Some call it love at first sight, others refer to "magic moments": the first eye-contact, a handshake, an image that remains unforgettable. Brief yet lasting encounters or experiences.

Moments like these are never forgotten - and they have a defining influence. They arouse emotions that often remain alive for a long time: empathy, fascination, desire.

A first encounter with the new C-Class is just such a fateful moment. It makes you stop in surprise and come closer. Curiosity gives way to admiration, which turns into enthusiasm. Images are stored in the mind: the striking front end, which exudes self-assurance with its wide, steeply angled radiator grille. The side aspect, whose harmonious interplay between surfaces and lines reflects poise and assurance. And finally the short, stylish rear end with its unmistakably athletic lines.

In other words the Saloon immediately captures the attention, but that is not all: as is the case with every Mercedes-Benz model, the aesthetic appeal of the new C-Class is not only based on visual signals on first acquaintance, but above all on the long-term effect. Even at second, third or fourth sight, the design remains both multi-facetted and exciting, constantly exhibiting a new magnetism which keeps the emotions alive.

It is in this way that love at first sight becomes an intensive and lasting relationship. Welcome to design quality à la Mercedes-Benz.

A hallmark with a long tradition: SL radiator grille for the AVANTGARDE line

Effortless superiority, sportiness and style: the typical characteristics of the new C-Class are reflected in the design. The front end plays a major part in this – specifically with its pronounced arrow shape, which expresses forward energy, agility and performance, and the radiator grille which is flush-fitted into the bonnet and bumper, almost completely filling the space between the headlamps. Accordingly this styling feature achieves an unmistakable dominance, while its width and steeply angled position lend a muscular, self-assured appearance to the Saloon.

There is more: as an identifying feature and characteristic, the radiator grille has a very special significance in the new C-Class. This is because for the first time in a Saloon, Mercedes-Benz has used the radiator grille to position specific attributes even more clearly:

• Effortless superiority and style go hand in hand in the CLASSIC and ELEGANCE lines. In the ELEGANCE model, for example, a three-dimensionally formed radiator grille reflects attributes such as solidity and comfort – but also a touch of luxury.
  
  
• The AVANTGARDE line has a visually even more striking radiator grille. This attracts immediate attention with a large, centrally positioned Mercedes star supported by three horizontally extended, high-gloss trim sections embellished with chrome. These are typical design features of sporty Mercedes models, and are no less elegant and stylish for that.
  In this way Mercedes-Benz has remained true to its aim of retaining traditional elements from the stylistic gene-pool of the brand, reinterpreting them and using their strong symbolism to create a fresh, up-to-date presence. The radiator grille with its large, centrally located Mercedes star has a more than 50 year-old tradition. At the time it was adopted directly from the racetrack, and was used for the first series production sports car from Mercedes-Benz in 1954: the legendary 300 SL "Gullwing". The new C-Class has incorporated this styling feature into the AVANTGARDE line, given it a modern interpretation and thereby stated emphatically from where it derives its genes.
  Forms with finesse: front end cast from a single mould

The muscular presence of the Saloon is accentuated by the perfectly integrated front bumper with its discreet spoiler lips, the foglamps positioned well to the outside and the wide air intake. Here too, the different lines have individual features: in the CLASSIC and ELEGANCE lines the lower air intake is given substance by three black louvres, while the AVANTGARDE line is distinguished by a black-painted, sports car-like perforated mesh. As additional "eyecatchers", the ELEGANCE and AVANTGARDE lines feature chrome surrounds on the foglamps and in the lower section of the bumper covering.

Like the radiator grille, the headlamps of the new C-Class convey a message that is in line with the outstanding attributes of this new series, namely precision. The projector-beam headlamps are shrouded in coloured, translucent cylinders reminiscent of high-quality camera lenses, which underlines the high-tech character of the Saloon. The clear lenses afford a view of the lighting technology within, and accentuate the sparkling effect of the headlamps in strong sunlight. If the C-Class is equipped with bi-xenon headlamps, the translucent areas of the cylinders are even larger than with halogen headlamps and characterise the appearance of the Saloon even in the dark.

Just as elegantly, the flat, upper headlamp covers with their fine chrome strips follow the contour of the bonnet to the front, right up to the edges of the lenses. This design finesse and painstaking attention to detail results in a harmonious blend of form and function.

Effortless superiority paired with style: interplay between taut lines and calm surfaces

In 2005 Mercedes-Benz introduced a new design idiom which struck a balance with traditional design features while perfectly reflecting the technical superiority of cars bearing the Mercedes star. The focus was on clarity of expression: the designers were guided by the principles of purism, which were interpreted in keeping with the times. This means concentrating on what is important, i.e. surfaces and lines, and dispensing with all superfluous embellishments or visual detours.

Less is more: the dialogue between tautly drawn lines and large, tranquil surfaces is enough to convey the message of effortless superiority and serenity. The new C-Class is a further representative of this design idiom.

This new Mercedes style is obvious when the Saloon is viewed from the side. Here the design is characterised by just two basic elements, namely large, elegantly contoured surfaces and striking lines which lend a structure to these areas. Mercedes designers needed no more than this to lend a formal structure to the side aspect and create a symbolic effect. The shoulderline following the waistline is an important visual reference point which suggests power and solidity. It forms a wide, muscular "shoulder" supporting the side windows, pillars and roof, forming a continuous line from the front to the rear end and elegantly stretching the body while suggesting refined power.

At the front this muscular shoulder supports the slim A-pillar, the starting point of the third characteristic line in Mercedes passenger cars: the roofline. This describes a graceful yet powerful arc over the bodyshell and defines the line of the C-pillar, then gently dips down with this to join the rear end. A fine chrome strip along the upper limits of the side window apertures accentuates this arching effect.

The so-called character line below the shoulderline is even more striking. This emerges organically from the front wheel arch and rises towards the rear, thereby expressing dynamism, forward energy and elegance. At the same time this typical Mercedes styling feature forms a boundary between the convex and concave door surfaces – between light and shadow.

Door handles painted in the vehicle colour blend into the side aspect, ensuring that the eye is drawn to the more important design features.

For all the elegance created by these surfaces and lines, the sporty attributes of the new C-Class are by no means neglected either. This is ensured by the new body proportions, with 55 millimetres more length than the preceding model, as well as the wider track, large wheel arches and prominent wings, which intentionally appear more tailored to the body contours and therefore arch over the wheels like the toned muscles of a high-performance athlete. The wheel arches are filled by 17-inch wheels – standard equipment for the AVANTGARDE line and the AMG sports package (see page 86) – to emphasise the powerful and athletic overall impression even further.

Rear end with a width effect and smoothly blended lines

The styling elements of the side aspect harmoniously blend into the rear end when the shoulderline and C-pillar come together and initiate a flowing line to the rear. Below the waistline the character line flows into the horizontal contour of the boot lid, elegantly combining the side and rear end design. The purpose of these lines is to shorten the rear overhang in visual terms, creating a stylish, sporty rear end.

As at the front, the rear aspect of the new C-Class is designed to emphasise the width of the body to lend it formal expression. The striking spoiler lip on the boot lid, which flows harmoniously into the wings and the character line, the boot handle (chrome in the ELEGANCE and AVANTGARDE lines) and the attractively integrated bumper lining are the most important features emphasising the impression of width. The eye is also drawn to the rear light clusters as islands in this calm surface, pausing briefly before moving on to follow the intriguing interplay of the body lines.

The design and equipment lines in the new C-Class are not just distinctive in terms of design features, as Mercedes-Benz also offers exclusive paint finishes for the ELEGANCE and AVANTGARDE lines. The following metallic finishes are available on request in addition to the standard, non-metallic calcite white, fire opal and black:

• obsidian black
  
• cubanite silver
  
• iridium silver
  
• sanidine beige
  
• tanzanite blue
  
• carmine red
  
• periclase green
  
• tenorite grey
  
• palladium silver

Interior with flair: design and technology in harmony

After arousing love at first sight, one of the main tasks of interior designers is to create a lasting relationship and maintain the love affair over many years. Mercedes designers see the interior of a passenger car as a living space where drivers sometimes spend a great deal of their time. This makes a stimulating yet homely atmosphere increasingly important. Once again the new C-Class shows how this aim can be achieved while retaining all the functional aspects.

The principles of effortless superiority, sportiness and style reflected in the exterior design also guided the hands of the interior designers. When developing the cockpit, Mercedes designers took their lead from the sporty sector and included clearly laid-out dial instruments such as may be found in roadsters or coupés. Silver-coloured bezels, black dial faces, white markings and glowing orange needles perfectly combine form with function for a high value impression and easy legibility. In the AVANTGARDE line, a metallic-look backplate accentuates the special character of this model variant.

Equally clearly laid out and well-arranged, the two-tone dashboard and centre console of the new C-Class form a harmonious unit in line with the "design cast from a single mould" principle. The same applies to the integration of the colour display at the upper centre of the dashboard. This is perfectly positioned within the driver’s line of vision, but can also be covered or folded away as required, without switching off the radio, navigation system or other units linked to the display. This enables the driver to focus on what is important at all times, deciding for himself how much information he wishes to read off – an advantage which makes itself particularly felt when driving at night.

The centre colour display is part of the new control and display concept which the new C-Class has adopted from the luxury-class Mercedes models (see page 67). Thanks to its central control unit, the so-called controller, this allows numerous switches and keys to be dispensed with which would normally be required to access and operate the many functions of the infotainment units. Intelligent ergonomics ensure that the driver has everything within his line of vision and easily accessible.

The specialist term for this aspect of automobile design is "User Interface Design". This refers to the clear layout and design of displays, switches and controls in the dashboard, enabling the driver to understand their use intuitively while harmoniously integrating them into the overall design concept, thereby combining ergonomics with aesthetic appeal.

Direct control keys in the centre console mean that the driver still has direct access to important functions. At the touch of a button, the radio, telephone or navigation system are switched on and the relevant user interface appears in the display. The volume control, station search function and telephone keypad can also be accessed immediately. The controller is available for all other control functions, which can be rotated, pressed or tilted by the driver or front passenger to access the menus. The presentation of the display information was also a task for the designers: the font, graphics and layout present a uniform picture, are logically structured and meet the Mercedes requirement for easy, intuitive and self-explanatory operation. Making the operating procedure a gratifying experience in itself.

Design with a feel-good effect: door linings as a design and colour context

The door linings continue the horizontal, two-part division of the dashboard and form a framework for an interior in which the occupants feel even more safe and secure. Depending on the specifications, this feel-good effect is reinforced by the two-tone colour scheme of the interior, with the darker contrasting colour continued from the upper section of the dashboard to the door linings as a feature extending right into the rear. A slim chrome strip separates the waistline from the control arrays and decorative surfaces in the door centre panels. Here too design and technology are in harmony, as the door openers and the controls for the electric seat adjustments (optional) with their high-quality trim form a unit which is appealing to both the eye and the touch.

Depending on the line, the interior trim is of aluminium or exotic wood, or has a high-quality piano lacquer look. For an individual colour scheme, the warm tone-in-tone combination of savanna beige/cashmere beige is available for the ELEGANCE line, while more striking colour highlights can be created if specifying a leather interior for the AVANTGARDE line:

*fabric/ARTICO man-made leather interior; ** leather interior




Launch of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, ELEGANCE, exterior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class: With the ELEGANCE line the emphasis is on the traditional values of a Mercedes saloon - and on comfort in particular. The exterior appearance has been enhanced courtesy of a stylish integrated three-dimensional louvred radiator grille and chrome highlights in the bumpers, side rub strips and on the boot lid.


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, ELEGANCE, exterior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, ELEGANCE, exterior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, ELEGANCE, exterior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class ELEGANCE: Eucalyptus fine-wood trim (optional: burr walnut) adds the hallmark Mercedes flair to the interior, an interior that also contributes to the feel-good atmosphere with its warm colours and colour combinations.


Mercedes-Benz C-Class ELEGANCE: Eucalyptus fine-wood trim (optional: burr walnut) adds the hallmark Mercedes flair to the interior, an interior that also contributes to the feel-good atmosphere with its warm colours and colour combinations.


The CLASSIC line appeals to those Mercedes-Benz drivers who prefer their C-Class to be fairly discrete about what it can do.


The CLASSIC line appeals to those Mercedes-Benz drivers who prefer their C-Class to be fairly discrete about what it can do.


The CLASSIC line appeals to those Mercedes-Benz drivers who prefer their C-Class to be fairly discrete about what it can do.


The CLASSIC line appeals to those Mercedes-Benz drivers who prefer their C-Class to be fairly discrete about what it can do.


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, CLASSIC, interior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, AVANTGARDE & ELEGANCE, exterior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, AVANTGARDE, exterior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, AVANTGARDE, exterior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, AVANTGARDE, exterior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, AVANTGARDE, exterior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, AVANTGARDE, exterior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, AVANTGARDE with AMG sports package, interior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, AVANTGARDE with AMG sports package, interior


Mercedes-Benz C-Class, AVANTGARDE, exterior

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