Mercedes-Benz India rolls out new-gen C-class; diesel variant next year

Mercedes-Benz India has rolled out its next-generation best seller C-class sedan. At present, there are around 20,000 C-class cars on Indian roads. The new model, which bears a sticker price of Rs 40.90 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), will be available in the C200 AvantGarde version across dealerships across India.

Equipped with a 2-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine with direct injection, the saloon delivers fuel efficiency of 14.74km per litre. The engine also has an Eco-start-stop function and a lower engine weight compared to other four-cylinder petrol engines. The car accelerates from 0-100kph in 7.3 seconds and has a top speed of 235kph. Coupled with a seven-speed automatic transmission, the luxury car cuts fuel consumption and emissions.

The diesel variant of the new C-class will follow next year. The new saloon, which is 100kg lighter than its predecessor, is the lightest in its segment. Its drive model selector gives the new C-class the option to select between comfort, economy, sport and sport plus or individual driving mode options. Engine, transmission and steering characteristics are adjusted according to the selected transmission mode. The saloon’s long wheelbase of 2840mm the longest in its segment and provides passengers better ride comfort, handling and drive performance. Cruise control with SpeedTronic enables more economic driving particularly on long journeys.

On the inside, Mercedes has provided a lot of features and equipment as standard in the new C-class. It comes with a high-res 8.4-inch screen that can be controlled by click wheel and also a touchpad, satellite navigation, LED ambient cabin lighting with three selectable colours, push-button start, panoramic sunroof and a 13-speaker Burmester audio system. There are the basics like three-zone auto climate control, rear-view camera and Bluetooth connectivity.

The new C-class is based on a new lightweight modular platform, called MRA (Mercedes Rear-drive Architecture). It gets the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine from the E-class; it produces 181bhp and 30.5kgm of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via the 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox, which is an updated version of the previous car's gearbox.

Eberhard Kern, managing director and CEO, said he expects the C-class to muster good numbers next year in line with the volumes generated by the previous C-class. The launch of the new-generation saloon was brought earlier by three months as its outgoing predecessor had sold out three months ago.

“The new C-Class comes to the starting line with qualities usually reserved for higher-class automobiles – ecologically, technologically and also with regard to comfort and driving pleasure. It embodies modern automotive luxury and has all the prerequisites to be a success story. The new C-class sets a new benchmark with its technological and design advancement. The technological prowess of the new C-class is a prime example of how the latest-generation telematics and IT systems are well integrated in Mercedes-Benz cars,” Kern said.

With the new C-class, Mercedes looks to pip the BMW 3-series as the segment best-seller. It is the first of the new generation cars in this segment, and it'll be followed by the new Audi A4 and later on by the new Jaguar XE. For now, Mercedes will bring the new C-class to India as a CBU, but local production is expected to begin next year. The new Mercedes C-class diesel, when launched, is expected to be the more popular variant and rake in the sales numbers for the carmaker.