The cabin of the Mercedes C-Class is definitely one of the strong points of the car and yet Mercedes-Benz is determined to take its family identity implementation one step further and gift the C-Class with a two-piece digital dashboard borrowed from the S-Class.
While some are still working on their New Year’s resolution, the German carmaker’s engineers are already out there testing the facelift for the current generation, whom friends like to call W205.
In the S-Class, the instrument cluster display and the central infotainment screen are leveled, while the C-Class facelift prototype pushes the latter towards the cabin. The automaker has received criticism for such add-on screen design, so we’re expecting the infotainment display to be integrated in the center stack just like in the S-Class by the time development is complete.
Nevertheless, this is obviously a high-spec feature that will only be present on the truly-loaded models.
While the generously-sized screens bring a touch of modern to the C-Class’s already elegant cabin, we do have one gripe with the new feature. We’ve always found the S-Class’ instrument cluster a bit too... flat, more 2D rather than 3D if you like, with this obviously being translated into the C-Class facelift.
Moreover, the center stack-placed physical button arrangement for the climate control system appears to have replaced the control for the air-conditioning with a button that controls a three-level heating, probably for the steering wheel.
While the C-Class facelift isn’t expected to bow until 2017, this digital dashboard trick should make its way into the Mercedes C-Class Coupe, which will land by the end of the current year.
In the S-Class, the instrument cluster display and the central infotainment screen are leveled, while the C-Class facelift prototype pushes the latter towards the cabin. The automaker has received criticism for such add-on screen design, so we’re expecting the infotainment display to be integrated in the center stack just like in the S-Class by the time development is complete.
Nevertheless, this is obviously a high-spec feature that will only be present on the truly-loaded models.
While the generously-sized screens bring a touch of modern to the C-Class’s already elegant cabin, we do have one gripe with the new feature. We’ve always found the S-Class’ instrument cluster a bit too... flat, more 2D rather than 3D if you like, with this obviously being translated into the C-Class facelift.
A few other discreet touches around the cabin
Moving away from the LCD parade, we find a new layout for the steering wheel buttons, with a “master” button being introduced on each side of the wheel.Moreover, the center stack-placed physical button arrangement for the climate control system appears to have replaced the control for the air-conditioning with a button that controls a three-level heating, probably for the steering wheel.
Why so early?
Many still perceive the C-Class as a car that’s been recently launched. Truth be told, we are less than a year away from the moment when the first W205 was produced at the Bremen plant in Germany. Thus, you are probably wondering why the early testing for the mid-cycle revamp.While the C-Class facelift isn’t expected to bow until 2017, this digital dashboard trick should make its way into the Mercedes C-Class Coupe, which will land by the end of the current year.