1994-2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Stylish where the previous car was staid and boxy, the new C-Class gleefully replaced the 190E and made Mercedes ownership at the entry level much more appealing. With a wheelbase one inch longer and width up 1.2 inches, the new successfully addressed the cost-to-cramp ratio, although there's no confusing the for an E-Class.

Available only in four-door-sedan guise, the major differentiators of C-Class models are powertrain and standard features. In 1994, the base car was the C220, powered by a 2.2-liter, 148-horse DOHC I-4 feeding a four-speed automatic, while the upscale version was the C280, powered by a 2.8-liter, 194-horse DOHC inline-six also mated to an autobox. Mercedes added standard features and updated the car with each passing year.

For 1996, the C got a new instrument cluster. In 1997, a five-speed automatic was made standard, while the next year the base car became the C230, thanks to a larger four with the same horsepower but more torque. Also in 1998, the C280 received a three-valve-per-cylinder SOHC V-6, producing the same 194 horsepower with greater fuel efficiency, albeit without the inline's snarl. Finally, in 1999, the C230 received a supercharged variant of the four-banger for a nifty 37-horsepower boost and a name change to C230 Kompressor.

Although powerful, the Kompressor was not the most mellifluous engine in the fleet. These were, if you pardon the appellation, the pedestrian versions. You, being the hot-blooded enthusiast, want the AMG specials. From 1995 to 1997, Mercedes offered the C36 AMG, sporting an enlarged and highly tuned version of the howling I-6, churning out 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque through an automatic gearbox. It came with lowered, firmer Sport suspension riding on 17-inch wheels and low-profile tires. For 1998, Mercedes shoehorned a 4.3-liter, 302-horsepower SOHC V-8 into the C's nose, creating a ripping compact sedan. Sorry to say, the Stuttgart folks allowed only a trickle of these darlings across the pond, with between 300 and 400 C36s and approximately 500 C43s imported each model year. Hen's teeth, indeed.