Mercedes-Benz’s new C-Class sedan debuted Monday at the Detroit Auto Show, boasting improved safety features and the carmaker’s”Intelligent Drive” system.
Intelligent Drive was first integrated into the S-Class and E-Class late last year, and will now be offered on the C-Class. Standard features like Attention Assist (warns the driver of inattentiveness and drowsiness), the COMAND system (pictured) navigation function (flags nearby rest stops), and Collision Prevention Assist Plus (automatically brakes if the driver fails to respond) accompany other tech-savvy functions aimed at making the Mercedes experience “a higher class of travel.”
Consumers can also opt to include Distronic Plus with Steering Assist, which can follow a car ahead at speeds of 37 mph or lower even when lanes are not clearly outlined. The Bas Plus Brake Assist System can also detect crossing traffic and boost the braking force if the driver fails to apply the brakes sufficiently, while the Pre-Safe Brake can detect stationary vehicles and pedestrians. Avoid swerving into other lanes, meanwhile, with Enhanced Active Lane Keeping Assist.
“Mercedes at its best—that’s the new C-Class, which sets new standards for the mid-range segment on many fronts,” said Dr. Thomas Weber, a member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG who is responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Development.
A visual stunner, this new design was inspired by nature, with a minimalist aesthetic that allows for more emphasis on the vehicle’s intelligent technology and engineering.
Specifically, the touchpad in the center console mirrors that of your smartphone, allowing for easy finger-swiping to operate various in-car functions. Also new to the C-Class is the head-up display, which displays information—vehicle speed, speed limits, navigation instructions, messages—onto the front windshield, directly in the driver’s line of vision, eliminating the need to take your eyes off the road.
“The new C-Class embodies Mercedes-Benz’s claim ‘The best or nothing’ in uncompromising style,” Ola Källenius, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Mercedes-Benz, said in a statement. “I am sure that our customers will be delighted by the high-class appeal and agility of the new C-Class.”
Mercedes’s top-selling model series, the C-Class will launch two vehicles in the U.S.:
- The C300 4MATIC with 2.0L turbocharged direct-injection in-line four-cylinder engine and preliminary power figures of 241 horsepower and 273 pound-foot of torque
- The C400 4MATIC with a 3.0L turbocharged direct-injection V6 at 329 horsepower and 354 pound-foot of torque
Both vehicles have been stretched out to 184 inches long and 71 inches wide to accommodate taller drivers and passengers; the new C-Class also makes more room in its trunk and wheelbase for overall comfort.
