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» New Mercedes C-Class
(January 2007)

Meet the new C-class. It's sportier to look at, more spacious inside and packs more powerful engines. Crucially, Mercedes says it's sportier to drive, in an attempt to tackle the BMW 3-series head on.

The new C-class takes on a family look that's reminiscent of the larger S-class. It's also bigger, growing by 2.1 inches in length, 1.6in in width and 1.6in in height. Top-of-the-line Avantgarde models get a coupe-like grille with an oversized three-pointed star, while Classic or mid-range Elegance models retain the traditional three-pointed star atop the hood.

The changes inside are as radical as those outside. The dashboard has a new design that combines cues from the S-class together with a high-mounted monitor that folds away when not in use. It works via a rotary control placed between the front seats. The bigger body makes for increased shoulder room (1.8in more up front and 0.8in more in the rear, plus a little extra rear legroom. Despite the new car’s shorter rear overhang, trunk space has also risen.

Safety kit is comprehensive: seven airbags are standard including two twin-stage airbags for the driver and front passenger, a kneebag for the driver, two sidebags in the front seat backs and two curtain-style airbags in the roof. Buyers can also add side airbags in the rear and Mercedes' Pre-Safe system.

To accommodate the new C-class’s larger body, Mercedes has comprehensively re-engineered its entry-level sedan’s chassis. The wheelbase is two inches longer, and the track is 1.7in wider up front and three inches wider at the rear. This larger footprint helps to improve weight distribution, shifting more of it rearwards than ever before – something that should benefit handling and make it more entertaining to drive.

The suspension retains the same three-link MacPherson strut (front) and five-link (rear) design but has been completely overhauled with new lightweight components, altered geometry and variable-rate dampers. Further changes have been concentrated on the rack-and-pinion steering, which now operates with a more direct ratio.

The engine range in Europe is a mix of in-line four and V6 units diesel and gasoline units, though the U.S. lineup remains undefined (a supercharged four and a BlueTec diesel being possibilities). As before, engine capacity doesn’t always match the badge on the trunk. The range starts with a turbocharged 1.8-liter four developing 156hp in the C180 Kompressor and is currently topped by the 3.5-liter, 272hp V6 in the C320. A C63 AMG V8 is sure to follow.

With the exception of the C350, which gets a seven-speed automatic, all new C-classes come as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox. The seven-speed auto is optional on V6 models, while four-cylinder models get an optional five-speed unit.

A C-class wagon is due to be unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in September. Also on the way is a follow up to the C-class Sport Coupe.

The C-class sedan goes on sale later this year. Prices are expected to rise by around three per cent over those of the outgoing model.
 

Link: Mercedes C-Class 2008

By: Greg Kable/Autocar magazine , Reference: speedtv

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