Friday 10th April 2015

Mercedes C-Class cabrio spy pics

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

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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.

 

[Images: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien]

[idiotgap]

Does this mean the death of the e-class convertible I wonder?

[kambites]

Looks surprisingly well proportioned. It might just be a trick of the camoflage, but somehow the profile looks less bloated than the 4-series cabriolet.

[anonymous-user]

That coupe looks promising - the last C class coupe was a crap looking thing and more reminiscent of the little CLC than anything else. I think the tiny numbers you see compared to the A5 and 3 series coupe/4 series says a lot.

Also good to see them return to the compact exec convertible market, but I wonder if the pricing will be as "ambitious" as the old CLK. The current E-Class cabrio is based on the C class I anyway, so I think styling it after the E and badging it as such was a bit of a cash grab.

[kambites]

I suppose we might get an actual E-class based E-class coupe/cab at some point to compete with the 6-series.

[P4ROT]

idiotgap said:

Does this mean the death of the e-class convertible I wonder?

I doubt it. If anything this represents the ongoing Audification of the Merc and BMW model line up, with an irritatingly thorough obsession towards filling every single niche.

[vtecyo]

The rear of the new C class is ruddy awful IMO.

[scherzkeks]

vtecyo said:

The rear of the new C class is ruddy awful IMO.

I like it. There's a bit of old Infiniti J30 or even an older Jag XJS in there.

The front, in contrast, looks like the CLA, which is an abomination.

[moffat]

dme123 said:

That coupe looks promising - the last C class coupe was a crap looking thing and more reminiscent of the little CLC than anything else. I think the tiny numbers you see compared to the A5 and 3 series coupe/4 series says a lot.

Yeah looked st ;-)



Back OT I really hope they do a C63S Convertible, could be a cracking car with all that noise and the roof down.

Please no heavy awful metal folding roof though!!

[Sampaio]

P4ROT said:

idiotgap said:

Does this mean the death of the e-class convertible I wonder?

I doubt it. If anything this represents the ongoing Audification of the Merc and BMW model line up, with an irritatingly thorough obsession towards filling every single niche.

I'm still waiting for one of the germans to come up with a 4-door-coupe-convertible. Imagine the SniffPetrol article...

[Matt UK]

So no more calling it the CLK?

I'm getting old / confused...

[moffat]

Matt UK said:

So no more calling it the CLK?

I'm getting old / confused...

The CLK has been gone for at least 5 years I think.

[DanielSan]

I hope that is the camo making it look odd. Otherwise that's going to be a seriously st looking car.

[Wills2]

DanielSan said:

I hope that is the camo making it look odd. Otherwise that's going to be a seriously st looking car.

Agreed, doesn't look well proportioned at all.