For decades this model was for Daimler A safe bet: The C-Class, the first generation of which was still called the Mercedes 190, ensured that Mercedes-Benz had consistently 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 brought onto the market in 1982, this was an effective encapsulation for diesel engines, which 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 presenting the sixth generation of the C-Class – and the Swabians remain true to one another: S-class feeling is now also available in the C-Class, which is not too compact at 4.7 meters in length. 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 in comparison to the luxury-class mobile, but which at least reduces the turning circle to less than eleven meters. Fans of the combi design will get their money’s worth right from the start: Unlike before, this time there will be a T-model right 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 were 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, these then as gasoline 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, said Daimler chief engineer Christian Früh recently opposite 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 various compromises would have to be made. 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 announced such a platform as early as 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 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 allow 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. Like Daimler Head of Development Markus Schäfer (55) according to a report by the tech portal t3n admitted from mid-January that 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, like manager magazine recently reported. 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 does not do the big e-drive confusion for its previous “bread-and-butter” model, the C-Class.