With the New York Auto Show opening its doors to the press today, the 2008 Mercedes C-Class has officially made its U.S. debut.  To celebrate the inaugural event, Mercedes-Benz USA as taken a moment to publish an in-depth press release highlighting the new model, with select topics including its engine variants, transmissions, design and safety features.  In addition, they've also published a photo collection showcasing both the C-Class Sport and Luxury models, demonstrating well the differences between the two.

To learn more, keep reading for the complete, ten-part press kits describing the U.S.-bound 2008 Mercedes C-Class, followed by the C-Class photo collection in its entirety.

Enjoy.


1. Introduction
2. Exterior Design
3. Interior
4. Engines
5. Transmissions
6. 4MATIC Four-Wheel Drive
7. Chassis
8. Safety
9. Conclusion
10. Standard and Optional Equipment

The 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class:  Introduction

The fourth-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan is making its debut with greater emphasis on agility, safety and comfort as well as an even sportier flair. For increased comfort, the 2008 C-Class four-door is also about 3½ inches longer and 1.7 inches wider than its highly successful predecessor, with a 1.8-inch wheelbase increase.

A first look at the new-generation C-Class reveals an edgy interplay of taut styling lines and broad, serene surfaces that typifies the latest Mercedes design idiom. For the first time on a Mercedes-Benz sedan, the iconic three-pointed star in the center of the front grille (usually reserved for its coupes, convertibles and sport utilities) identifies the AMG-inspired C-Class Sport models.

Revised suspension and steering help make the new C-Class noticeably more agile, along with a slick-shifting redesigned six-speed manual transmission for the C300 Sport model.

Digital Prototyping Refines the Car and Speeds the Process

An industry first, technical development of the new C-Class included the use of a digital prototype, allowing the first road-worthy prototypes to accelerate through a 15-million-mile road test program in record time. Mercedes engineers used this 2100-gigabyte digital prototype to refine crash safety, chassis behavior, aerodynamics, ride comfort and even climate control during early virtual testing.
In fact the new C-Class was crash tested 5,500 times on the world’s largest IT network before a real prototype was ever built! For perspective, crash simulation models involved 26,000 elements in 1989, now incorporate more than 1.9 million elements for greater accuracy and realism.

V6 Power With a Sport or Luxury Personality

In the U.S. market, the new C-Class will be launched with three V6-powered models – the C350 Sport, the C300 Luxury and the C300 Sport. In addition, the C300 Sport and Luxury models will be available with the increasingly popular 4MATIC four-wheel-drive system. New standard equipment includes a power sunroof, eight-way power front seats with lumbar support, two-zone automatic climate control, 17-inch wheels, Bluetooth connectivity and a central controller with a seven-inch display screen.

The Sport Models

In addition to the grille-mounted star, the new C-Class Sport models can be identified by AMG body-styling – deeper front and rear aprons as well as under-door rocker panels – and twin-spoke 17-inch wheels of staggered width or optional 18-inch wheels. In addition, the car features sport shocks and springs that provide a crisper ride as well as more than a half-inch lower ride height. Inside, Sport models come with three-spoke steering wheels and a combination of either aluminum (C300 Sport) or black birdseye maple trim (C350 Sport) (instead of the four-spoke wheel and burl walnut trim on Luxury models). An instrument cluster with a titanium-colored background and rubber-studded aluminum pedals further differentiate the sport models from the luxury variant.

The C-Class Buyer

The C-Class Sport models are aimed at younger buyers and driving enthusiasts. With their stronger visual differentiation and distinct performance enhancements, the Sport models focus on sporty driving dynamics and stylish design. In turn, the Luxury versions are intended for the traditional luxury car customer, communicating class-leading comfort, quality and value with contemporary styling.

The Competition

The entry luxury segment has grown to 637,429 vehicles in 2006, representing the largest portion of the total luxury market. This is the most competitive segment for Mercedes-Benz USA in terms of both volume and in the number of competitors.

Globally, the C-Class competes with the Audi A4 and BMW 3-series, and in the U.S. market, other primary competitors include the Lexus IS, Infiniti G, Acura TL and Cadillac CTS.

A Key Part of the Mercedes-Benz DNA

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class, including its 1984-1993 predecessor, the 190-Class, defined the auto industry’s entry-level luxury sedan segment. The 190 debuted the company’s (and the world’s) first multi-link rear suspension, now used on all of its passenger cars and many of its competitors.

This patented five-link rear suspension offers ideal rear wheel location and alignment under any driving situation by isolating cornering, braking and driving forces. Equally important in everyday use, the multi-link rear suspension is compact, allowing for impressive trunk space.
Building on the success of the 190, Mercedes-Benz introduced the first C-Class in the fall of 1993. Offering refinements to the 190’s engineering, the C-Class featured advances in design and aerodynamics as well as a new value pricing strategy for Mercedes. The C-Class also proved as winner on the racing circuit, sweeping the 1995 DTM Series with the Driver, Team and Constructor’s Championships.

Also in that same year the first official AMG model made its debut in a C-Class – the C36 AMG. The C-Class helped fuel a steady sales resurgence for the company in America.
The third-generation C-Class was launched for the 2001 model year, and 4MATIC C-Class models made their debut for 2003. Over the next six years, the C-Class line continued to play a key role in the company’s product offensive, which resulted in 13 straight years of record sales for Mercedes-Benz USA.

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