f loor delivers the satisfaction I imagine you must get kicking down a door. The cockpit is designed with just as much bravado: black on black with sleek electronics. A nearly eye-level f lat screen is controlled by a nifty touch pad and knob off the right armrest. And if the C300 inspires me to light up a fat Cuban, as mobsters are wont to do, every- thing can also be operated through voice command. Fuggeddaboutit. Starting at around 40 grand, this Benz won't break the bank, but it packs enough heat to make you consider robbing one. I'm sure Mercedes-Benz will hardly be thrilled by the fact that I'm giving this C300 the Sopranos seal of approval. But isn't that the sign of a truly great car—that it drives you to the realm of fantasy? So I'd say give one a spin and see who you become. Mercedes-Benz of Boston, A Herb Chambers Company, 259 McGrath Hwy., Somerville, 877-200-9214; herbchambersmercedesbenzof boston.com BC clockwise from top left: The Mercedes-Benz C300; its muscular 241-horsepower V-6 engine; LED headlamps and 19-inch AMG multispoke wheels; keep your hands on the wheel with voice command. 110 bostoncommon-magazine.com Carnoisseur