KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has announced the availability of the all-new C Class to Malaysian buyers, but it will only be available in CBU form, with plans to start local assembly by mid-2015. Two main variants will be available, the C200 and C250.
The C200 retails for RM285,888 while the C250 is tagged at RM314,888, both prices being on-the-road without insurance. The new Model carries the model code W205 which replaces the outgoing W204 model.
No prices have been announced for the CKD versions, but I would estimate anything between 10 to 15 per cent lower, taking into consideration that Mercedes-Benz Malaysia would have done some bargaining with the authorities to narrow the gap between the current CBU and the intended CKD models.
The new C Class has an overall length of 4,686mm, 95mm longer than its predecessor and is 1,810mm wide, an increase of 40mm. The most important dimension increase would be the wheelbase (centre to centre distance between the front and rear wheels), which determines the cabin space available.
Despite the heftier dimensions, the kerb weight of the C200 (W205) is 1,465 kg, which is 35 kg lighter than the outgoing W204; the C250 now weighs in 15 kg higher at 1,480 kg, representing a 150 kg advantage over the previous C250.
Two different front ends are available for customers; sports grille with twin louvres and a central star in the AvanGarde line, or the classic saloon radiator grille with the Mercedes star on the bonnet, reserved solely for the Exclusive line.
To improve its aerodynamics, the Exclusive line will also feature an Airpanel active radiator shutter which opens and closes the radiator grille depending on the cooling demand to optimise the Cd value and reduce air resistance.
The W205 comes with a host of new features that bring it to the top of the heap. Other than a completely redesigned body, these features include LED lights, Active Parking Assistant (the car can park itself), electric power steering (EPS), automatic child seat recognition for the front passenger seat (a safety feature that de-activates the front passenger airbag when a child seat is fitted and reactivates it when it is removed. A total of 6 airbags, including a kneebag for the driver, come as standard equipment.
“The new C-Class is pure attraction. It embodies what we understand about modern automotive luxury and has all the prerequisites to be superior in every aspect,” says Kai Schlickum, vice-president, sales and marketing, passenger cars, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.
The new C-Class offers numerous innovative safety and assistance systems. It is fitted with Attention Assist, which can warn the driver of inattentiveness and fatigue. The Attention Assist function offers an adjustable level of sensitivity and can inform drivers in a separate view in the instrument cluster about their level of drowsiness and how long they have been driving since their last break.
In addition to Adaptive Brake Assist, which offers protection from collisions from speeds as low as seven kph, standard-fit 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 kph, and is able to prevent rear-end collisions at up to 40 kph.
A substantially improved the air conditioning system is available in the new C-Class. This applies in particular to the control quality, performance, efficiency and air quality.
Tunnel detection via satellite navigation uses map data from the navigation system and the GPS location data to close the air-recirculation flap automatically when the vehicle enters a tunnel, subsequently re-opening it when the vehicle emerges from the tunnel.
A completely new multimedia generation offers intuitive operation in the new C-Class, featuring elaborate animations and visual effects which present all the functions in a clear and highly attractive manner. Furthermore the new C-Class is equipped with the unique Frontbass system. This avant-garde acoustic system uses the space within the cross-member and side member in the body structure as a resonance chamber for the bass speakers to conjure up a listening experience almost on a 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.
