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IT was 6
in the morning and we were all required to be at the
Portico Restaurant at Serendra in Taguig on a Friday.
So, there we were, motoring reporters from different
outfits ready and oh-so-willing to go on the ride and
drive. After all, it was the first time CATS Motors
Philippines was sending four, oh, yes, four, of its
precious Mercedes-Benzes for a long-haul drive.
Now, if
it was not CATS and Mercedes-Benz it would not have
elicited such an emotion from many of us. But
brand-spanking-new Mercedes-Benzes on our hands all the
way to the
Wakeboarding Plaza
in Camarines Sur? Now that was indeed a treat.
During
the briefing before we took off on our splendid
adventure, James Deakin of C! Magazine asked the CATS
guys a pretty apt question: “Are you sure you know what
you are doing?” Nervous laughter was heard from Andros
Villaraza, the officer in charge of the trip.
And then
we were off. I was riding a brand-new (just cannot
stress brand new enough) B-150 Compact Sports Tourer
with Dino Directo of Manila Standard Today and Alvin Uy
of Mercedes-Benz Magazine. The other rides were another
B-150, a B-170 and an ML-350.
Our
route took us from Serendra to the South Luzon
Expressway (Slex), then through Santo Tomas and then
onto
Quirino Highway
heading for Southern Luzon. Mind you, this road is
littered with enough obstacles for any vehicle to rival
a Marine training course.
The
first test for the Compact Sports Tourer was the Slex.
At 8 in the morning, not too many passenger cars were on
the road, but the trucks were still there and we all
know how they hog the road. Dino, driving at this point,
had no trouble taking care of the trucks as we breezed
through them in typical Mercedes-Benz efficiency and
comfort.
Out and
onto the regular roads to Batangas and then Quezon, the
B-150 still gave the same comfortable ride, but we were
a bit concerned about the power of the 1.6-liter engine
overtaking the longer trucks on the small busy road.
Still,
the B-150 gave us some surprises on the twists and turns
of the long winding road to Bicol. Having a solid and
heavier body, it had more stability traversing the
highway.
The next
test was a bit of a pleasant treat for us. Coming from
the scorching heat of Metro Manila, it began to drizzle
and then rained very hard in Camarines Norte. The front
MacPherson Strut suspension and the new Parabolic rear
suspension of the B-class, plus the Continental tires it
was wearing, gave a very good account of itself and
steered us very well even on the wet mountain roads.
Stopping
at Paradise Restaurant, we got basically the same
information from the guys driving the B-170 and an even
better reaction from those driving the ML-350.
In the
next leg, Alvin was on the wheel and I was seated in the
back—chauffeured all the way to Naga City! That is
where the Benz experience came in.
As a
young boy, I had always dreamed of going around in a
Benz driven to work and home, seated in the back, just
like those
Hollywood movie stars of old.
Living
my dream felt exactly how I always thought it would be.
Soft, comfy, luxurious just like my sofa at home. The
solid suspension made sure that it was not the jumping,
bumpy ride most sports-utes have and the fabrics gave
the feeling of a home seat. So, I slept.
When we
got to the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex and began
taking more photos of the B-150 and B-170, I began to
notice the unique design of the new member of the Benz
family. Having assumed it to be a sports-utility
vehicle, I did not at first notice that it also had the
attributes of a sporty saloon, a van and an estate car.
According to its specs, the outside of the B-class is
4,270mm long and 1,778mm wide, much like the size of
most other compact car in the market. The inside is
another matter altogether. Taking space from the inside
front and bottom areas, about 70 percent of the body
length becomes available for the passengers and their
luggage.
The
design also catches the eyes after a while. The front
end shows a grille with three horizontal vanes and, of
course, the Mercedes star. The B-class body is a
wedge-type design tapering off toward the front for more
aerodynamics. It has large round eyes for headlights,
complementing the lines of the bumper, giving it a front
that has the look of a single unit.
I
mentioned to Andros about our comment regarding the
pulling power of the B-150, especially overtaking the
bigger trucks along the highway. He said the B-class was
more of a touring car really, so it had a much laid-back
approach to acceleration. Well, I’d find out later that
there was a trick to it after all.
While
living the Mercedes lifestyle at the Watersports
complex, everyone had the chance to try the latest craze
to hit Filipinos: inland wakeboarding. A manmade lagoon
was strapped with cables that pulled everyone on the
water atop their boards. I did not try it as it looked
like it would give me so much body ache and remembering
that I had to drive back home since I had the luxury of
being a passenger going there.
So, I
just enjoyed the food, beverages and hospitality of the
Camarines Watersports Complex. They had a wonderful
pool, exquisite living quarters and the visitors
(meaning girls) were fantastic. We were even treated to
a taste of the local burger chain called Biggs and I
must tell you, when in the area you should try it. Great
chow. And don’t forget the massage, which is truly
relaxing.
Soon, it
was going home time and my turn to drive. I finally had
the feel of the B-150 behind the wheel and I was not
disappointed. The apprehension I earlier had about the
pulling power of the car was erased when I shifted the
Autotronic transmission from automatic to manual.
The
Autotronic is a continuously variable transmission that
can shift from manual to automatic on the fly. It had
seven gears and really gave the B-150 the power we were
looking for initially.
Andros
was right. The B-150 is a pretty laid-back drive if you
want it to be. But it can also be a powerhouse if you
choose to, and I chose to. After a photo shoot at the
Atimonan Pier, we decided to take the longer route below
the famous Bitukang Manok at the Quezon National Park.
This
route had more sweeping curves and tight turns that can
be taken at high speed. And this is what we wanted to
see from the B-150. How does it perform at high speeds
on sweeping and tight curves?
I am
going to sound so repetitive here, but it did so well,
hugging the curves and taking the tight turns with ease
that the road was not much of a challenge after all. But
what do you expect from a Mercedes-Benz?
So,
after a 10-hour drive, we brought the car back to CATS
Greenhills with much regret, wishing against hope it was
ours to take home. But don’t we all feel like that with
a Mercedes-Benz? |
