MERCEDES BENZ C-Klasse Sport Coupe (C203) 2000-2004 Photos, engines & full specs

Mercedes-Benz tried its luck on the compact segment with a shortened version of the C-Class in 2000 when it introduced the C-Class Sport Coupe.

Produced in Brazil to lower manufacturing costs, the C-Class Sport Coupe (CL203) was offered exclusively as a three-door hatchback. Its main competitor was the BMW 3 Series Compact, but the three-pointed star brand managed to create a sportier, better-looking vehicle.

Unlike the Bimmer, the C-Class Sport Coupe didn't share any part of its bodywork with its sedan sibling. At first sight, the twin-round headlights were the same, but they were actually completely different. Its sleek look, with a tilted grille and lower stance, surprised the market. From its profile, the sporty-looking coupe boasted an ascending beltline that ended at the back. At the rear, apart from the main windscreen, the tailgate featured a second glass area in the lower part.

Inside, the low-mounted seats created a sporty driving position but limited the legroom for the rear passengers. There was actually just enough room for small children. Even the automaker admitted that when it offered the Isofix child seat mounting system as an option. The dashboard looked similar to the one from the regular C-Class (C203), with a big speedometer that resembled a half-moon. There was no temperature gauge, but that could've been displayed on the small LCD placed inside the speedometer's arch.

Under the hood, the German automaker installed a wide range of gasoline and turbo-diesel engines, ranging from a sluggish 2.0-liter, naturally-aspirated unit up to a healthy 3.2-liter V6. Most versions were available with a five-speed automatic gearbox (5G-Tronic).