New King of Compact Luxury – Mercedes Benz C-Class
Ever since it replaced the beloved old 190, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class has been a perfectly competent entry-level luxury sedan. It’s just never really been all that interesting, which is about to change for good. Meet the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which I think is hands down the best looking C ever made.
The C-Class has been the also ran, for a number of years in a highly competitive class which includes the BMW 3 series and the Audi A4. It’s always been a more than capable package; it’s just never resonated with the general public on an emotional level. The new C-Class aims to change all of that by being the most desirable C-Class ever made.
Engineering
The 2015 Mercedes Benz C-Class looks like a scaled-down tightened-up S-Class and this is no mistake. Mercedes wants you to know that this car comes from the same stable as the world beating almighty S-Class. It shares a lot of the same technology, like its intelligent construction methods and its massive list of dynamic and safety features. The C-Class has a brand new set of engines from the super frugal C180 which features a 1.6 litre four cylinder right up to the fire breathing twin turbo 4 litre v8 in the C63 AMG. The new C-Class is a much bigger car than its predecessor and has a lot more interior space to show for it and despite its size gain, the new car is 100kg lighter than before while still being 60 per cent more stiff. The 2015 car is also one the most aerodynamically efficient cars in the market with a very low coefficient of drag of 0.24. These kinds of numbers haven’t been seen on production cars for a long time and translate into a very efficient car indeed.
Design
The Mercedes benz c-class’ greatest weakness has always been its looks. Having been styled to look like Mercedes’ cheapest offering, the decision did it no favour and sales suffered from it. The new car, however, does a full 180 on this philosophy and looks worth a million bucks.
The Mercedes benz c-class features one of the best interpretations of the new Mercedes Benz family face and gives the C some much needed recognisability and aggression. The large imposing grill is flanked by some beautifully detailed headlamps, whose DRLs (Daytime Running Lights) form the beginning of the main character crease which extends from the headlight all the way back to the rear wheel arch, giving this large sedan some drama and dynamism.
In the side view, a long bonnet, a passenger compartment set well back, and short overhangs define the C-Class’s classic, well-balanced Mercedes-Benz saloon proportions. The car is proportioned nearly perfectly with a three wheel wheel-base and a two wheel height. The large wheels and tyres sit very tightly in some beautifully sculpted wheel arches. The curvy rooflines gently slide into the tapered back end which looks like nothing else on the road. In a time when most cars look very similar, the C-Class manages to stand out, but in a non-ostentatious elegant way.
The interior
Mercedes benz c-class has always been known for having nice interiors, but with this generation of C-Class they’ve taken things one step further. Here the designers combine in accomplished style, the architecture of Mercedes-Benz sports cars with a totally new centre console featuring flowing lines. A large one-piece centre console panel performs an elegant sweep from the centre air-vents to the armrest. With premium materials like the best leathers and tactile book-matched unsealed woods, Mercedes has taken small luxury sedan interiors to flagship levels of luxury and quality. These seamless clear-cut lines create a sense of open space and convey a modern feel.
A centrally positioned free-standing 7-inch central display is the main eye-catching feature across the centre console. Five round air vents lend the dashboard a sporty touch. The innovative touchpad in the handrest over the controller on the centre tunnel provides for very simple and intuitive operation of all the head-unit functions using finger gestures. The touchpad also permits letters, numbers and special characters to be entered in handwriting – in any language.
A jet fighter style heads-up display is also new to the C-Class; it displays important information directly in the driver’s field of vision on the front windscreen, ensuring that the driver is less distracted from the road ahead.
Out of its competitors, the C-Class looks and feels the most expensive one inside and out. Armed with highly efficient new engines, best in class features and looks to match, the new C-Class is set to be a hit.
Rononjoy Sen :Rononjoy is a young and creative Transport Designer – with a passion for all things fast and beautiful and a knack for stringing words together. Educated in design at Coventry University, UK – the foremost seat of industrial and Transport design for over 200 years. He aims to use his technical know how and aesthetic vision to bring, to you – the reader, the best possible automotive content.
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