Mercedes C-Class cabrio spy pics

Summer must be on the way, there's another drop-top Mercedes due!

If the amount of BMW 4 Series and Audi A5 cabriolets seen mooching around near PHHQ is anything to go by, the compact executive cabrio market is buoyant. Here is the first look at Mercedes' counterpoint to that pair and likely darling of the day spa, the C-Class cabriolet.

Very clever disguise to make it look odd?

From what can be seen in these spy shots, it looks to mimic the open S-Class in a similar fashion to how the C saloon follows S saloon. It's especially similar from behind; hopefully that disguise cloaks something as attractive as the S-Class coupe. It's unknown yet whether the C-Class cab will have a folding hard top or a canvas roof; the former will provide refinement benefits, the latter of course saving a bit of weight on what will inevitably be a very heavy car.

Expect the cabrio to use the higher powered engines of the C-Class range, incorporating petrol, hybrid and diesel. Given so many of the aforementioned A5s and 4 Series are S5 and 435 versions, expect to see the C450 AMG Sport feature in the range at some point. A C63 AMG cabriolet? Well there was a CLK63, plus there are RS5 and M4 convertibles...

Given a concept hasn't even been released yet, we're probably a way from a production C-Class cabriolet just yet. But Frankfurt is always a significant show for the German manufacturers so maybe expect something there. A replacement for the C Coupe is due also, but Mercedes is very much keeping that hidden away currently as the image below indicates. A C63 version of that could be something really special.