Carsales Staff•15 Jan 2014
NEWS
DETROIT MOTOR SHOW: C-Class hits new heights
Mercedes-Benz reveals successor to W204 with advanced new featuresThe new Mercedes-Benz C-Class range, unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, is set to shift the goalposts for safety, efficiency and comfort.
It's all part of a concerted campaign to distance the strong-selling C-Class from the low-roofed CLA, which is based on the same MFA platform as the A-Class hatch, but rivals the current (W204) C-Class in size.
Starting with a clean sheet of paper, Mercedes-Benz engineers drew up the parameters for the new C-Class, based around a lighter body shell that was also 95mm longer (4686mm), 40mm wider (1810mm), and riding on a 2840mm wheelbase – a stretch of 80mm. Those larger dimensions facilitate a roomier interior and a larger boot (luggage capacity now measuring 480 litres).
Yet the manufacturer claims weight savings for the new C-Class amount to as much as 100kg – 70kg of that from the body alone. Combined with improved aerodynamics and more efficient drivetrains, the C-Class is claimed to yield fuel economy gains as high as 20 per cent.
Key to the weight saving for the new model was the entirely new body, which features an outer skin almost entirely aluminium. According to Benz, aluminium now comprises 50 per cent of the body structure, versus 10 per cent of the previous W204 series. The inner structure offers what Benz calls "field-tested deformation zones", with "optimised force paths and a combination of aluminium castings and ultra-high-strength materials." This enhances crash safety as well as saving fuel.
Also serving to reduce fuel consumption was the aerodynamically efficient styling of the body, with Benz engineers hitting the target of 0.24Cd for one of the three launch variants, the C 220 BlueTEC ECO. By putting the squeeze on aerodynamic drag, the C-Class engineering team also reduced NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) in the cabin.
Further fuel economy gains derived from the Euro 6-compliant engines that will power the new C-Class. At launch the new model will offer three frugal four-cylinder engines: a 2.1-litre diesel for the C 220 BlueTEC ECO, a petrol 2.0-litre for the C 200 and a petrol 1.6-litre for the C 180. Fuel consumption will be held low (just 4.0L/100km for the C 220 BlueTEC ECO) with assistance from an auto-stop/start system.
Other engines to follow include a 1.6-litre supercharged diesel, the 2.1-litre turbo-diesel in varying power ratings and a 245kW petrol V6. In all, the new C-Class will eventually offer five direct-injection four-cylinder petrol engines, ranging in power from 115kW to 175kW. Outstripping the C 220 BlueTEC ECO diesel variant will be a new diesel hybrid, the C 300 BlueTEC HYBRID, capable of achieving 3.9L/100km in combined-cycle testing.
Four-cylinder variants will be available with two new six-speed manual transmissions, or the optional 7G-TRONIC automatic, which has been revised for the new C-Class. The C-Class has also been engineered for a 4MATIC all-wheel drive system, which is unlikely to make it to Australia.
New independent suspension for the C-Class consists of a four-link system at the front and a five-link system at the rear. Standard steel springs are complemented by three-mode adjustable dampers. Claiming a first in the segment, Mercedes-Benz is offering air suspension as an option.
Intelligent Drive makes its debut in the C-Class for the first time with the unveiling of the new model. Previously seen in the E-Class and S-Class, Intelligent Drive bundles together numerous active safety systems to prevent crashes. Among the features, many of which are expected to be standard in Australia, are:
- Attention Assist to warn the driver that fatigue is setting in through the car's COMAND system,
- Adaptive Brake Assist to prevent collisions from speeds as low as 7km/h,
- Collision Prevention Assist Plus, which autonomously brakes the car from speeds up 200km/h,
- Distronic Plus with Steering Assist and integrated Stop&Go – to autonomously follow a car in front at speeds up to 60km/h,
- BAS PLUS Brake Assist System to detect cross traffic and boost braking in the absence of adequate input from the driver,
- PRE-SAFE Brake to detect and prevent crashes with stationary objects at speeds up to 50km/h and reduce the severity of crashes up to 72km/h,
- Enhanced Active Lane Keeping Assist to brake wheels on one side and re-align the vehicle in the lane,
- Active Parking Assist to park the vehicle automatically in parallel and 90-degree parking spots,
- 360° camera, showing the vehicle and surroundings from different angles, including elevated,
- Traffic Sign Assist with Wrong-Way Alert, to warn drivers not to overtake or enter one-way roads,
- Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus to prevent drivers of on-coming cars being dazzled.
Passive safety features incorporate a full host of airbags, including one for the driver's knee.
Inside, the new C-Class offers a touchpad that allows the user to operate infotainment head unit functions with finger strokes. The system will recognise hand-written standard and special characters in any language, providing haptic feedback from the surface. It's complemented by other high-tech comfort and convenience features, including a head-up display and a climate control system that is linked to GPS. When the car enters a tunnel, the positioning data triggers the recirculation mode for the climate control system, thus blocking exhaust fumes from entering the car. Naturally, once the vehicle has left the tunnel, the climate control reverts to its previous mode.
Following from the pioneering work carried out for the W222 S-Class, the new C-Class adopts the Frontbass system, which employs the space within the car's structure to enhance bass reproduction from the audio system.
Satellite navigation is said by Benz to be more accurate in real time, receiving information via the internet and presenting the data in an animated graphical display. The manufacturer names this 'Drive Show'.
The standard 'Audio 20' infotainment system allows users to surf the net, provided the car is at rest. On the move the C-Class will provide information updates from weather, search and navigation apps. Music and video can be played back by linking wirelessly to Bluetooth devices or from memory cars/sticks and optical drive discs. Buyers opting for the COMAND Online system will be able to watch digital TV or listen to digital radio, navigate to locations stored on a built-in hard drive, create an in-car WLAN hotspot, and deliver voice commands.
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Written byCarsales Staff
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
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