Mercedes Benz CLC-Class

[khanak]

Mercedes-Benz has released the first official pictures of the new C Class Sport Coupe, or else, the CLC, the name the company has decided to give to the hatchback version of the C-Class. In fact, if the German manufacturer had kept the same name, it would be no problem, since it has already kept the old architecture.

The CLC will be produced in Brazil, in the Juiz de Fora plant which Mercedes-Benz built to produce the A-Class. At the end of its production, this facility almost closed its doors before the company managed to find out what to do with it. The solution was the production of the C-Class Sport Coupe, what in part explains why the company has decided to keep the previous platform structure for the CLC. Boot capacity, for example, is the same: 310 liters.

The new CLC, as the company’s press release states, has only had its front and rear end redesigned, in order to follow the sedan's visual identity, but Mercedes-Benz underlines almost 1,100 components have been newly developed or enhanced. We will only know what it means when we drive the car, but the German automaker says the uprated engines (especially the four-cylinder 1.8-liter that pushes the C200 Kompressor and now delivers 184 bhp) and a direct-steer system will provide a much sportier behavior.

The direct-steer system consists of a variable rack ratio associated with a speed-sensitive power steering. To sum up, this means that the driver will have to turn the wheel less in corners, what may be interesting at high speeds.

There will be six powerplant offers for the car: two turbodiesel four-cylinder engines and two four-cylinder and two six-cylinder motors that run on gasoline. They range from 122 bhp to 272 bhp. Fuel economy has been improved by up to 10.8%. A six-speed manual transmition will be standard to all models, with two automatic options, a five-speed for the four cylinder engines and the 7G-TRONIC for the six-cylinder powerplants.

New Mercedes-Benz CLC-Class Revealed

[Jayabusa]

The new C-class is much better than the earlier one and this is even better!!!! Great job MB

[khanak]

Originally Posted by Jayabusa

The new C-class is much better than the earlier one and this is even better!!!! Great job MB

This is the C class coupe and is exactly the same as the old one except for the new front and rear.

A bit lazy?

[Absar]

This has more muscular lines than the previous gen.

Quite a bunch of offerings in the engine range. A 6-cyl 7G-Tronic in my hands would be bliss

cya
A

[GTO - Touring]

That's a pretty lame act by Mercedes. If this is the old car, why make it look like the new generation? To fool prospective buyers, thats why. "Look ma, I got the all-new generation C class". Whats more, they have even given it a new name.

Totally unexpected of Mercedes, considering their public commitments of getting back to the good ol' days.

[Nitin]

The only change to the body- the bonnet and the extra lines on the doors. Apart from that,it seems to be the same old car.
272bhp seems more worthwhile.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by GTO - Touring

That's a pretty lame act by Mercedes. If this is the old car, why make it look like the new generation? .

I asked myself this question and searched around

1: They had decided not to make a replacement on the w204 platform. Costs did not justify it.
2: 40% of people who bought a sport coupe as it was called earlier went on to buy a bigger merc

Hence the cost effective way to keep a "cheap" proper merc was to revamp the w203 based version.

I hope it works

[Mayavi]

booo... I like mine better.

[C6H12O6]

wonder if this will make it to the usa.
the last one did not fare too well.

[VIPER_SRT]

Originally Posted by C6H12O6

wonder if this will make it to the usa.
the last one did not fare too well.

No it wont! Atleast its not in the policy. My elder brother works in Mercedes HQ, NJ as a project Lead. He keeps me informed about happenings in the company. I've never seen a CLC, please post pics if anyone have any!

[1100D]

Originally Posted by Mayavi

booo... I like mine better.

Aha ....why not?!!!!!

[Mayavi]

Its just the W203 with new sheet metal*, which isn't as pretty as the W203 IMO. I just love the twin headlights on the W203 coupe.



*On second look, its only the head lights that changed while everything else remained same.