As with its predecessors, the new S-Class is followed by the smallest classic Mercedes sedan in a new guise. And it can do a lot of what debuted in the luxury segment.
Mercedes has been building the C-Class for almost 40 years and in four generations so far. As far as the sales figures are concerned, the classic from Bremen, which in the 80s was still reviled as "Baby Benz", has advanced to become the most important model of the southern German car manufacturer. Mercedes has sold more than 2014 million copies worldwide of the Generation 4 alone, which has been in production since 2,5. Now the successor is in the starting blocks, which optically and technically dispenses with revolutionary changes and yet takes big steps towards the future of driving.
Always on the move with LEDs
Visually, the C-Class, which has grown in length by 7 centimeters to 4,75 meters, looks like a little brother to the S-Class as a sedan. The shape of the front and rear lights, the character lines in the flanks or the roof profile are similar to the flagship of the luxury brand. There are LED headlights as standard, which can be upgraded to digital light, as in the S-Class, which, thanks to its 2,6 million pixels, can provide a wide range of functions for more safety. The station wagon version unveiled at the same time is exactly as long and wide as the sedan, but at 0,27 it has a drag coefficient that is 0,03 higher. Incidentally, the prominent star on the bonnet fell victim to the aerodynamic optimization.
Parallel to the general growth of the body, the amount of space in the interior has also increased. The leg room in the rear as well as the shoulder and elbow width at the front have increased by over two centimeters. The sedan offers an unchanged 455-liter trunk, while the storage space in the T-model has increased by 30 to 490 or 1.510 liters.
Head-up display with even more information
The C-Class is taking a big step forward in terms of displays and infotainment. Behind the steering wheel there is a display for the driver, which is available in two versions with a diameter of 10,25 or 12,3 inches. In addition, the optionally available head-up display projects driving-related information directly into the driver's field of vision. In the center console there is also a floating touchscreen in portrait format, which is available as standard with a 9,5 inch and optionally with an 11,9 inch screen diagonal. Many vehicle functions are controlled via the touch-sensitive screen; the previous rotary pushbutton in the center console has had its day. Only a large number of control surfaces are grouped on a bar on the lower screen and on the steering wheel. Accordingly, the passenger is offered a particularly tidy cockpit, stripped of switches and buttons, which, thanks to elegant lines and noble-looking materials, presents itself as homely.
In addition to control via touchscreen and steering wheel, the on-board system also offers voice control. The MBUX on-board system is capable of learning. MBUX also provides a number of new online services. Thanks to the “smart home function”, the driver can control his home remotely, provided that it is equipped with the appropriate technology. The permanent connection of the vehicle to the Internet also allows over-the-air updates of the vehicle software or the use of music streaming services.
All-wheel drive only for the strongest
As before, the C-Class remains true to the combustion principle. Three petrol and two diesel engines, each with four cylinders, are planned for launch. All are electrified with a 48 volt generator and combined with a 9-speed automatic. In the case of the C 180 and C 200, 1,5-liter turbos with 125 kW / 170 PS and 150 kW / 204 PS are used. The stronger version can also be ordered with all-wheel drive. This also applies to the C 300, which mobilizes 190 kW / 258 hp from a displacement of two liters. Even the basic gasoline engine does the standard sprint in 8,6 seconds and enables speeds of up to 231 km / h. The C 300 is limited to 250 km / h, the sprint time is 6,0 seconds. According to the WLTP, the consumption values of the gasoline variants range between 6,2 and 7,9 liters.
The two diesel engines 220 d and 300 d are two-liter machines with 147 kW / 200 PS and 195 kW / 265 PS respectively. The more powerful diesel enables a sprint to 100 km / h in 5,7 seconds and 250 km / h top speed, the WLTP consumption by Mercedes is 4,9 to 5,8 liters.
It is expected that at the beginning of 2022 Mercedes will offer various plug-in hybrid drives in combination with four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with at least 147 kW / 200 hp for the new C-Class. In any case, the 95 kW / 129 PS electric motor should enable a top speed of 140 km / h for purely electric driving, and the electric range is around 25,4 kilometers thanks to a 100 kWh battery. The fourth generation of PHEV technology enables the battery to be charged with up to 55 kW direct current, which ideally reduces the charging time to 30 minutes. Mercedes has not yet given any details on the combustion engines of the plug-in hybrids. The battery housed in the rear limits the trunk volume of the sedan and T-model. In the sedan, the luggage compartment shrinks to 360 liters and when the rear seat backs are folded down in the T-model to 1.375 liters. The PHEV versions are basically equipped with air suspension and level control.
Optionally even sportier than ever
The C-Class has been refined in many other details. Thanks to the new four-link front axle and a multi-link rear axle, Mercedes promises more comfort and agility than before. There is an optional sports suspension with continuously adjustable damping as well as rear-axle steering, with the help of which the turning circle of the C-Class is reduced from 11,07 to 10,64 meters. The many assistance systems take the burden off the driver even more than before and ensure more safety. In addition, crash safety has been increased thanks, among other things, to a new airbag between the driver and front passenger. In addition, the air conditioning system and seat massage offer new functions. The energizing convenience functions are also new.
The sales release for the new C-Class is expected in April. The first vehicles will then be delivered in summer. The prices are likely to rise slightly compared to the current generation. The C 180 sedan currently costs around 37.500 euros.
