Performance Products 2001 Mercedes C-Class - The Art Of Auto-Styling Taken To The Next Level

Outside, the Jetta's lower stance is enhanced with a set of TSW wheels, wrapped with Yokohama AVS Sport tires; a rear wing from Wings West; and Modern Image's graphics.

Looking closely under the front TSW wheels, one notices Brembo's big-brake kit ($1,309 retail), which gives the brakes the bite to match the upgrade to the Yokohama AVS tires.

In the passenger compartment is a Blaupunkt head unit, with navigation. Out of the box, the new Volkswagens come with an impressive array of speakers throughout the cabin; driving the speakers is a Crossfire amp.

Over the years I've toyed with many different Eibach projects, and each successive rendition is evidence of the evolution of the company's suspension engineering technology and the German ethos of precision and follow through.

Lorinser K32
Your C320 feeling a little sluggish? Want to keep up with the new supercharged C32? Noted Mercedes tuner Lorinser has a reply to the AMG-tuned, supercharged C-Class with the K32, taking the 3.2-liter V6 from 218 bhp to 295 bhp and 440Nm (325.52 lb-ft) of torque. According to the company, the compressor is a direct bolt-on unit that doesn't require any internal modifications to the engine. A skilled technician should be able perform the operation in less than two hours.

The final prototype idled as smoothly as stock. Noise was non-existent, as an electromagnetic clutch activates the compressor after 1800 rpm so there's no drag during idle and low-speed maneuvers such as parking can be handled more smoothly. Lorinser makes a supercharger for the 3.2-liter in the CLK, but the one for the C-Class needed to be smaller to fit the tighter engine bay. The company also claims that should the supercharger malfunction or should the belt snap, the engine runs in stock mode. The ECU remains unaltered.

Off the line, the 3.2-liter's plentiful low-end torque is more than enough to get it rolling. The car I drove was fitted with a stock four-speed automatic that was very willing to drop a gear or two to make short work of long stretches. Typical of a thoroughly tuned car, the supercharger felt unobtrusive, displaying excellent driveability and, more importantly, deep reserves of power when called upon. And like so many other high-powered Mercedes, full-throttle acceleration is a somewhat relaxed experience, a smooth glide as if the car is being pushed along by some supernatural force. The transmission clicks off full-throttle shifts with nonchalant ease, and it's not until you look at the speedometer do you realize how badly you're breaking the speed limit. Power is delivered in broadband strokes with a slight tapering off near the redline, but by that time the transmission has already ordered up another gear.

Lorinser's K32 has also been fortified with firmer springs and dampers and wider rolling stock. The car pictured here utilizes its LM5 two-piece wheels measuring 8.5x19 in., wrapped with 235/35ZR19 tires in front and 9.5x19s and 265/30ZR19s in back. Thus modified, the new C-Class's highly praised sporting character is further enhanced. It's still set up to understeer mildly, except the limits are much higher and the information supplied by the Continental Sport Contacts on the car is plentiful, although the steering still lacks a direct, connected feel. The suspension settings are near perfect, providing both exceptional body control in the corners and a firm, yet compliant ride. The car feels lighter than it actually is, which in turn makes it more flickable, tossable and agile.

The K32 also gets the full Lorinser styling treatment, which includes a front spoiler that attaches to the stock bumper, side skirts with the trademark Lorinser grilles fore and aft, a rear skirt for the back bumper and a rear window spoiler. The bodywork and lower stance makes the C-Class look even more like a 7/8-scale S-Class. Poking out of the rear skirt are the dual tips of a cat-back Lorinser exhaust system. The sound is a touch more aggressive, but not intrusive. For the outside observer, however, the sound is music to an enthusiast's ear.

Can the kit be fitted to other 3.2 liters?