Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Our spy photographers are going to have to look for different subjects to shoot, as after months of camouflaged outings, the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet makes its official debut.
It is the first time Mercedes-Benz will be selling a cabriolet model based on the C-Class, which means this new car becomes the entry-level vehicle into the world of premium open-top models from the Stuttgart-based company. Compared to the Coupe, although very similar in size, the new Cabriolet does differ slightly: the outside dimensions are all the same except for height, where the soft-top convertible is four millimeters taller. This translates into a drop in four millimeters for front headroom, and an increase of 12 millimeters in rear headroom. But, of course, all these numbers become completely irrelevant when the roof is neatly folded into the trunk.
And thanks to the optional AIRCAP system, that will be able to happen a lot more often than in other ordinary convertibles. Basically a draft deflector that pushes the air over the heads of the occupants, the AIRCAP allows the C-Class Cabriolet to drop its roof during a lot more days of the year than it would normally be possible. Together with the well-known AIRSCARF system that blows warm air around the occupants' necks, these two features will offer a thermic comfort that can't be achieved in any other cabriolet on the market that doesn't come with a three-pointed star on the radiator grille.
The new C-Class Cabriolet isn't lagging in the practicality department either, with a 360-liter trunk that still has 285 liters available when the canvas roof is tucked in. That means the convertible C-Class can still carry a decent amount of luggage in any situation, removing the need to plan carefully in advance and set the duration of your holidays based on the limited number of clothes you can bring with you.
When the soft top is up, the C-Class Cabriolet has a silhouette that closely resembles that of the Coupe. The fabric roof can be had in four different colors - black, dark brown, dark blue or dark red - when the optional multi-layer acoustic version is specced, while the standard version only comes in black. It can be operated at speeds of up to 50 km/h (about 31 mph) and opening or closing it takes less than 20 seconds.
The interior features the same clean design found on the sedan and the high-quality materials we've come to expect from a Mercedes-Benz vehicle of this class. The car's practicality can be further increased by the folding rear seats that offer an equal 50:50 split.
No fewer than eight models will be available at launch, including two diesel and six gasoline engines with four or six cylinders and power ranging from 156 to 367 hp. So, the basic model is the C180 Cabriolet sporting a 1.6-liter turbo good for 156 hp. At the other end of the scale sits the new Mercedes-AMG C43 Cabriolet 4MATIC, the model replacing the short-lived C450 AMG. It comes with a three-liter V6 engine that develops 367 hp, enough to grant it a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration time of 4.8 seconds.
The two diesel models (C220 d and C250 d) both use the old 2.15-liter engine, and we all know what that means: loud engine noise, plenty of vibrations and, generally speaking, not the kind of experience you'd expect from cabriolet. All models, regardless of fuel type or power, can be ordered with the new nine-speed automatic 9G-TRONIC transmission for improved performances and better fuel efficiency.
Mercedes-Benz promises that, thanks to an intelligent lightweight construction, the C-Class Cabriole doesn't suffer from the usual illness of this type of body structure: reduced stiffness. Not only is the new model sufficiently rigid to provide exemplary dynamic performances but it's also extremely safe, says Mercedes. Well, we'd guess that if the ultimate driving performance is your thing, the Coupe is still the better choice. However, if you're after the ultimate driving experience as a whole, then the answer is up for debate.
As you'd expect, the C-Class Cabriolet comes with all the technology you need and some you really don't. There's the so-called "semi-autonomous driving" feature that lifts some weight off the driver's shoulders when cruising on freeways, with automatic braking occurring at speeds up to 200 km/h (124 mph). There's your usual array of connected features and all that, but you either know the drill already, or you don't care about any of that anyway, so we won't bore you.
The convertible market is suffering greatly at the moment, but the C-Class Cabriolet actually looks like it could steal some customers away from the Coupe since it offers much of the same, with the added bonus of making the roof disappear at the touch of a button. Mercedes hasn't released the price list, but expect a couple of extra thousands of dollars premium over the corresponding Coupe version. The perfect road at sunset, though, and that difference in cost will have been instantly erased in just a few minutes.
And thanks to the optional AIRCAP system, that will be able to happen a lot more often than in other ordinary convertibles. Basically a draft deflector that pushes the air over the heads of the occupants, the AIRCAP allows the C-Class Cabriolet to drop its roof during a lot more days of the year than it would normally be possible. Together with the well-known AIRSCARF system that blows warm air around the occupants' necks, these two features will offer a thermic comfort that can't be achieved in any other cabriolet on the market that doesn't come with a three-pointed star on the radiator grille.
The new C-Class Cabriolet isn't lagging in the practicality department either, with a 360-liter trunk that still has 285 liters available when the canvas roof is tucked in. That means the convertible C-Class can still carry a decent amount of luggage in any situation, removing the need to plan carefully in advance and set the duration of your holidays based on the limited number of clothes you can bring with you.
When the soft top is up, the C-Class Cabriolet has a silhouette that closely resembles that of the Coupe. The fabric roof can be had in four different colors - black, dark brown, dark blue or dark red - when the optional multi-layer acoustic version is specced, while the standard version only comes in black. It can be operated at speeds of up to 50 km/h (about 31 mph) and opening or closing it takes less than 20 seconds.
The interior features the same clean design found on the sedan and the high-quality materials we've come to expect from a Mercedes-Benz vehicle of this class. The car's practicality can be further increased by the folding rear seats that offer an equal 50:50 split.
No fewer than eight models will be available at launch, including two diesel and six gasoline engines with four or six cylinders and power ranging from 156 to 367 hp. So, the basic model is the C180 Cabriolet sporting a 1.6-liter turbo good for 156 hp. At the other end of the scale sits the new Mercedes-AMG C43 Cabriolet 4MATIC, the model replacing the short-lived C450 AMG. It comes with a three-liter V6 engine that develops 367 hp, enough to grant it a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration time of 4.8 seconds.
The two diesel models (C220 d and C250 d) both use the old 2.15-liter engine, and we all know what that means: loud engine noise, plenty of vibrations and, generally speaking, not the kind of experience you'd expect from cabriolet. All models, regardless of fuel type or power, can be ordered with the new nine-speed automatic 9G-TRONIC transmission for improved performances and better fuel efficiency.
Mercedes-Benz promises that, thanks to an intelligent lightweight construction, the C-Class Cabriole doesn't suffer from the usual illness of this type of body structure: reduced stiffness. Not only is the new model sufficiently rigid to provide exemplary dynamic performances but it's also extremely safe, says Mercedes. Well, we'd guess that if the ultimate driving performance is your thing, the Coupe is still the better choice. However, if you're after the ultimate driving experience as a whole, then the answer is up for debate.
As you'd expect, the C-Class Cabriolet comes with all the technology you need and some you really don't. There's the so-called "semi-autonomous driving" feature that lifts some weight off the driver's shoulders when cruising on freeways, with automatic braking occurring at speeds up to 200 km/h (124 mph). There's your usual array of connected features and all that, but you either know the drill already, or you don't care about any of that anyway, so we won't bore you.
The convertible market is suffering greatly at the moment, but the C-Class Cabriolet actually looks like it could steal some customers away from the Coupe since it offers much of the same, with the added bonus of making the roof disappear at the touch of a button. Mercedes hasn't released the price list, but expect a couple of extra thousands of dollars premium over the corresponding Coupe version. The perfect road at sunset, though, and that difference in cost will have been instantly erased in just a few minutes.
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