A beautiful car being given a great introduction is something that we couldn’t miss out on. Showing off the 451hp, 6.3L, V8 powered Mercedes was one of the highlights of the show.

We can expect to see the 2008 AMG model to go on sale sometime next year. Mercedes created it to be competition against the BMW M3 and the Audi RS4. May the best car win!

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Mercedes-Benz seriously updated its C-class for 2008 and now offers the C300 Sport, the C300 Luxury, and the C350 Sport, all in sedan form. For stylistic differentiation, the Sport model gets a three-bar grille with a big Mercedes-Benz badge in the middle, while the Luxury trim gets the badge as a hood ornament.

Consumers were impressed with the C300 Sport, which sits at the bottom of Mercedes-Benz’s U.S. lineup. Along with its new cabin tech features, it drives very well, presenting some serious competition, both in performance and price, to Infiniti’s G series. It may be a little on the pricy side – but with all of the upgrades and power it will have we are thinking that it just might be worth it.

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The W204 range will replace the W203 with longer, wider and taller bodies, distinctive radiator grilles, more power, more standard features and enhanced safety, traction and stability functions. The cars will still be marketed as Classic, Elegance and Avantgarde (in ascending order of price and equipment) with a choice of five engines and base prices ranging from R292 000 for the four-cylinder C200 Kompressor to R415 000 for the C350 V6. The four-cylinder engines will come with either a six-speed manual or five-speed auto gearbox.

The four-cylinder engines will come with either a six-speed manual or five-speed auto gearbox; the V6 models will only be available with a 7G-Tronic seven-speed auto/manual sequential gearbox complete with change paddles on the steering wheel. Overall, Mercedes says, the new C-Class cars are eight kilograms lighter than their predecessors.

Around 70 percent of the shell is made of high-strength steel alloys, a percentage unprecedented in passenger car development, according to Mercedes, and having a tensile strength three or four times better than that of “ordinary” steel. Aluminium is also widely used in the cars for the front fenders, crash boxes, rear parcel shelf, cross-members and the doors.

Overall, Mercedes says, the new C-Class cars are eight kilograms lighter than their predecessors and their integrity was unquestioned with the cars’ exceptionally quiet ride on the often-questionable roads of the Lowveld. Mercedes says the shell is “practically undeformable” and will provide a survival cell even in a high-speed collision. The way all this is put together has also paid off in reducing the cars’ drag co-efficient to 0.27.

Starting at the front, the new C-Class has several different grille designs with varying numbers of bars and positioning of the Mercedes star. Three extended, horizontal bars and a big, central star characterise the Avantgarde model, the Elegance has a three-dimensional, louvered grille with a high-gloss paint finish and the Classic is more restrained.

Further improvements have also been made to the engine, turbocharger and common-rail diesel direct-injection of the four-cylinder, C220 CDI whose power has risen by 15kW to 125kW and torque by 18 percent to 400Nm while fuel consumption has dropped to a claimed 6.1 litres/100km. All four-cylinder units can take either a six-speed manual or five-speed auto transmission.

The V6 engines are unchanged with a choice of C280 or C350 developing 170kW and 200kW respectively. The six-cylinder of the new C320 CDI has an output of 165 kW and all six-cylinder models are available only with a 7G-Tronic, seven-speed automatic/manual sequential transmission.

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Be that as it may, with the introduction of the fourth generation C-class (W204), the long quest for sports-sedan equality may be over. Based on a short first drive in a C350 Sport, the smallest Mercedes sedan looks ready to challenge BMW’s segment leadership on fairly equal footing. Smallest is a relative term here. The baby Benz is smallest among Mercedes’ four-door sedans, but it’s bigger in every dimension than its predecessor, and also bigger than 3-series four-ports in length and height, riding on an identical 108.7-inch wheelbase.
Bigger translates to roomier, something rear-seat passengers are sure to appreciate.

But bigger also translates to increased mass. Mercedes worked hard to keep curb weights in check for the new car, but there appears to be some inevitable gain at the scales. Mercedes forecasts 3615 pounds for the C350 Sport under scrutiny here, which is 100 more than the C350 Sport we tested in the November 2005 issue of Car and Driver and heavier than either of the gasoline-powered 3-series sedans (328i, 335i) we see in the U.S. market.

That 2005 C350 sprinted to 60 mph in an impressive 5.5 seconds. The new C350 Sport is propelled by the same 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V-6 as its predecessor, with identical output (268 horsepower, 258 pound-feet of torque), mated to the same seven-speed automatic transmission. All things being equal except for a slight increase in mass, it’s hard to see the new C350 being quicker than the gen-three edition. Mercedes forecasts 6.6 seconds, which we view as conservative.

In any case, the C350 doesn’t have the authority of a BMW 335i, with its 300-hp twin-turbo six. On the other hand, the Mercedes seven-speed automatic makes the most of the C350’s power (although we could wish for quicker upshifts in paddle-shift manumatic mode), throttle response is instantaneous, and performance in dicey mountain-road passing maneuvers leaves little to be desired.

Although Mercedes hasn’t announced pricing, when the new C-class cars begin rolling into North American showrooms in late June, window stickers are expected to start at about $32,000 for the C300 Sport, $35,000 for the C300 Luxury, and $40,000 for the C350 Sport. The C300 4MATIC, due later in the year, will probably start at about $37,000.

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The primary goal of the campaign is to convince customers around the world of the advantages of the versatile product concept behind the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan, including two distinct front-end designs and outstanding comfort, agility and safety. “Our objective for this campaign is to motivate customers to experience for themselves the superior driving culture offered by the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class,” says Dr. Olaf Göttgens, Vice President Brand Communications Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars.

Along with our tried advertising methods, we will also be focusing strongly on various forms of direct communi-cation for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, to be implemented at exclusive driving events. These measures will be accompanied by a Mercedes-Benz C-Class Mobile Marketing Special, a presen-tation within Second Life and interactive films on the Internet, innovative platforms that will enable us to reach existing and potential customers of our brand in a targeted manner.”

The integrated campaign for the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class was developed by BBDO France, following a pitch conducted with several markets, and is adapted to the requirements of the international markets. In Germany, the new lead agency Jung von Matt is carrying out the campaign for Mercedes-Benz with the slogan “C-for Yourself.”

The C-Class campaign will move into high gear on April 2, 2007, with the launch of advertisements in magazines and newspapers with high circulations. Like most of the other communication measures, the print ads, which invite customers to test-drive the sedan, feature a white C-Class Avantgarde model equipped with the AMG sports package.

A 30-/40-second television commercial, to be broadcast on all public and commercial stations in Germany with high circulations, will feature the current Formula 1 world champion race car driver Fernando Alonso enthusiastically describing the outstanding handling qualities of the new C-Class.

At the end of the commercial, Alonso, who drives for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team, symbolically hands over the keys to a new C-Class to the audience at home, thus inviting them to test-drive the vehicle and see what the sedan has to offer. This theme of handing over the keys is repeated as a motivating element in many components of the campaign. In the German market, the primary C-Class campaign will be supplemented by extensive retail marketing measures, radio commercials, outdoor ads and stadium advertising at soccer matches of the German national team.

A particularly extensive and entertaining element of the international campaign is the online presentation at. On the site, which Mercedes-Benz also advertises by banners on the Internet, customers and anyone else interested in the C-Class can view the vehicle as displayed against realistic backdrops and then configure it and study the results from various perspectives.

The software allows users to select according to their personal tastes any combination of the model’s equipment lines, numerous color options, different types of light-alloy wheels, interior designs and selected optional features. The website also features an interactive assistant who guides users through the new 360-degree soft configurator. Several interactive films are available as well that show various individuals describing the most important details of the new C-Class as they take the vehicle out for a drive.

For anyone interested in the vehicle’s development, a specially produced video podcast documents the creation of the C-Class in four episodes. Finally, the Mercedes-Benz Museum website takes visitors on a multimedia journey through the successful history of Mercedes-Benz’ best-selling model series ever.

Since the C-Class does not only generate excitement in real life, the new Avantgarde model with the AMG package has started to become available on March 16, 2007, in Mercedes-Benz’ virtual representation at Second Life. All residents of this online world can purchase a virtual model of the C-Class for 1,500 Linden Dollars or virtually test-drive it on a challenging track. Tens of thousands of people from all over the world have visited the Mercedes-Benz island since its opening on February 20, 2007, and the site is one of the most frequently visited corporate presentations in Second Life.

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Boasting an output of 125 kW (170 hp) and a peak torque of 400 Nm, the Vision C 220 BLUETEC consumes 5.5 litres of diesel per hundred kilometres. With the Vision C 220 BLUETEC, Mercedes-Benz is providing a taste of things to come as part of its BLUETEC initiative which was launched in the US last autumn.

The initial impetus came from the market launch of the E 320 BLUETEC in North America in October 2006, which was timed to coincide with the introduction of low-sulphur diesel in that part of the world. A fuel consumption figure of 6.7 litres per hundred kilometres makes the E 320 BLUETEC one of the most economical vehicles in its class in the US.

For the US market, Mercedes-Benz will be offering three further V6 BLUETEC models, R Class, M-Class and GL-Class, with BIN-5 certification for all 50 states from as early as 2008. At the Detroit Auto Show in early January, the Stuttgart-based manufacturer demonstrated just how suitable the clean, economical, high-torque engines are for large cars and SUVs: the V8 diesel engine in the Vision GL 420 BLUETEC that was on display at the show has an output of 216 kW/290 hp, a peak torque of 700 Nm and an expected fuel consumption of just 9.8 litres per hundred kilometres.

With the first four-cylinder BLUETEC model, Mercedes-Benz illustrates just how versatile this innovative technology can be. Following the US launch, Mercedes Benz will also introduce BLUETEC in other markets. The technology is currently being adapted to European market requirements and further Mercedes Benz models, the aim being to also offer BLUETEC for European customers, starting in 2008.

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So for 2006, Mercedes has mated its six-speed manual gearbox to the same sweet 3.5-liter V6 that powers most of its other new models, including the SLK350 roadster. The result is the 2006 Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport. Short of the C55 AMG, it’s the athlete of the C-Class range, and it may have arrived just in time. Chief competitors of the aging C-Class are either all-new or significantly upgraded for 2006, and Mercedes hopes the new engine and transmission combination are enough to draw a few more buyers and create a little buzz.

A replacement for last year’s 215-horsepower 3.2-liter, the 3.5-liter V6 engine is the elite member of a new family of V6 engines available on the C-Class in 2006. Siblings include a 201-hp 2.5-liter in the C230 and a 228-hp 3.0-liter in the C280. All three engines are built entirely of aluminum and feature double-overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and variable valve timing.

The 3.5-liter is rated for 268 hp at 6,000 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at 2,400 rpm, which is still behind the big numbers posted by the Lexus IS 350 (306 hp, 277 lb-ft) and Infiniti G35 (298 hp, 260 lb-ft) but comfortably ahead of the 255-hp BMW 330i and 255-hp Audi A4 3.2 in torque. Mercedes has always offered a manual transmission on the current-generation C-Class, which hit the road in 2001, but early examples were vague through the gears and more suited for a low-end economy car than a pricey entry-luxury sedan.

So the company reworked its six-speed unit for 2005, installing a new linkage and refining the clutch engagement. For 2006, engineers adjusted the gear ratios to better match the new V6 engines’ power bands. Hard-core enthusiasts will still prefer the more performance-oriented feel of the manual gearboxes in the 3 Series, A4 and G35, but the six-speed is extremely well matched to the engine’s power curve. In contrast, a manual-shift BMW 330i is more excitable, as its inline six breaks into a sprint right off idle. But the 330i is not as quick as the C350, taking 6.6 seconds to hit 60 mph.

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The c-class, which is prepared to arrive sometime in September, will have a more aggressive look to it then the one being sold over in Europe. Now we are not sure what the vehicle will look like, but we do know that the c-class will be offered in both sport and luxury. This makes us think that we can expect to see a totally new look then the usual luxury version.

They will probably not be do anything too drastic or costly to differentiate the two vehicles, so exporting the only sportier of the two seems like a pretty good possibility at this time. I guess we’ll find out in September and see how the reaction is among the consumers.

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Mercedes-Benz is the only automotive brand worldwide to have an Environmental Certificate meeting ISO standards. The new C-Class is the second Mercedes-Benz model since the introduction of the S-Class in 2005 to have its development process reviewed and confirmed by independent environmental experts.

After careful assessment the experts from the German technical inspection authority, TÜV, determined that the development process of the new C-Class meets the requirements of the internationally recognised ISO standard 14062. This standard, called ‘Design for Environment’, governs the integration of environmental aspects into product design and development.

“The new C-Class is a further milestone on our way towards sustained mobility,” says Professor Dr Herbert Kohler, Chief Environmental Officer of DaimlerChrysler AG. “The Environmental Certificate confirms our longstanding commitment to environmentally compatible product development.” Through rigorous continuous development of the four-cylinder engines in the new C-Class, Mercedes engineers achieved fuel savings of up to six percent compared to the preceding model. Harmful emissions of nitrogen oxides are as much as 90 percent below the currently valid Euro 4 limits and hydrocarbons as much as 86 percent.

During environmental tests, verified by the TÜV experts, Mercedes-Benz specialists analysed emissions and energy requirements throughout the entire lifecycle of the new saloon, from the production of the materials and components to a car with a mileage of 200,000 kilometres. Compared to a car built in 2000, the total energy requirements of the new C-Class decreased by 125 gigajoules, which corresponds to the energy content of about 3800 litres of petrol. Emissions of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, are reduced over the entire lifecycle by nine tonnes per vehicle.

The new C-Class uses mostly materials which are distinguished by minimal consumption of resources, low energy requirements and good recycling characteristics. The car already complies with the EU recycling rules due to take effect in 2015, which call for a 95 percent recycling rate (with maximum 10 percent energy recovery). In the new C-Class 32 components, with a total weight of more than 40 kilograms, can be manufactured from recycled plastics. This increases the volume of approved parts made of recycled materials by 34 percent versus the preceding model.

The ‘Design for Environment’ (DfE) principle defined by ISO standard 14062 has been firmly established in the development process for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars for 12 years. Specialists in the fields of environmental balance, dismantling and recycling planning, materials and process engineering, design and production are involved in the development of new models right from the start. They define the ecological requirements and ensure that the principle of ‘Design for Environment’ is applied throughout the process.

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The first two translate as variable effort steering and variable rate damping. There isn’t much detail on the shifting other than it being faster. The adaptive braking is based on the system in the new S-Class, and includes hill assist and panic brake assist. The hill assist detects when you are starting on a slope and maintains some brake pressure in the calipers when you move your foot to the accelerator until you actually apply the gas, to keep you from rolling back down the hill. The panic brake assist has been around for awhile and detects when you do a quick brake apply and helps to apply full pressure.

The interior includes a pop-up center display screen at the top of the dash as well as a display in the middle of the instrument cluster. The multitude of features can be activated from multi-function controls on the steering wheel, as well as a controller on the console, similar to the dreaded I-Drive. The navigation and entertainment system includes a 30GB hard drive which holds Europe wide maps The COMAND APS system also includes a music server with 4 GB of memory, a DVD player and a voice control system that can understand city names without spelling them out.

The styling is reminiscent of a 5/8 scale version of the new S-Class, but with slightly more subdued fender flares. It does retain the crisp character lines of it’s big brother and pronounced wedge at the nose. Overall the look translates well to the smaller car. The newer V-6 engines will be carried over from the current model along with three revamped gas engines and one new diesel. So far there is no word on which engines are coming the US market, but most likely it will only be the V-6s.

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