Monday 13th January 2014

New C-Class revealed in Detroit

Mercedes jumps the gun on Detroit debuts with some help from Kelly Rowland

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The Detroit show isn’t officially open yet, but Mercedes has sneaked in with a pre-show reveal of the latest C-Class. And from back here in Britain, it looks very good indeed.

You want it, right? The C-Class, that is

Mercedes had already embarked on an epic 2,500km road trip from one of the C-Class factories in Tuscaloosa to Detroit with a select group of ‘digital authors’ (the hashtag was #mbrt14) prior to the show. So a few are already familiar with the latest car, but what have we got to look forward to in the UK?

There’s a lot of show buzz about the 9GTronic auto that will be offered, codenamed NAG3. It will be offered in the majority of models but not the next C63 AMG which will stick with the seven-speed ‘box used in the current car. With power expected between 460 and 500hp from the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that must be on torque grounds.

This is why Harris just does words usually

Chris Harris is out in Detroit right now and, once he finished ogling Kelly Rowland, had plenty complimentary so say about the C-Class. His tweets included ‘think it looks bloody good in the raw’ and ‘decent arse’ (that was definitely about the car and not Kelly).

The official Mercedes channels have shared a few pics also, those of the interior making it look even better than it did in the launch photos. 

And if photos are words are far too old tech, see the Mercedes livestream here (including the GLA45 unveiling too).

[Sources: Autocar, Twitter]

 

[Flashmurder]

Did someone leave it near a radiator? Looks like it has melted.

[FourWheelDrift]

Is she tiny or is it very big?

[hornetrider]

Flashmurder said:

Did someone leave it near a radiator? Looks like it has melted.

Indeed, don't like that rear end at all. A backwards step.

[CraigyMc]

FourWheelDrift said:

Is she tiny or is it very big?

Kelly Rowland is 5'8" tall. Using photogammetry techniques, I conclude that the new C class is approximately 7 feet tall.

[MattDell]

FourWheelDrift said:

Is she tiny or is it very big?

The C class is small. Kelly Rowland is far away.

[Richard A]

More examples of the Korean/Taiwanese school of design from Merc - a style which the Korean/Taiwanese themselves have already left behind.

[kambites]

Hmm. I think it's a better effort than the 3-series but still not a pretty car, especially from the rear.

[Matt UK]

CraigyMc said:

FourWheelDrift said:

Is she tiny or is it very big?

Kelly Rowland is 5'8" tall. Using photogammetry techniques, I conclude that the new C class is approximately 7 feet tall.

It probably is - each generation is bigger than the last I guess. Where will it all end?

[loudlashadjuster]

MattDell said:

FourWheelDrift said:

Is she tiny or is it very big?

The C class is small. Kelly Rowland is far away.

[Hellbound]

On Auto Express more than 3 weeks ago;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpzXOY05Zxk

[r11co]

The front-end styling just screams NCAP pedestrian impact test!

Big bluff extended grille to try and take your eye away from the raised bonnet edge. Something we are seeing an awful lot these days.

[HeMightBeBanned]

C200-blah-blah-blah...

When do we get the C63?

[pSyCoSiS]

I quite like it.

Small version of the S Class.

9 Speed gearbox?!

[kambites]

r11co said:

The front-end styling just screams NCAP pedestrian impact test!

Big bluff extended grille to try and take your eye away from the raised bonnet edge. Something we are seeing an awful lot these days.

Unfortunately it's pretty much necessary in a front-engined car unless you have some sort of active safety system under the bonnet. It's even worse for BMW because inline sixes are so long and tall.

[Cupramax]

loudlashadjuster said:

[thatdude]

pSyCoSiS said:

I quite like it.

Small version of the S Class.

9 Speed gearbox?!

http://media.daimler.com/dcmedia/0-921-1553297-1-1618134-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-1549054-0-1-0-0-0-0-0.html

I had to read your comment a couple of times, re-read the article then googled for further info


9 Speed?!

How long before we get 21 speed and stunt pegs

[edit] copy and paste that link into your browser, its the right link but I dont know why it isnt coming up as a hyperlink

Edited by thatdude on Monday 13th January 12:02

[BorkFactor]

Is a 9 speed gearbox really necessary?

A few years ago we thought that 7 was too much, but do we really need another two on top of that?

Seems needlessly complicated and made purely to get good numbers in the fuel economy test.

[jimbop1]

I think it's one of those that will look better in real life. Does look abit roundish to me though. Not like the last one.. I thought it looked brilliant when that first came out.

[pSyCoSiS]

thatdude said:

http://media.daimler.com/dcmedia/0-921-1553297-1-1...

I had to read your comment a couple of times, re-read the article then googled for further info


9 Speed?!

How long before we get 21 speed and stunt pegs

[edit] copy and paste that link into your browser, its the right link but I dont know why it isnt coming up as a hyperlink

Edited by thatdude on Monday 13th January 12:02

Thanks for the link - interesting read.

It makes you wonder how expensive these gearboxes will be to repair / replace once they fail.

9 speed on a 4 pot engine makes no sense really. On a big stonking V8 / V12, then fair enough, it will help increase economy, etc. But surely 7G tronic should be adequate?

It's becoming overkill IMHO.

[Ozzie Osmond]

pSyCoSiS said:

It makes you wonder how expensive these gearboxes will be to repair / replace once they fail.

Don't panic. Electronic torque management protects the transmission despite its "swiss watch" construction.

pSyCoSiS said:

9 speed on a 4 pot engine makes no sense really.

Think CVT. CVT makes sense for economy/emissions but has become a dead-end in terms of engineering, swept away by multi-gear conventional autos. These reliable transmissions will also squeeze twin-clutch transmissions over time.