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Great expectations for the new edition:
The sixth generation of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is to continue the success of the previous "bread and butter model" of the Swabians - with seven-digit sales figures
Photo: Mercedes-Benz AG - Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans / Daimler
For decades, this model was a safe bet for Daimler: the C-Class, the first generation of which was still called the Mercedes 190, provided Mercedes-Benz with reliably high sales, turnover and profit figures for almost 40 years.
An important part of the recipe for success was to pass innovations from the upper class to the middle class.
In the case of the 190, which was launched on the market in 1982, this was an effective encapsulation for diesel engines that dampened the typical "nailing" of compression-ignition engines - and earned the 190 the nickname "Whisper Diesel".
In later generations, for example, standard ABS, ESP, adaptive airbags, automatically controlled chassis and particularly economical engines were added.
Now Daimler is introducing the sixth generation of the C-Class - and the Swabians remain true to one thing: S-Class feeling is now also available in the C-Class, which is 4.7 meters long and not too compact.
Compared to its predecessor, there is more space for the driver, front passenger and rear passengers in the 206 series, as the new C-Class is called internally at Daimler.
To do this, it takes over the operating and infotainment system of the S-Class, called MBUX 2.0 - and thus eliminates one of the most obvious weaknesses of the predecessor.
Fast and comprehensive voice control will therefore be standard in the future.
For a surcharge, there are "Digital Light" headlights from the S-Class and a rear-axle steering that is slightly slimmed down compared to the luxury-class mobile, but which reduces the turning circle to less than eleven meters.
Fans of the combination design will get their money's worth right from the start: Unlike before, this time there will be a T-model from the market launch.
Plug-in with a range of 100 km, but no pure electric drive planned
The sales expectations are high: Mercedes has sold a total of 10.5 million of its mid-range models since 1982, 2.5 million units in the fifth generation, launched in 2014.
The latest incarnation of the C-Class should build on this.
"Comprehensive electrification" promises Daimler boss
Ola Källenius
(51) for his middle class sedan, the plug-in hybrid version of the new C-Class shines with 100 kilometers of pure electric range.
But that's a thing with the engine, because the selection of units is becoming smaller rather than larger: unlike in the predecessor, there will be no six-cylinder engines in the new C-Class - only four-cylinder units, which will then be petrol and diesel engines .
And one thing will not become of the new C-Class in the future either: A fully electrified Stromer that is supposed to drive against Tesla's Model 3 or BMW's i4.
The current C-Class platform could be electrified, Daimler chief engineer
Christian Früh
recently told the "Süddeutsche Zeitung".
However, you would have to pack batteries under the floor pan, raise the vehicle and use larger wheel diameters.
That would falsify the "DNA of the C-Class", early justified himself, and you would have to make various compromises.
Therefore there will be another solution, but that will still take a while.
Apart from the C-Class, Daimler is struggling with electrification problems
With this, Früh was alluding to a platform for mid-range and upper-class cars specially designed for electric drives, which the Swabians are still developing.
Daimler boss Källenius already announced such a platform in autumn 2019.
The previous all-electric models from Swabia, the EQC and EQA SUVs, are still based on a base plate that is designed for several types of drive - which limits the maximum possible battery size and thus also the range.
This year Mercedes wants to bring the EQS electric model onto the market, which is based on the new EVA electric architecture.
This should enable ranges of up to 700 kilometers with one battery charge.
The MMA electric platform, which is intended for more compact and mid-range electric vehicles, should be ready by the middle of the decade - which would then also be suitable for electric cars in C-class size.
The development is obviously not a sure-fire success.
As Daimler development chief
Markus Schäfer
(55) admitted according to a report by the tech portal t3n from mid-January, the MMA platform was "a tough cut".
You start from scratch to build the "ultimate electric car".
In addition, the Swabians are not only fighting with the works council when it comes to electrification.
There are also bigger problems with the new cell supplier Farasis, as manager magazin reported recently.
Farasis is to start producing electric car battery cells for Daimler in Germany as early as 2022, but building permits and good cell samples are still lacking.
This jeopardizes the electric offensive that Källenius ordered the group: Daimler wants to bring more than ten new electric models onto the market by 2025, including the EQS, the electric S-Class.
Against this background, it is then less surprising that Daimler is not doing the big e-drive confusion for its previous "bread and butter" model, the C-Class.
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