Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe review

While the C-Class Coupe may be a bit sportier than the saloon, it’s still no tearaway. This is a car far too classy to behave all yobbishly, even if it does come with rear-wheel drive as standard. It steers and handles neatly, though, and rides really well. Especially if you’ve got the adaptive suspension fitted, and prodded it into its comfort mode. This is a car with good balance and an effortless nature to its dynamics. You can mooch along eloquently or push it harder with plenty of confidence, knowing it won’t bite you.

Even the madcap C63 AMG is pretty benign in its behaviour. With such outrageous power being sent to just one axle it will still slide around like a lunatic, but only if you’ve asked it to. It's ludicrously friendly for such a brawny car and its engine is sublime: proof that turbocharged performance cars are nothing to be feared. This one’s dripping in character.

The lesser C43 AMG is a bit more of an enigma, with a sports exhaust that’s too loud for a luxury car, and a driving experience that’s too subdued for a sports car. On first acquaintance it’s a car of mixed personalities, but our hunch is that it’ll be a lovely thing to live with, treading the line between speed and refinement nicely. Just don’t expect it to be anywhere near as fun as the C63.