2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Press Release

8/8/2019 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Press Release

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New look for Mercedes' top-selling sedan this summerThe restyled MY2012 C-Class

• Energetic – new dynamic look inside and out• Expanded – five new assistance systems for greater safety

• Efficient – new direct-injection engines with better fuel economy• Experience – new-generation telematics• Exceptional – more than one million sold since March 2007

The restyled 2012 C-Class sedan is scheduled to arrive in the U.S. in the summer of2011. The front and rear end of the popular Mercedes sedan have been enhanced witha more distinctive design. The luxurious interior is now emphasized by the stylish newdashboard, which features a premium, fine-grain finish and stylish trim elements, as wellas a high-resolution color display in the instrument cluster. Fuel economy has beenimproved by as much as 15 percent, thanks to new direct-injection engines and theredesigned 7-speed automatic transmission. Five new driver assistance systems

ranging from the ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection system through to the BlindSpot Assist are now available in the C-Class lineup. New generation telematics offernew infotainment and navigation features.

"In terms of driveline and safety systems, the new-generation C-Class offers the comfortand safety of our luxury vehicles - and with many high-end details in the interiorevocative of the new CLS, the new C-Class sets completely new benchmarks in itssegment when it comes to premium look-and-feel," says Dr. Joachim Schmidt,Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. This interior upgradeis further enhanced by the latest generation of telematics, which not only featurescompletely new visuals, but also brings improved functionality.

A total of more than 2,000 new parts distinguish the newest generation of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class from its predecessor. The U.S. market introduction is scheduled forsummer 2011 (available to order in Europe as of January 2011). Alongside the generousstandard equipment, the Sport and Luxury versions of the new C-Class form the basisof the individualization program, with both lines now more clearly differentiated fromeach other.

The C-Class is Mercedes-Benz's highest volume model range, and therefore especiallyimportant. The current range has chalked up global sales of more than one million unitssince its launch in March 2007. Since the market introduction of the first C-Class in

1982 (known then as the 190), Mercedes-Benz has sold more than 8.5 million vehiclesaround the world.

Dynamic, determined and confident exterior

The bumper now has a more distinctive and dynamic design, with the front end adoptingthe brand's new design language. The central element of the front end is the grille,which is further enhanced by the new bumper design. The center air intake opens



upward in a v-shape and forms the core element of the grille design. Distinctive linesemerge from the base of the aggressive arrow design in the center. Running beneaththe headlamps, these character lines transition into the side profile. The outboard airintakes in the bumper are positioned very low down to give the car a more muscularstance.

The C-Class features a new aluminum hood, which contributes to weight reduction andconsequently to improved fuel efficiency. Contours around the headlamps and grillebring additional emphasis to the front-end arrow form. Working together with theredesigned headlamps, the overall front-end look is far more distinctive.

Modified clear glass headlamps create a more dynamic and determined look and,together with the hood, grille and bumper enhance the arrow visual at the front end.This precise, contemporary look is reinforced by the design of both the exterior andinterior of the headlamp units, which feature a finely balanced interplay between matteand gloss surfaces. The halogen headlamps follow the classic format with low beam

located on the outside and high beam in the inside, while the indicator lamps arediscreetly positioned in the outer corners toward the fenders.

The available bi-xenon headlamps come with active functions and bring added depth tothe appearance with a series of LED modules. A C-shaped positioning light defines thenighttime design, with cornering lights located behind it and stretching outward to themain lamp module. At the base of the headlamps are broad horizontal LED indicatorunits. Also horizontal are the LED daytime running lights located in the bumper, whichmake the C-Class unmistakable from a distance.

On the rear bumper, the character lines and shutlines have been modified to add

emphasis to the vehicle's stance. This is especially evident in the steep rise of thecharacter line running outward toward the rear lights. A continuous character line on theupper edge of the rear bumper runs into the fenders of the C-Class to provide aconnection to the sides and emphasizes the sporty character of the rear view. A newone-piece jewel case on the tail lights provides further integration into the rear of thevehicle. The characteristic sinuous surface line is now reflected on the inside of thelights and is reminiscent of earlier models. The distinctive depth of the lights areachieved by LED indicators located in the center that appear to float in front of the moredeeply set red LED bands above and below. The rear light pattern is particularlydistinctive at night.

The bodyshell of the new C-Class is distinguished by its outstanding aerodynamics.With a cd figure of 0.26, not only is it best-in-class, its drag plane of cd x A = 0.57 m2also cuts more smoothly through the air than most compact and even sub-compactcars.

Premium and sporty interior



One focal point of the work done in the interior was the redesign of the dashboard withthe aim of creating a powerful, sporty and premium look-and-feel that includes extensiveenhancement to the trim. The surfaces of the controls are more finely detailed andfeature a metallic finish. The stepped hood of the instrument binnacle now extends toincorporate the central display and runs onward into the passenger side enhanced by a

subtle character line. The central, trapezoidal air vents and the outer circular vents areaccentuated with metallic trim elements. Central to the design of the new dashboard is aprominent trim panel. This element stretches from the central air vents along thepassenger side to the outer air vent, adding visual width to the interior. The surfacegrain on the top portion of the dashboard continues along the upper edges of the doorpanels.

The new-generation center console is distinguished by its rectangular silver keys andemphasizes the premium feel of the interior in combination with matte keys, high-glosssurfaces and a new knurled control knob. Together with the new generation telematics,the restyled C-Class also receives a new instrument binnacle with integrated display.

Oriented toward the driver are three tubular gauge surrounds with metallic surfaces thatfurther enhance the aggressive character of the C-Class.

The luxury feel is emphasized by the new-generation leather steering wheel introducedwith the all-new CLS and now available as standard in the C-Class. The steering wheelfeatures a chrome-plated central spoke and further accentuates the car's stylish andsporty ambience.

The new C250 Sport and C300 4MATIC Sport models come with standard brushedaluminum trim, while the C350 Sport has distinctive Black Ash. The Luxury versionsfeature Burl Walnut trim.

Drivelines with more power and better fuel economy

Fuel economy has been improved by up to 15 percent. All new direct-injection versionsfeature exceptional efficiency and environmentally-friendly fuel consumption. All modelsalso come with the redesigned seven-speed automatic transmission, with the gearratios on all versions optimized for fuel economy.

The highlight in the engine lineup is the introduction of the new V6 gasoline engine inthe C350 Sport Sedan, featuring the innovative and highly efficient BlueDIRECTprocess. The improvement in efficiency is combined with a considerable increase in

output. The C350 Sport Sedan now generates 302 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque (previously268 hp and 258 lb-ft), while fuel economy has been improved by 5 percent comparedwith the outgoing C350 model.

The four-cylinder engine (new for the U.S. market) features direct injection andturbocharging and is also distinguished by outstanding combined fuel economy of 24mpg. This marks an improvement of nearly 15 percent compared with the 2011MYC300.



New driver assistance systems

The C-Class attains an all-new level of safety with a total of five new driver assistancesystems ranging from ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection through to Blind Spot

Assist. The assistance systems are based on state-of-the-art radar, camera and sensortechnology and are setup to react to frequent causes of accidents such as proximity tothe vehicle in front, fatigue and darkness.

The following provides an overview of the new assistance systems:• ATTENTION ASSIST• Adaptive Highbeam Assist• Park Assist incl. PARKTRONIC• Lane Keeping Assist• Blind Spot Assist

More user friendly, improved connectivity – the new generation of telematics

The new C-Class sees the debut of a new generation of telematics, which is scheduledfor successive introduction across further model ranges. Key new features includeimproved user-friendliness with larger 3-D displays, phone book transfer, text messagedisplay, wireless music via Bluetooth and a USB interface now located in the centerarmrest.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Press Release