Merc launches best-seller C-Class

Majors on more power and safety technology

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sport

Mercedes-Benz has launched the new C-Class, its best-selling range, which you'll find in the showrooms in June.

Mercedes has divided the new version of its 3-Series rival into three lines, depending on your preferred mix of luxury or performance: SE, Elegance and Sport. All variants offer technology updates including active damping, the Pre-safe preventive protection system and the optional Intelligent Light System with five different lighting functions. There are mildly uprated engines too.

Engines

There's a choice of four and six-cylinder engines with up to 13 per cent more power than the outgoing models and up to six per cent lower fuel consumption, according to the company. Performance isn't figured.

Of the four-cylinder petrol engines, the output of the entry-level C 180 Kompressor is up nine per cent from the previous 143bhp to 156bhp, with maximum torque improved by 4.5 per cent to 170lb-ft. The C 200 Kompressor develops 20bhp more than before, with an output of 184bhp and generates its maximum torque of 184lb-ft from 2,800 rpm. These modified engines improve the performance and fuel consumption of the four-cylinder models, said Merc. From 0-62 mph the C 200 is just half a second faster than its predecessor.

The diesels get improvements to the engine, turbocharger and common-rail direct injection, modifying more than 90 components. The result 11 more output for the 200 CDI with 136bhp versus the previous 122bhp. The C 220 CDI develops a peak output of 170bhp versus the previous 150bhp and generates a torque of 295lb-ft from 2,000 rpm -- around 18 per cent more than before. Fuel consumption has been reduced so the C 200 CDI and C 220 CDI are claimed to travel over 46mpg.

Mercedes has left the V6 engines in the C-Class range unchanged. All four-cylinder engines and the six-cylinder C 230 are equipped with the six-speed manual gearbox. The C 280, C 350 and C 320 CDI have 7G-TRONIC as standard, optional on the six-cylinder C 230.

Design

The new C-Class gets a wedge-shaped front end and a different grille, which Mercedes sees a ways of differentiating models more clearly. Three extended, horizontal louvres and a large centrally positioned Mercedes star characterise the Sport line.

In the Elegance line there are chrome highlights on the gloss-painted radiator grille; both Elegance and SE lines share a front design with a bonnet mounted Mercedes star.

Chassis

The C-Class’s suspension corners 10 per cent flatter than the previous model, said Mercedes, because of its Agility Control suspension. The system uses selective, hydro-mechanically controlled damping, which controls the forces according to the driving situation. It offers soft damping when low suspension forces are at work, when driving along a straight road, for example and firmer damping action when high forces are applied, such as during cornering or taking avoiding action. The steering rack ratio is 14.5, six per cent more direct than before.

There'll also be a more sporty driving mode, which will become optionally available from autumn 2007 that'll offer fast gearshifting and infinitely variable electronic control.

Adaptive braking, as found on the S-Class, makes into the C-Class with this iteration. Examples include Hill Start Assist making it easier for the driver to move off on uphill gradients, priming the braking system in critical situations and light contact to dry the brake discs in wet conditions.

Safety

Technology from the S-Class has trickled down, as predicted, into the C-Class. You'll have to get used to seeing flashing brake lights on these cars. Standard equipment, they're aimed at reducing rear-end collisions. Hard braking at speeds above 30 mph triggers the system. According to Merecedes, at 70 mph, flashing lights make other drivers react 0.2 seconds quicker than conventional brake lights.

Pre-safe -- a preventive occupant protection system -- is linked to active safety systems such as ESP and Brake Assist, and recognises critical driving manoeuvres at an early stage. Heavy under or oversteer, or heavy braking invokes the system to prepare the vehicle and its occupants for an accident.

The optional Intelligent Light System consists of bi-xenon headlamps that automatically adapt to the driving situation, illuminating a wider area when driving on country roads and improving long range visibility on motorways, for example. The system also includes enhanced front fog lamps, as well as the cornering light function and Active Light System, which enables the headlamps to follow steering input for better visibility.

Seven airbags are standard along with belt tensioners and belt force limiters for driver, front passenger and the passengers in the outer rear seats. The head restraints are active too: during a rear-end collision the padded surfaces are pushed forward and upward in milliseconds to support the heads of the driver and front passenger, reducing the risk of whiplash injury.

The car also includes bigger deformation zones, improved energy flows, and four independently acting impact levels at the front, which enable forces to be distributed over a wide area while bypassing the passenger cell.

Internals

A colour display offers access to frequently used functions close to the driver. Functions offered by Mercedes' COMAND system include voice operation, a music register, hard-disk drive navigation and an integrated DVD changer.

The optional multimedia kit features a keypad for entering telephone numbers and radio frequencies, as well as a Bluetooth interface which wirelessly connects the Bluetooth mobile phone to the hands-free telephone system. In the Audio 50 APS, the Europe-wide satnav information, fed from a 30GB hard disk, includes a display that automatically zooms in on junctions, and includes a six-CD changer and the voice control system.

Environment

They're all a bit bigger too of course, 55 mm longer and 42 mm wider. As a result, they're bigger inside -- front shoulder room is up by 40 mm for example.

The new C-Class is, according to Mercedes-Benz, the first car in its market segment to be awarded an Environmental Certificate, for its environmentally focussed development, highlighting advances over the entire vehicle lifecycle in areas such as fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and selection of materials used in its design and construction.

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