Right now, you can't think "luxury sedan" without imagining a Tesla, but the German automakers are pushing back with the G20 BMW 3 Series family and this, the all-new W206 generation of C-Class.
And it looks so crisp and fresh, a complete reimagining of what a compact RWD sedan is supposed to look like. If we were to reference other brands, the Lexus LS would be the closest thing to the W206, with its sporty roofline, wide stance and pronounced wheel arch design.
The new C-Class prototype is still fully camouflaged and even has plastic inserts over the hood to hide its lines. However, we can easily spot a new LEd headlight design and some strange new frontal features. For example, it appears that parking sensors are sitting inside the grille. Around the back, we spot loner taillights like the ones on the CLS III, as well as a streamlined diffuser.
The new C-Class is said to be lighter thanks to increased use of aluminum and other materials. It's also going to feature a slightly longer wheelbase and tracks. The streamlined exterior design is aimed at making the body as slippery as possible with a rumored drag coefficient of 0.25.
Even though the new C-Class looks complete, Mercedes takes testing quite seriously, the W206 has about 18 more months of it to do. By then, all powertrains will have some form of hybrid assist, and since many European cities are going to ban diesel completely, Mercedes will have no choice but to focus on something else. That "something" includes a PHEV with up to 70 km of EV range.
When it comes to the AMG department, we have a bad feeling something terrible will happen to the V8. For as long as we can remember, the hot C-Class had the best sounding V8s in the segment, but it just doesn't make sense to offer something so big. While rumors have stated the C63 will get about 600 horsepower and AWD, you just have to look at the CLS-Class to see the future of the brand, and that's inline-6 motors.
Lastly, we have to mention that most of the tech for the next C-Class will come out first in the W223 S-Class. That includes more autonomous systems and an MBUX infotainment that perhaps uses a different screen layout.
The new C-Class prototype is still fully camouflaged and even has plastic inserts over the hood to hide its lines. However, we can easily spot a new LEd headlight design and some strange new frontal features. For example, it appears that parking sensors are sitting inside the grille. Around the back, we spot loner taillights like the ones on the CLS III, as well as a streamlined diffuser.
The new C-Class is said to be lighter thanks to increased use of aluminum and other materials. It's also going to feature a slightly longer wheelbase and tracks. The streamlined exterior design is aimed at making the body as slippery as possible with a rumored drag coefficient of 0.25.
Even though the new C-Class looks complete, Mercedes takes testing quite seriously, the W206 has about 18 more months of it to do. By then, all powertrains will have some form of hybrid assist, and since many European cities are going to ban diesel completely, Mercedes will have no choice but to focus on something else. That "something" includes a PHEV with up to 70 km of EV range.
When it comes to the AMG department, we have a bad feeling something terrible will happen to the V8. For as long as we can remember, the hot C-Class had the best sounding V8s in the segment, but it just doesn't make sense to offer something so big. While rumors have stated the C63 will get about 600 horsepower and AWD, you just have to look at the CLS-Class to see the future of the brand, and that's inline-6 motors.
Lastly, we have to mention that most of the tech for the next C-Class will come out first in the W223 S-Class. That includes more autonomous systems and an MBUX infotainment that perhaps uses a different screen layout.