The W206 generation of the C-Class will be fully unveiled on February 23, but in the meantime, we may have a look at the pre-production car.
The disguise is quite light this time around, revealing that the new C-Class draws upon the same inspiration points as the latest E- and S-Class vehicles. Its headlights are narrower than before, and the brake lights have developed extra sections on the tailgate. Mercedes had only used tailgate lights on its coupes and wagons before, but never on sedans.
The interior also gives off S-Class vibes, what with the digital dashboard and the MBUX infotainment system.
The classical body proportions are still there, but Mercedes made the new C-Class 65mm (2.5 inches) longer than the old generation – likely to set it apart from the A-Class. The car has 2,870 mm (9.42 feet) of wheelbase and an aerodynamic drag ratio of 0.24.
The MRA platform is the same as that the latest S-Class rides on in terms of layout, but many of the parts are steel instead of aluminum. The 4WS and air-ride suspension are also present, but most likely only as paid options in top specs. The suspension in particular should be restricted to PHEVs. You can choose between RWD and AWD.
Six-cylinder engines are no more on offer, replaced with four-pots assisted by 48V starter-generators. Mercedes-Benz says farewell to the V6s due to switching to a more efficient inline-six design, but the C-Class will not get that one, either.
Spec-wise, only the C 300 model has been revealed. Apparently, its 2.0-liter turbo-four engine produces 259 PS (255 hp / 190 kW), while a starter-generator contributes 21 PS (20 hp / 15 kW) of its own. A nine-speed automatic transmission pushes the power to the wheels.
The C 300 e and C 300 de specs are a gasoline and a diesel hybrid, respectively. Both benefit from a larger 25.4-kWh traction battery (formerly 13.5 kWh) and have up to 100 km (62 miles) of range.
After its launch, the sedan will be succeeded by a wagon, a coupe, a convertible, and ultimately a number of AMG vehicles. These will trade their V8s for a I4-based hybrid powertrain.