The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class has been revealed in full ahead of its debut at the Detroit Motor Show next month.
The new C-Class is longer and wider than before, but 100kg lighter. Mercedes claims that this, combined with the car's improved aerodynamics, economical engines and revised suspension, helps the car "establish new benchmarks in its class".
Mercedes will be hoping that the new model is good as the C-Class is the company's biggest selling model. 2.4 million examples of the last-generation model have been sold since its introduction in 2007, 165,194 in the UK alone, while the C-Class has racked up global sales of around 10 million since the car first went on sale in 1993.
Although the exterior changes to the new C-Class are obvious, the new car is still immediately recognisable as a C-Class. The wheelbase has been increased by 80mm, the overall length by 95mm and the width by 40mm. Coupled with new large alloy wheels, a long bonnet and a passenger compartment set well back, the larger size of the car gives the new C-Class a more planted look.
Mercedes claims nature was a source of inspiration for the new car's styling, with Merc's designers describing the car as "minimalist" and "purist". Halogen headlights come as standard while all C-Classes come with LED rear lights.
Inside, Mercedes has taken a "bold new approach", with the interior embodying "a new design idiom" and featuring a range of high-class materials. There's a new free-standing central display with a choice of 7- and 8.4-inch touchscreens, a new touchpad which provides smartphone-like usability and the ability to recognise handwriting, and, for the first time on a C-Class, a head-up display.
There will be a choice of three engines from launch. The C220 BlueTEC gets a 2.2-litre diesel engine with 170bhp, returning 70.6mpg and 103g/km of CO2, and there's a choice of 1.6-litr and 2.0-litre petrol engines in the C180 and C200, with 156bhp and 184bhp, respectively. Both petrol cars will top 53.5mpg and 123g/km.
Soon after launch, the range will be expanded with the addition of a new 1.6-litre diesel engine which will deliver 115bhp or 136bhp depending on configuration, along with a more powerful version of the 2.2-litre diesel.
A diesel hybrid -- the C300 BlueTEC hybrid -- is also set to join the range, offering 231bhp and 72.4mpg.
Thanks to a new part-aluminium body, the new C-Class is 100kg lighter than its predecessor and has a drag coefficient of just 0.24Cd, making it one of the most aerodynamic cars on sale today. The aluminium body also provides improved noise and vibration characteristics and a lower centre of gravity, improving handling.
The C-Class's suspension has also been reworked for nimble and agile handling. Along with an innovative new four-link front axle, the C-Class gets three suspension settings thanks to the company's Direct Control system: a comfort setting, a lower comfort setting with a sportier character and a sports mode, in which the suspension is lowered by 15mm.
Steel springs come as standard but buyers can also upgrade their car to electronically-controlled air suspension which gives drivers a choice between Comfort, Eco, Sport and Sport+ modes. An "Individual" option also enables drivers to configure their car to their own liking.
The C-Class is also available with a range of technologies first seen on the latest S-Class, including Distronic Plus, BAS Plus and Enhanced Active Lane Keeping Assist. In addition to this, Active Parking Assist, a 360-degree camera, Traffic Sign Assist and Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus are also on offer.
UK pricing and specification details have yet to be announced but we expect more news to be released in the run-up to the C-Class's Detroit debut.
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