The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a series of
compact executive car
A compact executive car, also known as a compact luxury car, is a premium car larger than a premium compact and smaller than an executive car. Compact executive car is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in the European car classification.
A ...
s produced by
Mercedes-Benz Group AG
The Mercedes-Benz Group AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacture ...
. Introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the
190 (W201) range, the C-Class was the smallest model in the marque's line-up until the
W168 A-Class arrived in 1997. The C-Class has been available with a "
4MATIC
4Matic (stylized as 4MATIC'') ''is the marketing name of an all-wheel drive system developed by Mercedes-Benz. It is designed to increase traction in slippery conditions. With the introduction of the 2017 E 63 S sedan, Mercedes-AMG announced a p ...
"
four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer cas ...
option since 2002. The
third generation (W204) was launched in 2007 while the current
W206 generation was launched in 2021.
Initially available in sedan and a station wagon configurations, a fastback coupé (SportCoupé) variant followed and was later renamed to
Mercedes-Benz CLC-Class
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W203) is the internal designation for a range of compact executive cars manufactured and marketed by DaimlerChrysler from 2000 to early 2007, as the second generation of the C-Class — in sedan/saloon, three-door l ...
. It remained in production until 2011 when a new W204 C-Class coupé replaced it for the 2012 model year.
First generation (W202; 1993)
![Mercedes W202 rear 20071030](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Mercedes_W202_rear_20071030.jpg)
In October 1986, three years into
Mercedes-Benz 190 (W201)'s production run, work began on a successor. Design work began in 1987, with the final design by
Murat Günak
Murat Günak (born 9 August 1957, Istanbul) is a Turkish car designer and former head designer of Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz.
Career
Günak studied design at Hochschule für Bildende Künste (Academy of Fine Arts) in Kassel and then studied ...
selected in 1989 and the production design by
Olivier Boulay
Olivier Boulay (born August 9, 1957, in France) is an automobile designer. Since 2009, he has been the Vice President of Daimler's Advanced Design Centre in Beijing, China. delayed in January 1990, finally being patented on 19 December 1990.
Rough prototypes went into testing in 1989, with first production design prototypes commencing trial in 1990. In May 1993, the first generation
W202
Mercedes-Benz W202 is the internal designation for a compact sedan/saloon manufactured and marketed by Mercedes-Benz 1993–2000, as the first generation of the C-Class, now in its fifth generation. Replacing the 190 series/W201 in June 1993, ...
C-Class was introduced as a replacement for the 190. The first
C-Class (W202) sedan was manufactured on 1 June 1993. The C-Class sedan was the company's entry-level model up until 1997 when Mercedes launched the A-Class. Styling themes were carried over from the previous W201 series, but the new series had a smoother and rounder design than the last generation of compact Mercedes, with styling cues from the
W124 E-Class (short, high trunk and taller tail lights), W140 S-Class (front end), and R129 SL-Class (headlights).
During the and
Formula 1 season, the C36 AMG served as the sport's
Safety Car.
Second generation (W203; 2000)
In 1994, development began on the W203 C-Class. Design work commenced in mid-1994, with the final design being approved in December 1995 by the executive board. Design patents were filed on 20 April 1998 and 4 March 1999. Testing began in 1997, with development concluding in 2000. The second generation C-Class was introduced in March 2000 and production began on 18 July 2000. The sedan debuted with a range of inline-four and V6 petrol engines and inline-four and -five diesels, later W203's received the V6 diesel. Most of the engines were carried over from the W202, but the C320 was exclusive, offering . The diesels now featured
common rail direct fuel injection and
variable geometry turbocharger
Variable-geometry turbochargers (VGTs), occasionally known as variable-nozzle turbines (VNTs), are a type of turbochargers, usually designed to allow the effective aspect ratio of the turbocharger to be altered as conditions change. This is done ...
s. A six-speed manual gearbox was optional on some of the range, With exception to the C320 and C32 AMG.
Notably (post 2005), for the first time, the number designations were no longer equivalent to the engine displacement, more specifically in the Mercedes C200 (1.8-litre), C240 (2.6-litre) and C200 CDI (2.2-litre).
Third generation (W204; 2007)
DaimlerChrysler
The Mercedes-Benz Group AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacture ...
introduced the W204 C-Class on 18 January 2007 and displayed it in the 2007
Geneva Auto Show
The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by th ...
. Sales started on 31 March 2007 in almost all European countries. The new family had an extended wheelbase and tracks, a stiffer body/shell and a design inspired by the
W221 S-Class with some influences from the
C219 CLS-Class. The C-Class received a facelift in 2011 for the 2012 model year including new LED taillights, a revised dashboard and instrument cluster layout, and a revised front fascia and headlights. The W204 platform continued into 2015 with the C-Class coupe. The final farewell of the W204, and also the naturally aspirated V8, was in the Edition 507 model. This had increased power, lightweight wheels and the vented hood from the Black Series.
Fourth generation (W205; 2014)
![2020_Mercedes-Benz_C300_AMG_Line_Night_Edition_Premium_2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/2020_Mercedes-Benz_C300_AMG_Line_Night_Edition_Premium_2.0_Rear.jpg)
The
W205 C-Class was launched at the 2014
North American International Auto Show. The new structure was significantly lighter using aluminium and high strength steel extensively throughout the body, resulting in a weight decrease. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class 205 chassis spawned four C-Class bodystyles; sedan (W205), wagon (S205), coupe (C205), and cabriolet (A205).
The car was officially unveiled on 16 December 2013. W205 production commenced on 4 February 2014 at the Bremen plant. Production was also undertaken at Mercedes-Benz plants in East London (South Africa), Iracemápolis (Brazil) and Tuscaloosa, Alabama (United States). European sales began in March 2014, while the vehicle went on sale in North America in September 2014.
A mid-life update made its debut at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, including exterior changes and new engines.
Fifth generation (W206; 2021)
![Mercedes-Benz W206 IMG 5638](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Mercedes-Benz_W206_IMG_5638.jpg)
The W206 C-Class was unveiled on 23 February 2021. In China, the C-Class was launched in a long-wheelbase version (V206). For the first time, all W206 C-Class models are equipped with four-cylinder engines coupled with an integrated starter generator (15 kW electric motor) and a 48-volt electrical system.
The C-Class All-Terrain (X206) was released as an off-road focused,
crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Albums and songs
* ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album)
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album)
* ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album)
* ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
-inspired estate model.
The model received external body cladding, a 40 mm increase in ride height, 4Matic AWD and additional drive modes.
Production and sales
References
Notes
Bibliography
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External links
None noted at this time.
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Press Kit (2011–):
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Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupé
{{Mercedes-Benz vehicles
C-Class
All-wheel-drive vehicles
Cars introduced in 1993
Compact executive cars
Euro NCAP large family cars
Flexible-fuel vehicles
Hatchbacks
Partial zero-emissions vehicles
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
Sedans
Sport compact cars
Station wagons
2000s cars
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