The engine is front-mounted transversely with rear-wheel drive, and an all-wheel drive model has been available since 2002. The body was made in the form of a 2-door coupe or convertible, 4-door sedan and 5-door station wagon. The main competitors of the C-Class are the following vehicles from other automakers − BMW 3 series, Lexus IS, Audi A4, Cadillac ATS, Peugeot 508, Volvo S60 and Infiniti G.
First generation (W202, 1993−2000)
Design work began in 1987 under the direction of Italian automotive designer Bruno Sacco, chief designer at Daimler-Benz from 1975 to 1999. In 1988, the first full-scale models were built. In 1989, the project of car designers Murat Günak and Olivier Bouley was chosen. From this generation, modifications began to be called with a letter, and then numbers, for example C 180 or C 220. Before that, first there were numbers, and then a letter, for example 190 E. The body was produced as a 4-door sedan or station wagon (length 4505 mm, width 1720 mm, height 1425 mm). Production was carried out in Germany, South Africa, Mexico, Vietnam, Egypt and Thailand. Over 1.8 million W202s have been produced over the years.
Petrol engines are represented by a new model of four-cylinder in-line engines «M111» with four valves per cylinder. They had the following characteristics - 1.8 liters (1799 cm3, C 180, 120 hp), 2.0 liters (1998 cm3, C 200, 134 hp), 2.2 liters (2199 cm3, C 220, 148 hp) and 2.3 liters (2295 cm3, C 230, 148 hp). There were also two 2.0 liter turbocharged engines (C 200 Kompressor, 178 hp with.) and 2.3 liters (C 230 Kompressor, 190 hp). Gasoline engines and large volumes of 2.6 liters were installed «M112» (2597 cm3, V6, C 240, 168 hp), 2.8 liters «M104» (2799 cm3, I6, C 280, 190 hp) and 2.8 liters «M112» (2799 cm3, V6, C 280, 194 hp), all 6-cylinder.
Four-cylinder in-line diesel engines were four 2.0-liter models «OM601» (1977 cm3, I4, C 200 Diesel, 74 hp), 2.2 liters «OM611» (2151 cm3, I4, C 200 CDI, 101 hp), 2.2 liters «OM604» (2155 cm3, I4, C 220 Diesel, 94 hp), 2.2 liters «OM611» (2148 cm3, I4, C 220 CDI, 123 hp). There were also two models of 2.5-liter five-cylinder in-line engines «OM605» (2497 cm3, I5) - one atmospheric (C 250 Diesel, 111 hp) and one turbocharged (C 250 Turbodiesel, 148 hp). Transmissions were 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic «4G-Tronic 722.4». In 1996, the machine was replaced with a newer model «5G-Tronic 722.6».
The safety of the car was provided in the base with a driver's airbag, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and side impact protection. The front passenger airbag has been in the database since 1995. Traction control (ETS) with a limited internal resistance differential was installed as an option, and since 1997 came as standard with the exception of the diesel models C 180 and C 220. In 1999, electronic stability control (ESC) also became standard for all cars «W202».
The EuroNCAP European committee tested the 1997 car in crash tests, the results of which you can see in the table. The car was also tested «National Highway Traffic Safety Administration» (NHTSA, USA), the test results are as follows:
- frontal strike (driver) — 4 out of 5 stars
- frontal strike (passenger) — 4 out of 5 stars
- Side kick (driver) — 3 out of 5 stars
- Side kick (passenger) — 4 out of 5 stars
Second generation (W203, 2000−2007)
On March 21, 2000, the second generation was introduced with the code «W203», and production began on July 18, 2000. The development of the car project began back in 1994 and in December 1995 the design of Bruno Sacco and Peter Pfeiffer was approved. The tests were carried out from 1997 to 2000. The body was produced in three forms - 4-door sedan sedan (length 4526 mm, width 1728 mm, height 1426 mm), 5-door station wagon (length 4541 mm, width 1728 mm, height 1465 mm) and 2 door coupe («CL203», length 4343 mm, width 1728 mm, height 1406 mm). Assembly was carried out in Germany, Brazil, India, Malaysia, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. For all the time, about 2 million cars were produced.
The range of gasoline engines is huge and includes the following models - 1.8 liters (1796 mm, M271 E 18 ML LR 271.921, 16V I4, C 160, 120 hp), 2.0 liters (1998 cm3, M111 E 20 EVO, 16V I4, C 180, 127 hp), 1.8 liters (1796 cm3, M271 E 18 ML 271.946, 16V I4, C 180 Kompressor, 141 hp), 2.0 liters (1998 cm3, M111, 16V I4, C 200 Kompressor, 161 hp), 1.8 liters (1796 cm3, M271, 16V I4, C 200 Kompressor, 161 hp), 1.8 liters (1796 cm3, M271, 16V I4, C 200 CGI, 168 hp), 1.8 liters (1796 cm3, M271, 16V I4, C 230 Kompressor, 189 hp), 2.3 liters (2295 cm3, M111, 16V I4, C 230 Kompressor, 191 hp), 2.5 liters (2486 cm3, M272, 24V V6, C 230, 201 hp), 2.6 liters (2597 cm3, M112, 18V V6, C 240, 170 hp), 3.0 liters (2997 cm3, M272, 24V V6, C 280, 228 hp), 3.2 liters (3199 cm3, M112, 18V V6, C 320, 215 hp) and 3.5 liters (3498 cm3, M272, 24V V6, C 350, 268 hp).
The choice of diesel engines is smaller, but also impressive - 2.2 liters (2148 cm3, OM611, 16V I4 turbo, C 200 CDI, 101 or 113 liters. with.), 2.2 liters (2148 cm3, OM646, 16V I4 turbo, C 200 CDI, 120 hp), 2.2 liters (2148 cm3, OM611, 16V I4 turbo, C 220 CDI, 141 hp with.), 2.2 liters (2148 cm3, OM646, 16V I4 turbo, C 220 CDI, 148 hp), 2.7 liters (2685 cm3, OM612, 20V I5 turbo, C 270 CDI, 168 hp) and 3.0 liters (2987 cm3, OM642, 24V V6 turbo, C 320 CDI, 221 or 228 hp).
The engine is front transverse with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Transmission 5-speed manual and 5 or 7-speed automatic.
In early 2004, the car was restyled. The interior was heavily modified, including the instrument cluster, center console and audio system. An iPod connection kit has been integrated, and the Bluetooth telephone system has been improved. The exterior design has also been changed. New model engines have been added «M272» And «OM642» and a new 7-speed automatic transmission «7G-Tronic».
Passenger safety is provided by two front adaptive airbags, two side airbags and two front airbags, which come as standard. Additionally, two rear side airbags can be installed. The car was crash tested by the European committee Euro NCAP, this time the scores were much better than in the tests of the first generation. You can see the test results of the 2002 model in the table.
Third generation (W204, 2007−2014)
In March 2007, the third generation of the C-Class was presented at the Geneva Motor Show with the code «W204» like a 2008 model. The design of the car was developed by Karl Heinz Bauer in 2003-2004. The body was made in the form of a 4-door sedan (length 4582 mm, width 1770 mm, height 1447 mm), 5-door station wagon (length 4596 mm, width 1770 mm, height 1447 mm) and 2 door coupe. The engine is front-mounted with rear or all-wheel drive. The car was assembled in Germany, South Africa, Egypt, Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and China. This generation has gained great popularity in the world and for all time about 2.4 million cars have been produced.
The W204 had three trim and trim levels: Classic, Elegance, and Avantgarde. Classic is the base trim, with small-capacity four-cylinder engines and cloth or vinyl seat upholstery as an option. Elegance has standard vinyl upholstery or genuine leather as an option. The Avantgarde has vinyl and cloth seats, or genuine leather as an option. The Classic and Elegance trims retain the traditional Mercedes-Benz grille, with a vertical three-pronged emblem. Avantgarde and AMG have the same grille as the Mercedes sports coupe, with three horizontal bars and a large central star. These models feature additional equipment including a three-spoke steering wheel, AMG bodywork, lower and stiffer sports suspension, improved brake calipers and larger alloy wheels.
The range of gasoline engines includes the following models - 1.6 liters (1597 cm3, M271, 16V I4, C 180 Kompressor, 154 hp), 1.6 liters (1595 cm3, M274, 16V I4, C 180, 154 hp), 1.8 liters (1796 cm3, M271, 16V I4, C 180 Kompressor, 154 hp), 1.8 liters (1796 cm3, M271, 16V I4, C 200 Kompressor, 181 hp), 2.5 liters (2496 cm3, M272, 24V V6, C 230 or C 250, 201 hp), 3.0 liters (2996 cm3, M272, 24V V6, C 280 or C 300, 228 hp) and 3.5 liters (3498 cm3, M272, 24V V6, C 350, 268 or 288 hp).
The range of diesel engines is represented by the following models - 2.2 liters (2143 cm3, OM651, 16V I4 turbo, C 180 CDI, 118 hp), 2.2 liters (2148 cm3, OM646, 16V I4 turbo, C 200 CDI, 134 hp), 2.2 liters (2143 cm3, OM651, 16V I4 turbo, C 200 CDI, 134 hp), 2.2 liters (2148 cm3, OM646, 16V I4 twin turbo, C 220 CDI, 168 hp), 2.2 liters (2143 cm3, OM651, 16V I4 twin turbo, C 220 CDI, 168 hp), 2.2 liters (2143 cm3, OM651, 16V I4 2-stage turbo, C 250 CDI, 201 hp), 3.0 liters (2987 cm3, OM642, 24V V6 turbo, C 320 CDI or C 350 CDI, 221 or 228 hp).
Gearboxes were represented by the following models - 5 or 6-speed manual, 5-speed automatic «5G-TRONIC», as well as a 7-speed automatic «7G-TRONIC» or «7G-TRONIC Plus».
In the spring of 2008, BlueEFFICIENCY technology was introduced into the car, which allows you to increase the efficiency of the mechanical system and reduce fuel consumption. The drag coefficient after the introduction of this technology was 0.25.
The safety of passengers in the standard vehicle is provided by front and side airbags, as well as inflatable curtains. There is also a system of active pretensioning of the front and rear seat belts, electronic stability control (ESP), anti-lock braking system (ABS), traction control, as well as automatically closing windows and sunroof in case of emergency braking. Since 2011, they have added an adaptive cruise control system, radar, video cameras, blind spot monitoring systems, a road marking and lane keeping monitoring system, driver fatigue control, adaptive headlights, an automatic parking system, etc.
The car has passed many safety tests. The results of crash tests by the European committee Euro NCAP, carried out with cars of 2007 and 2009 are shown in the tables below.
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the USA conducted its tests in 2013, the results were as follows:
- Frontal tests with partial overlap - Good
- Small Overlap Frontal Tests - Ultimate
- Overall crash test rating - Good
- Roof Strength Rating - Good
United States executive department agency «National Highway Traffic Safety Administration» (NHTSA) tested a 2007 car, the results were as follows:
- Driver safety - 4 out of 5 stars
- Front Passenger - 4 out of 5 stars
- Rear Passenger Behind Driver - 5 out of 5 stars
- Rear Passenger - 5 out of 5 stars
- Rollover protection - 4 out of 5 stars
NHTSA later crash-tested the 2011 car, the results are as follows:
- Driver safety - 4 out of 5 stars
- Front Passenger - 2 out of 5 stars
- Rear passenger behind the driver (man) — 5 out of 5 stars
- Rear passenger behind the driver (woman) — 4 out of 5 stars
- Rear Passenger - 4 out of 5 stars
- Rollover protection - 4 out of 5 stars
Fourth generation (W205, 2014-present)
Fourth generation with code «W205» was officially unveiled on December 16, 2013 and shown at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2014. Sales began in Europe in March and in North America in September 2014. The car became a little larger than its predecessor, which made it even closer to S-class. The length of the car was 4686 mm, width 1810 mm height 1442 mm. The body was produced in four forms - 4-door sedan, 5-door station wagon, 2-door convertible and 2-door coupe. The engine was located transversely in front, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (4Matic). The car was assembled in Germany, Brazil, Indonesia, China, USA, Malaysia, Thailand and South Africa.
The C-class car is equipped with the latest and most advanced technologies in the automotive industry:
- AIRMATIC active suspension.
- Nine airbags as standard.
- Electronic Stability Control (ESP) + angular brake control (CBC).
- Recognition of road signs.
- Collision avoidance system.
- Driver fatigue warning.
- Adaptive cruise control.
- Auxiliary emergency braking mechanism + control of the intersection.
- Head restraints to protect the neck in case of a NECK-PRO accident.
- Collision avoidance system.
- Active hood to protect pedestrians from injury.
- Lane Departure Warning System.
- Full LED headlights with intelligent lighting system.
- Head-up display on the windshield.
- Multimedia system COMAND Online with touch panel.
- Automatic parking.
- Blind spot monitoring.
- Rear view camera.
- And also many others.
The range of gasoline engines includes the following models - 1.6 liters (1595 cm3, M274, I4, C 160, 129 hp), 1.6 liters (1595 cm3, M270, I4, C 180, 154 hp), 2.0 liters (1991 cm3, M274, I4, C 200, 184 hp), 2.0 liters (1991 cm3, M274, I4, C 250, 211 hp), 2.0 liters (1991 cm3, M274, I4, C 300, 245 hp), 2.0 liters (1991 cm3, M274, I4, C 300 4MATIC, 247 hp), 2.0 liters (1991 cm3, M274, I4, C 350 e Plug-in Hybrid, 279 hp) and 3.0 liters (2996 cm3, M276, V6, C 400 4MATIC, 333 hp).
The line of diesel engines with BlueTEC technology consists of the following models - 1.6 liters (1598 cm3, OM626, I4, C 180 d, 116 hp), 1.6 liters (1598 cm3, OM626, I4, C 200 d, 136 hp), 2.1 liters (2143 cm3, OM651, I4, C 220 d, 170 hp), 2.1 liters (2143 cm3, OM651, I4, C 250 d, 204 hp) and 2.1 liters (2143 cm3, OM651, I4, C 300 h HYBRID, 231 hp).
Transmissions to choose from three options - 6-speed manual, 7-speed automatic «7G-TRONIC PLUS» (until 2018) or 9 speed automatic «9G-TRONIC PLUS» (since 2018).
The safety of the driver and passengers is provided by a variety of driver assistance systems, some of which are listed above. In the basic configuration, the car is equipped with nine airbags, three-point seat belts with pyrotechnic tension. You can also choose pillows to protect the knees, body, hips, as well as window curtains. The European Committee Euro NCAP conducted a crash test of the car in 2014, see the results in the table below.
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the USA conducted crash tests of the car in 2015, see the results below:
- Overall rating - Good
- Structure and safety cage - Good
- Frontal tests with partial overlap - Good
- Side impact protection - Good
- Driver:
- Head and neck protection - Good
- Chest protection - Good
- Torso protection - Good
- Rear Passenger:
- Head and neck protection - Good
- Chest protection - Good
- Torso protection - Good
- Driver's side leg and foot protection - Good
- Passenger side leg and foot protection - Good
The 2015 car was also tested «National Highway Traffic Safety Administration» (NHTSA, USA), see the results below:
- Driver safety - 5 out of 5 stars
- Front passenger safety - 5 out of 5 stars
- Side Collision Driver - 5 out of 5 stars
- Front passenger side impact - 4 out of 5 stars
- Rollover protection - 4 out of 5 stars