Johannesburg - It sounds a bit odd, but the locally built new-look Mercedes-Benz W206 C-Class has now officially arrived in South Africa with the local introduction this week of sedan, coupé and convertible variants, all with new styling, new S-Class electronics and a range of new engines.
The front end has been redesigned, with new all-LED lighting, including multibeam headlights with long-range high beam as an option for the first time in a C-Class. Order your sedan in AMG Line trim and you get Affalterbach’s signature diamond grille as part of the package; each trim line has its own distinctive front bumper design, while the rear bumper varies according to your choice of engine and equipment options.
The most important new interior feature is one you can’t see - an all-new electronic layout that’s compatible with all the S-Class’s driver aids, giving the new W206 the highest level of active safety yet in a C-Class and the ability to drive semi-autonomously in a wider range of situations.
What you can see is a new centre console, trimmed in your choice of either open-pore brown walnut or open-pore anthracite oak, while a new multicontour seat package has individually adjustable side bolsters and lumber supports by means of an electrically driven air-pump - and by pulsing the air on the lumber section, it gives you a proper massage.
The new flight deck includes an optional 31cm digital instrument panel, and the infotainment system has been upgraded to include adaptive cruise control and smartphone connectivity via switchgear on the steering wheel that responds to swiping motions, just like your smartphone.
New engines
The new C-Class introduces a new generation of four-cylinder petrol engines, with nine-speed automatic transmission across the range, starting with the C200, which has a 1.5-litre turbopetrol four backed up by a 48-volt starter-generator that give you an extra 10kW and 160Nm under acceleration.
The C300 has a new-generation two-litre turbopetrol four rated at 190kw and 370Nm, while a new 1.6-litre version of the previous-generation turbodiesel in the C220d 4Matic provides a quoted 143kW and 400Nm.
Leading the pack, however, is the C43 AMG 4Matic, its three-litre turbopetrol V6 tweaked in this application for an extra 17kW (now 287kW) with 520Nm on tap from 2500-5000rpm. That’ll take the sedan version from 0-100 in 4.7 seconds and on to an electronically limited 250km/h.
Fair warning
And lastly: an optional new feature called ‘push notification’ will send a message to the Mercedes Me app if your new C-Class is bumped while parked, broken into or towed away; what you do about that depends on who’s doing the towing.
PRICES - Including six-year or 100 000km Maintenance plan
C180 Sedan115kW and 250NmR586 500C180 Coupé 115kW and 250NmR666 000
C200 Sedan135kW and 280NmR613 500C200 Coupé135kW and 280NmR766 000C200 Cabriolet135kW and 280NmR793 500
C220d Sedan143kW and 400NmR651 000
C300 Sedan190kW and 370NmR716 000
C300 Cabriolet190kW and 370NmR884 000
C43 AMG Sedan287kW and 520NmR948 500
C43 AMG Coupé287kW and 520NmR983 500
C43 AMG Cabriolet287kW and 520NmR1 100 000