GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Benz C-Class Cabrio teased again

Mercedes-Benz presented sketches of its first C-Class Cabriolet earlier this week, and now it has revealed more of the all-new model in the lead-up to its drop-top onslaught at next month's Geneva motor show.

Launching just in time for the European and US sunny seasons, the C-Class rag-top will replace the E-Class Cabriolet as the company's most affordable convertible alongside the SLK roadster (which will soon be renamed the SLC), at least until the all-new A-Class cabrio arrives.

Based on the upcoming new C-Class Coupe, the soft-top C-Class will arrive in Australia during the fourth quarter of this year, just in time for our summer.

The outgoing E-Class Cabriolet starts at just under $90,000 (within $3000 of the outgoing SLK), so expect its newly named successor to again compete directly with BMW's 4 Series Convertible (from $71,100) and Audi's ageing A5 Cabriolet (from $81,200).

Employing an electrically-powered cloth roof, the C-Class drop-top will be offered in a range of variants, including the likely addition of a new Mercedes-AMG C 43 Cabriolet model, powered by a 270kW/520Nm twin-turbo V6.

Like the C-Class sedan and coupe, entry-level models in Europe can be expected to come with a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol unit worth around 115kW and, at the top of the range, a twin-turbo 375kW 4.0-litre V8-powered version wearing AMG's C 63 S badge.

Stay tuned for more details from the 2016 Geneva motor show from March 1.