The new-gen Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan will be launched in India on May 10, 2022. The new C-Class made its global debut last year, in February 2021, and the car borrows several of its cues from the company's flagship sedan, the S-Class. The challenges caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the global shortage of semiconductor chips did delay the launch a bit, but the car is finally ready for the Indian market. And yes, it will be locally assembled at Mercedes-Benz India's Chakan plant, near Pune, Maharashtra. Starting today, April 13, the company has also opened bookings for the new C-Class, exclusively for Mercedes-Benz owners, which is valid until April 30. Remaining prospects will be able to book the car from May 1 onwards. The booking amount for the car is Rs. 50,000.
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The new-gen model is the first C-Class to get two-piece taillights, quite like its bigger siblings - the E-Class and S-Class
Martin Schwenk, MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said, "The new C-Class now creates a new benchmark by excelling in design, comfort and tech offerings, moving closer to the New S-Class, rightly underlining its popularity as the Baby S-Class." He further added, "The C-Class has already generated significant interest among our customers even before launch. To honour their loyalty and long wait for the car, for the first time we are exclusively opening the bookings of the New C-Class for our existing Mercedes-Benz customers only."
While the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class retains its compact footprint when compared to the flagship sedan, the same outline is apparent, and it is a significant departure from its predecessor. The face looks sharper sporting a slightly protruding nose along with a new and bigger radiator grille, sleeker headlights and a sportier bumper, with larger intakes. At the rear, the fifth-generation model is the first C-Class to have two-piece taillights, quite like its bigger siblings - the E-Class and S-Class.
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The new-gen Mercedes-Benz C-Class gets a large 11.9-inch touchscreen display for the second-generation MBUX infotainment system
The new C-Class gets an all-new cabin, which is heavily inspired by the new S-Class. It gets a similar large 11.9-inch touchscreen display for the second-generation MBUX infotainment system, and there is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster as well. Lower trims in some of the markets will get a smaller 10.25-inch driver's display and an even more compact 9.5-inch centre screen. The car also gets a new interior and more luxurious seats. The C-Class also comes with a 25 mm longer wheelbase measuring 2865 mm, offering a more spacious cabin.
We expect the India-spec new-gen C-Class to come with a pair of 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines with automatic transmissions
Under the hood, the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class comes with a range of petrol and diesel engine options. We expect the India-spec model to come with a pair of 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines with automatic transmissions. The former will also be paired with a mild-hybrid system featuring an integrated starter-generator that offers a temporary boost. One of the biggest upgrades in the new C-Class is the rear-wheel steering which has helped improve its turning circle radius (TCR) by 0.43 metre at 10.64 metres. However, whether India will get this feature or not is yet to be seen.
