savings of up to 31 percent. For the U.S. market, the 2012 C-Class sedan will be offered initially in three variants – the C250, C300 4Matic and C350.
The petrol engine line up includes a C350 BlueEfficiency version that features Mercedes' latest V6 engine. It is 34bhp more powerful than the engine it replaces, but is more efficient. As before, the C180 and C250 complete the petrol line-up, but the new versions are also more efficient that the models they replace.
It’s much the same story with the diesel engines, with the new range continuing with C200, C220 and C250 CDI models, all badged BlueEfficiency. They develop the same power and torque as the current units, but generally have better economy and emissions figures. The C220 CDI, combined with a six-speed manual gearbox and the stop-start system, emits just 117g/km CO2, while both it and the C250 CDI average almost 60mpg when paired with the seven-speed automatic transmission.
For the U.S. market, the C250 is powered by a new twin-turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder engine delivering 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque. The fancier version, the C300 4Matic, will have a 228 horsepower V-6 engine with 221 lb-ft of torque and all-wheel drive. The C350 gets a new direct-injection V6 with 302 hp and 273 lb-ft.
Describing the 2012 C-Class as “a comprehensive modernization” Mercedes says that the new C-Class has more than 2,000 new components compared to the current model, including the seven-speed automatic transmission 7G-Tronic Plus and the ECO start/stop function.
The front and rear ends have been completely reworked to give the car a more striking look. The aerodynamics of the 2012 C-Class are a mark of the bodyshell's efficiency. With a Cd figure of 0.26 it not only sets the benchmark in its class, but also glides through the wind better than most compact cars with its drag area of Cd x A = 0.57 sq. m.
Inside has also seen extensive reworking. There is now a high-resolution color display screen in the instrument cluster, an elegant new dashboard with grained surface and prominent decorative trim emphasising the premium character of the interior.
The new C-Class also sees the debut of a new telematics generation which will also be gradually introduced in other model series. Major new features include greater operating convenience, larger displays, telephone directory transfer, display of SMS messages, wireless music reproduction via Bluetooth and a USB interface now accommodated in the centre armrest.
The multimedia system COMAND Online now provides internet access for the first time (via the customers data enabled mobile phone). When the car is stationary, customers are able to browse freely or surf to a Mercedes-Benz Online service whose pages load particularly rapidly and are also easy to use while on the move. The integrated services include weather information and a special destination search via Google, as well as the option of downloading a route that has been previously configured on a PC using Google Maps and sent to the car. The navigation system of COMAND Online also has added functions.
The C-Class is the highest-selling model series, and therefore of particular importance for Mercedes-Benz. The current series has found well over one million buyers worldwide since its launch in March 2007. Since the introduction of the first C-Class in 1982 (then known as the model 190), Mercedes-Benz has sold more than 8.5 million vehicles in total in this segment. In 2010 too, the C-Class has repeatedly won top places in the registration statistics.
The petrol engine line up includes a C350 BlueEfficiency version that features Mercedes' latest V6 engine. It is 34bhp more powerful than the engine it replaces, but is more efficient. As before, the C180 and C250 complete the petrol line-up, but the new versions are also more efficient that the models they replace.
It’s much the same story with the diesel engines, with the new range continuing with C200, C220 and C250 CDI models, all badged BlueEfficiency. They develop the same power and torque as the current units, but generally have better economy and emissions figures. The C220 CDI, combined with a six-speed manual gearbox and the stop-start system, emits just 117g/km CO2, while both it and the C250 CDI average almost 60mpg when paired with the seven-speed automatic transmission.
For the U.S. market, the C250 is powered by a new twin-turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder engine delivering 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque. The fancier version, the C300 4Matic, will have a 228 horsepower V-6 engine with 221 lb-ft of torque and all-wheel drive. The C350 gets a new direct-injection V6 with 302 hp and 273 lb-ft.
Describing the 2012 C-Class as “a comprehensive modernization” Mercedes says that the new C-Class has more than 2,000 new components compared to the current model, including the seven-speed automatic transmission 7G-Tronic Plus and the ECO start/stop function.
The front and rear ends have been completely reworked to give the car a more striking look. The aerodynamics of the 2012 C-Class are a mark of the bodyshell's efficiency. With a Cd figure of 0.26 it not only sets the benchmark in its class, but also glides through the wind better than most compact cars with its drag area of Cd x A = 0.57 sq. m.
Inside has also seen extensive reworking. There is now a high-resolution color display screen in the instrument cluster, an elegant new dashboard with grained surface and prominent decorative trim emphasising the premium character of the interior.
The new C-Class also sees the debut of a new telematics generation which will also be gradually introduced in other model series. Major new features include greater operating convenience, larger displays, telephone directory transfer, display of SMS messages, wireless music reproduction via Bluetooth and a USB interface now accommodated in the centre armrest.
The multimedia system COMAND Online now provides internet access for the first time (via the customers data enabled mobile phone). When the car is stationary, customers are able to browse freely or surf to a Mercedes-Benz Online service whose pages load particularly rapidly and are also easy to use while on the move. The integrated services include weather information and a special destination search via Google, as well as the option of downloading a route that has been previously configured on a PC using Google Maps and sent to the car. The navigation system of COMAND Online also has added functions.
The C-Class is the highest-selling model series, and therefore of particular importance for Mercedes-Benz. The current series has found well over one million buyers worldwide since its launch in March 2007. Since the introduction of the first C-Class in 1982 (then known as the model 190), Mercedes-Benz has sold more than 8.5 million vehicles in total in this segment. In 2010 too, the C-Class has repeatedly won top places in the registration statistics.
