The new C Class is around 100 kilograms lighter than its predecessor, thanks to extended use of aluminium panels for most parts of its body. — Mercedes Benz pic

KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 —The Mercedes-Benz C Class, launched last September (2014) as a CBU model is now available as a CKD (locally assembled) model. Put together at the DRB-Hicom plant in Pekan, Pahang, the local assembly brings its price down to a more palatable level.

Two variants are available, the 200 Avantgarde, priced at RM269,888, and the C250 Exclusive, priced at RM299,888. These prices are On-the-road (OTR) without insurance and are inclusive of GST. The specs and equipment listing for the two variants are identical to the CBU variants offered at launch. Both models share the same base turbocharged 1991 cc 4 cylinder engine, but the tune is 184 horsepower and 300Nm of torque for the C200 while the C250 gets 211 horsepower and 350Nm of torque.

Speaking at the new C-Class Driving Experience held in Setia City Convention Centre today, Mark Raine, vice president, sales and marketing of passenger cars, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, said, “With the introduction of C-Class as locally assembled models, we believe that we have firmly cemented our position as the leading premium luxury brand for passenger cars in Malaysia.”

The new C Class is around 100 kilograms lighter than its predecessor, thanks to extended use of aluminium panels for most parts of its body, and its new design boasts of a coefficient of drag (CD) of 0.24, which means it can easily slip through the air. Besides that, Mercedes claims the cabin noise levels are also reduced.

There is a bit of a change in the front grille compared to the previous generation C Class – this time, the C200 gets the sports grille with twin louvres and a central star, while the C250 features the more classic grille with the smaller star on the bonnet. In addition, the C250 has a radiator shutter that can cut air to the radiator (depending on cooling demand) to reduce air resistance.

Another feature available in the C 250 is the AIR-BALANCE package, comprising active fragrancing, ionisation and filtration. Four fragrances are available for customers to individualise according to their taste. The C 250 is also fitted with a panoramic sliding/tilting sunroof for those who love the sun.

Mercedes-Benz designers have styled the interior to a higher level, including the careful choice of high-class materials based on pleasant touch and feel as well as to the precision of the finely crafted details. It also embodies a new design idiom which is claimed to combine sensuousness and clarity with dynamic sportiness, and thus contributes to the high-class appeal.

The centre controller now features an integrated touchpad to provide for very simple and intuitive operation of all the head-unit functions using finger gestures like a smartphone.

The touchpad also permits letters, numbers and special characters to be entered in handwriting - in any language supported by Audio 20. The user receives clear tactile feedback when operating the touchpad's control surface, which is claimed to be highly conducive to genuine intuitive use.

The interior lighting uses primarily LED technology. This also applies to the ambient lighting in three colours, solar, polar, and neutral, which are selected via a menu item on the head unit and can be set to five brightness levels. In addition to the lighting elements in the dashboard console panel and on the door trim, the ambient lighting also includes illuminated outer door sill panels.

The C Class running gear features the 7G-Tronic Plus, a seven-speed auto that has been further developed. The driver can use a switch to choose between four set driving modes -  "Comfort", "ECO", "Sport" and "Sport+". An additional "Individual" setting enables drivers to configure their vehicle according to their own preferences.

A newly designed 4-link front suspension is claimed to provide more agile handling while a multi-link independent rear suspension holds the rear in place. Steering is electromechanical (read as electrical power steering) that is speed sensitive.

In addition to Adaptive Brake Assist, which offers protection from collisions from speeds as low as 7 km/h, COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS also features an additional function: when the risk of collision persists and the driver fails to respond, the system is able to carry out autonomous braking at speeds of up to 200 km/h, thereby reducing the severity of collisions with slower or stopping vehicles. The system also brakes in response to stationary vehicles at a speed of up to 50 km/h, and is able to prevent rear-end collisions at up to 40 km/h.

The new C-Class will also feature Active Parking Assist, which enables automated parking with active steering and brake intervention in both parallel and end-on parking spaces. In addition to 3-point safety belts with pyrotechnical belt tensioning and belt-force limitation for driver, front passenger and those in the outer rear seats, numerous airbags serve to protect the vehicle's occupants in an accident. These include:

• front and passenger airbags

• combined thorax/pelvis sidebags for driver and front passenger

• a newly developed windowbag

• a kneebag for the driver

The front passenger seat is fitted with automatic child seat recognition, which dispenses with the previous transponder in favour of a weight mat. This enables any child seat to be used. The airbag is automatically deactivated when a child seat is fitted and reactivated once it has been removed.

A completely new multimedia generation offers intuitive operation in the new C-Class, featuring elaborate animations and visual effects, and a unique Frontbass system which uses the space within the cross-member and side member in the body structure as a resonance chamber for the bass speakers, claimed to conjure up a listening experience almost on par with a concert hall.

A Bluetooth®-capable mobile phone with data option is all it takes to make the Audio 20 system internet-capable. This enables surfing the internet without restrictions when the vehicle is stationary. Audio and video playback is possible from various sources, for example, via Bluetooth®, from an Apple iPod or iPhone®, from an SD card, USB stick or CD/DVD.

The Audio 20 CD comes with a basic telephony feature, which connects the mobile phone with the vehicle via a standardised Bluetooth® interface.

The New C-Class model data at a glance:

Model	C 200 (CKD)	C 250 (CKD)
Displacement cc	1991	1991
kW/hp	135/184	155/211
Nm	300	350
0-100 km/h in sec.	7.5	6.6
l/100km	5.3	5.3
CO2  g/km	123	123
Price (OTR w/o insurance) *Price is inclusive of GST	RM 269,888	RM 299,888