The Mercedes C-Class has been given a new outfit, but is it just a case of the emperor's new clothes? Does new really mean good or even better? drive it! wants to get to the bottom of it and pairs Stuttgart's new wagon with its old Bavarian rival, BMW's 3-series. The 2005, BMW hasn't lost any of its youthful charm. It sure doesn't look like a model that is about to be retired. But the car industry is extremely fickle and it will be interesting to see whether and for how long Mercedes can profit from its head start.