New South African made 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz recently revealed its new sixth-generation C-Class and the model will be the first of its line-up engine to be electrified.

The model will feature technology from the S-Class line-up with a design makeover to take on its BMW 3 Series rival.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class styling is much adopted from its A-Class, CLA, CLS and E-Class stablemates, states TimesLive. It now has a sportier and much shorter front and rear.

Mercedes-Benz has said goodbye to six-cylinder engines and hello to a range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel motors which are all powered by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. An integrated starter generator (ISG) is also installed on the model.

Let’s discuss the petrol engines, the C180 and C200 will both boast a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine in different tunes. The C180 pushes 125 kW with 200Nm of torque, hitting 100 km/h in 8.6 seconds with a top speed of 231 km/h.

However, the C200 will deliver 150 kW with 250 Nm of torque reaching 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds with a maximum claimed speed of 246 km/h.

The C300 on the other hand has a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, delivering 190 kW with 400 Nm of torque with a top speed of 250 km/h. The model is able to reach 100 km/h in an outstanding 6.0 seconds.

Diesel engines:

The C220d delivers 147 kW with 440 Nm of torque with a maximum speed of 245 km/h. It is able to reach 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds.

Customers who adore diesel engines are offered more line-ups namely, the C300d that pushes out 195 kW with 550Nm of torque, enabling the model to reach 100km/h in 5.7 seconds.

As for the electric C300, it is electronically limited with a top speed of 250 km/h.

Mercedes-Benz plans to no longer release models with manual gearboxes and so the all-new C-Class models are now offered with a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

In a few months’ time, the C-Class range will introduce its C300e plug-in hybrid. It will be fitted with an engine similar to the one in the C300 but in a form of a 25.4 kWh battery pack that delivers 95 kW with 440 Nm of torque. In electric mode, the model will offer 100 km of driving distance.

On the inside, drivers can look straight forward to a standing LCD screen. A 10.25 or 12.3-inch screen is offered which will be mounted in the centre.

The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class will be locally built at the East London plant and will launch locally later in 2021.

Pricing and model specifications will be announced closer to the launch date.

Picture: Mercedes-Benz