MERCEDES LAUNCHES LATEST RANGE IN SA

+ Click to Enlarge CHANGING FACES: Grille treatments vary according to model in the 2007 Mercedes C-Class catalogue. This is the striking three-bar finish on an Avantgarde. Note also the "eyebrow" treatment used on the headlights of all versions - it illuminates at night as a distinguishing feature.

August 7, 2007
By Les Stephenson

It's been seven years but Daimler SA has at last scratched the itch. A new range of C-Class sedans was launched in South Africa this week to replace the cars, then revolutionary, that arrived here in 2000.

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. In a nutshell: more tech.

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 2007 C-Class has been one of the most anticipated vehicles for launch this year – the Toyota Auris (also being launched this week) is another – and there's more to come from Mercedes in 2008 when estate versions, the C180 and the seriously mighty C63 AMG with its 336kW and 600Nm will join the five models launched on Monday.

Their prices will be announced when they get here but, for now, here's what the cars launched this week will cost:

C200K – R292 000
C280 V6 – R365 000
C350 V6 – R415 000
C220 CDI – R305 000
C320 V6 CDI – R409 000

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.

The new Mercs will be assembled in East London at the company's plant on the Buffalo River in a hard-won contract that, while no longer supplying Europe, Australasia and the Far East with right-hand drive C-Class units, will instead ship left-hand drive V6 units in their thousands to the United States as that country's sole supplier of the new cars.

More than 50 000 will be produced in East London in 2008 to supply SA and US showrooms.

Daimler SA's CEO and management board chairman Dr Hansgeorg Niefer said at the launch in Mpumalanga that the new C-Class was the culmination of years of work.

"The previous model outsold all forecasts, right down to the last few units," he said. "It was a benchmark for quality – a tradition now taken to the next level."

Nationally significant

Winning the production contract, he added, had been vital not only for corporate Daimler SA but also for East London and the thousands of people employed in the parts supply chain and at the DSA plant.

"Its will even be significant in the national economy," he added.

About 230 cars a day will be assembled, many of them for export. The W203 sold more than two-million units worldwide and in the 25 years since the C190 "Baby Benz" hit the market the C-Class has sold six million units overall.

So, what's new with the car? Well, its looks, for a start. Let's start with what's under them. 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.

'Practically undeformable'

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.

It all adds up to the looks overlying muscle: 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.

The nose is also near vertical to accommodate US demands for pedestrian protection and, if you want to be less "restrained", an AMG body kit is available to give the look, if not the go, of a full AMG conversion.

The new headlights come with an illuminating "eyebrow" – brand recognition in play here! – and, according to customers' requirements, can include active lights and cornering lights. In standard trim, the C-Class leaves the production line with new projector-beam headlights and foglights in the bumper. Bi-xenon systems with around 50 percent more lighting power are optional.

Specific wheels

At 4581mm, the new C-Class is 55mm longer than its predecessor. It's also 42mm wider at 1770mm and the wheelbase is up by 45mm to 2760mm. The extra size of the cabin is immediately apparent – 40mm more shoulder room up front is no small amount.

Each model has a specific size and style of alloy rims - and mini- or cheaper steel spare wheels are verboten on the new C-Class. No more wasted rubber in the boot – you can go through the whole wheel-rotation routine as the treads wear.

The whole shell has a pronounced wedge shape with a rising, bold distinguishing crease through the wings and doors and special channels have been created to direct rain from the windscreen up and over the roof to help keep the bigger external mirrors and side glass clear.

"The design of the new C-Class is based on the modern Mercedes-Benz idiom that reflects the technical superiority of automobiles bearing the star," the automaker says, "with taut lines and large, tranquil surfaces. The pronounced wedge emphasises attributes such as agility and performance."

The performance bit comes with the aid of further development of the four-cylinder engines. Power from the entry-level C180 Kompressor (due in 2008) has increased from 105 to 115kW with maximum torque up from 220 to 230Nm. The 1796cc, C200 Kompressor develops 15kW more to achieve 135kW and generates its maximum torque of 250Nm from 2800, which translates to a 0-100km/h time half a second quicker than its predecessor.

Fuel consumption said to have been reduced by a half-litre/100km.

Transmission choice

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.

All units come with a new "agility control" package that uses self-adjusting shock absorbers, five lighting functions and a comprehensive occupant protection system. An advanced "agility control" will be available later in 2007.

Silver bezels, black dials, white markings and glowing orange needles are standard across the range. The colour display in the upper central fascia can be covered or folded away without affecting any of its functions – navigation, audio system (MP3 compatible and with, according to model, four gigs of music storage) and phone.

The central colour display is part of the control and display concept taken from more expensive models in the Mercedes catalogue. There's also Mercedes' optional COMAND voice-controlled system and Bluetooth connectivity for cellphones.

The cars are available now, though much of this year's production has already been ordered.