Athlete in housewife's clothing

I wasn’t given any warning when picking up the B200 BlueEfficiency Sports at the Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) headquarters.

It looked very much normal, just like a compact crossover that any housewife would be happy to live with. It was red, it had a tall roof with plenty of headroom as well as lots of interior space that’s perfect for a shopping spree.

“Probably another boring car for rich housewives,” I thought.

After crawling down from the 8th floor parking lot of the Rajanakarn building on Sathorn Road, turning on the radio to search for my favourite station and spending a few minutes in heavy traffic that the area is well known for, I turned left, entered the expressway and paid the Bt45 fee.

Then all hell broke loose.

You see, the B200 may appear like a sluggish lady’s car that is more concerned about style and comfort, but beneath it is a combination of a sports-oriented engine, transmission and suspension that will shock you beyond belief.

While expecting performance that would beat cars like the Honda Freed, the B200 actually comes with a turbocharged direct-injection gasoline engine developing some 156 horsepower and 250Nm of torque. Although this might not sound like a lot when speaking sports cars, it definitely is a pleasant surprise considering the feminine image of the compact housewife car.

Usually over the years, after paying the expressway fee, I often floor the throttle just to find out how each Mercedes picks up speed going up the ramp. And I admit that this is the most surprising one.

“Whoaaaaaa!” is a better description of how it performed.

You see, the M270 engine in the B200 features the third-generation Mercedes-Benz direct injection system first introduced last year with the larger V6 and V8 engines.  Torque delivery comes even quicker than diesel engines, with the 250Nm being available from 1,250-4,000rpm. As a result, you start to sink into the backrest spontaneously as the gas pedal is floored, with no turbo lag.

Mercedes-Benz claims a 0-100km/h acceleration in 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 220km/h. Well, this ain’t no housewife performance at all – it’s more of a sports sedan.

And if that isn’t enough, the engine is mated to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission that not only provides a sporty performance but also excellent fuel economy.

Average fuel consumption is claimed to be 16.1-16.9 km/litre (21 per cent better than its predecessor), which is a few of the things that is “housewife” about this car. An Eco start-stop function also helps lower fuel consumption whenever the vehicle comes to a halt at red lights.

Meanwhile, carbon dioxide emissions are well below 150g/km (138-146), making it another eco-friendly car out there on the road.

Well, the sporting story of the B200 doesn’t end there. Try to change lanes quickly and take sharp corners, and there’s yet another surprise.

“It comes with a sporty suspension!” I yelled.

In no way does the B200 handle like it looks. The steering is sharp and there is little body roll when changing directions. Oh my goodness! This is a wolf in sheep’s clothing! No, no, it’s actually an athlete in housewife’s clothing, I thought!

The B200 also comes with a new four-link rear suspension and upgraded ESP (Electronic Stability Programme). And what I got, again without warning, was the one with a sports suspension package that made it even better in terms of driving dynamics, including a 20mm lowered suspension with upgraded shocks plus a Direct-Steer system that’s dramatically more precise than the standard version.

Inside the car, there is plenty of space but you also get a touch of sportiness – as in the 3-spoke multi-function steering wheel that looks as if it has been borrowed from a coupe, and the circular air vents. These contrast with the family-style exterior image of the B200.

Although the vehicle height has been reduced by 5cm compared to the old model, you still get  headroom of 1,047mm, making the B200 one of the most spacious cars in its class. The seat is also closer the ground, allowing you to position the backrest more upright, leading to lower driving fatigue.

Of course, the rear seats are split-foldable and there is 486 litres of luggage area when they aren’t.

And there are plenty of features you’d expect from a Mercedes, including airbags and windowbags, Attention Assist, ABS brakes with Brake Assist, traction control, automatic climate control, Hill Start Assist, AUX and USB inputs, Bluetooth, cruise control with Speedtronic, multi-function controller as well as a luggage compartment cover and luggage strap.

The B200 Sport is a Mercedes-Benz and that’s why it costs Bt2.5 million. But at the same time it comes with so many improvements over its “boring” predecessor, and even I’ll have to admit that I love it. It was surprisingly quick and handled very well, comes with all the convenience features you could ask for and, most of all, is able to fool everyone with its crossover appearance.

Just remember that if you’re driving a C-Class and find one of these running around slowly being driven by a fully dressed-up “khunying” looking as if she’s on her way back from a shopping event, don’t cut in front. You might end up being embarrassed if she gets upset and decides to unleash what the B200’s got under that “housewife” clothing.

 

Mercedes-Benz B 200

BlueEfficiency Sports specs

 

Engine: 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve turbocharged

Displacement: 1,595cc

Compression ratio: 16.2:1

Max power: 156hp/5,300rpm

Max torque: 250Nm/1,250-4,000rpm

Transmission: 7-speed dual clutch

0-100km/h: 8.4 secs

Top speed: 220km/h

Suspension (f/r): spring struts/multi-link

Steering: powered rack-and-pinion

Turning circle: 11.0 metres

Brakes (f/r): vented discs/discs

 

Dimensions (mm)

Length: 4,359

Width: 1,786

Height: 1,557

Wheelbase: 2,677

Track (f/r): 1,552/1,549

 

Weight: 1,475kg

Wheels: 17-in alloys

Tyres: 225/45 R17

Fuel tank capacity: 50 litres

Price: Bt2.499 million

Distributor: Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Ltd