1982. The launch of a sedan by Mercedes-Benz shocked those accustomed to the larger and more luxurious models of the German brand. The 190 was modern, reasonably spacious, and became faster throughout its life. It was a beautiful 11-year career until he was replaced by the first C-Class. Who knew that such cars would escape the controversy and reach 10.5 million units sold in that time?
Now, it’s time for Mercedes-Benz to launch the new C-Class. The midfielder soon appeared in two bodies: sedan and station wagon. The model will arrive in Brazil in the fourth quarter of this year. It sucks to give bad news in the second paragraph, but the station has no forecast.
The big question is the price that will be asked since the generation currently sold here has values between $ 237,900 (C180) and R $ 323,900 (C300). The fact is that he cannot escape what the competition charges. The BMW 3 Series starts at $ 253,950, the Volvo S60 starts at $ 314,950, and the Audi A4 costs no less than $ 229,990. The Swede is the only one that has no more accessible version and its offer is limited to the plug-in hybrid T8.
As usual, the style has much of the S-Class, although many may say that the model looks like a stretched Class A Sedan. The headlights became moodier and escaped the classic look of the previous one. The Avantgarde version (photos) bears the star in the center of the grid.
The short frontal swing and the long ribbed hood are touches that help in the sportier image. The rear bets on the horizontal headlights of other current Mercedes cars. The roof arch is classic and comes from the previous model.
The length changed to 4.75 m (it was 4.68 m) and the wheelbase was extended by 2.5 centimeters to reach 2.86 m. It was necessary since the Class A Sedan occupied the space of the entry sedan. The trunk is 455 liters in the sedan and 490 liters in the station wagon – it should be bigger in view of the size of the car.
In addition to being more spacious, the interior has also become more technological. The digital panel has two size options. The smallest is 10.25 inches, while the largest reaches 12.3 inches. Color head-up display (HUD) is optional. Like the instrument panel, the multimedia center display also comes in two versions: 9.5 inches or 11.9 inches. The vertical screen is tablet-shaped, a touch introduced by the S-Class.
The artificial intelligence system MBUX became more … intelligent. In addition to having a Wi-Fi connection and integration with services like streaming music, the device can now be connected to home control services to find out what’s going on in your home or trigger functions remotely.
Also inspired by the S-Class, the interior has front seats with massagers as options. There is also a vibration mechanism in the driver’s seat. In turn, the rear seats are now heated as an option.
The trunk of the station wagon takes 490 liters, a volume that could be larger for its size
As standard, the headlights are LED in all versions. As an option, Class C can come with a digital headlight system, a technology capable of projecting useful information on the road, for example of traffic alerts or projection of guidelines to point out the limits of the lane. The lighting adapts to the conditions of the road. If a pedestrian is detected, the beam will illuminate it, for example.
One of the points that the old Class C owed in updating was the level of assistance to the driver. The new model has adaptive cruise control, active steering (keeps the car in the lane at up to 210 km / h), a 360-degree camera, and license plate recognition.
All engines are four-cylinder and come with lightweight 48V hybrid technology. Even diesel does not give up the resource, something innovative. The system allows you to cross with the combustion engine off, you can add a little more power or recover energy, and it allows you to start the propeller very quickly, which facilitates the start-stop operation.
Transmission is always 9-speed automatic. The traction remains rear – it in front in the basic Class A – and there is the option of 4Matic all-wheel drive. All have rear suspension with the automatic airlift to control height.
According to Mercedes, the model received more sporty suspension adjustment. The steering is very direct, there are only 2.1 turns from stop to stop. Electronic damping is available as an option.
The rear axle is directional for the first time. The wheels turn in the opposite direction from the front ones at 2.5 degrees at speeds of up to 60 km / h. With the feature, the turning diameter was reduced by 43 cm. It is only 10.6 meters, an excellent result for a car of this size. The opposite occurs at speeds above 60 km / h when the four wheels point in the same direction to give greater stability in fast corners and lane changes.
Hybrid engines
Three versions use the same 1.5 engine, but with different power and torque settings. The C180 has 170 hp and 25.5 kgfm of torque, values that pass to 204 and 30.6 kgfm in the C200 and C200 4Matic. The C300 is the only one with a 2.0 turbo engine, a unit that generates 258 hp and 40.8 kgfm. There is an important point: the hybrid system adds another 20 hp and, mainly, 20.4 kgfm. These are the most important configurations for Brazil.
The C 180 goes from 0 to 100 km / h in 8.6 seconds and reaches 231 km / h. The C 200 does the same in 7.3 s (rear-wheel drive) and 7.1 s (all-wheel drive), while its top speed reaches 246 km / h. Of course, the C 300 is the most sporty of the petrol-powered configurations. It takes only 6 seconds to reach the same mark, in addition, it is the only one that reaches 250 km / h (electronically limited).
There are also two diesel options in Europe. The two are 2.0 turbo and mild hybrid, something very curious for engines powered by this fuel. The C 220 d has 200 hp and generates 44.8 kgfm, already sturdy numbers that rise to 265 hp and 56 kgfm in the C 300 d version. This is precisely the fastest car of the models presented. There are 5.7 s from 0 to 100 km/ h.
There is even a plug-in hybrid option on the way. The range achieved in electric mode is 100 km, much greater than the 66 km of the BMW 330i and the 40 km of the Volvo S60 T8. You can drive up to 140 km / h in this mode. But none of them are more outdated than the A4. It is an old game of executive sedans: there is always a new generation being launched in between. It will be Audi’s chance to turn the tide soon.
