#1999 C230 KOMPRESSOR MANUAL#

The 1.8-liter, which will be the base engine of an all-new SLK beginning next summer, is smooth and linear in operation, with no apparent hills or valleys in the surprisingly robust torque curve. Worse, it sounded as if it had an acute and chronic case of gastrointestinal distress. Higher in the rev range, the 2.3 was rough. The previous engine felt weak at low revs, despite its power advantage and greater displacement.

#1999 C230 KOMPRESSOR MANUAL#

On the other hand, the new motor allows the hatch to go another four or five miles on each gallon of gas, depending on whether you get the six-speed manual or the $1325 optional five-speed automatic.Įven better, with this engine the C230 is, if not exactly transformed, at least a more pleasant thing to use. This is not something most owners-the majority of whom we don't anticipate will go bracket drag racing-need worry about. Try as you might, the engine will not rev above 4000 rpm with the clutch pedal in. We attribute this, in part, to an engine-management system that will not allow for abusive standing starts. Indeed, the sprint to 60 mph for the 1.8-liter 2003 model is an unremarkable 8.1 seconds-more than a half-second slower than the 2002 model. The new 1.8-liter engine makes 189 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 192 pound-feet at 3500 rpm. The old 2.3-liter-still the base engine in the SLK hardtop roadster for 2003-makes 192 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 200 pound-feet of torque at 2500 rpm. It's down about a half-liter of displacement compared with the old engine, and it makes less peak horsepower and torque. On paper, this engine would seem to be a step backward for Mercedes. For the 2003 model of the C230, Mercedes has largely addressed our engine complaint with an all-new 1.8-liter, all-aluminum supercharged four-cylinder.

1999 c230 kompressor