All the semi-autonomous driving tech found in the more expensive E-class sedan trickles down to the best selling C-class offerings.
For the longest time, if you wanted to try out Mercedes Tesla competing semi-autonomous tech you had to fork over at least $52,000 and some change for an E-Class sedan. According to Mercedes in their latest press release they dropped earlier today (Feb 13, 2018) they’ve taken that same autonomous tech and stuffed it into their new C-Class. In addition, they’ve tuned their four-cylinder turbo for more power and given the exterior and interior a facelift.
Meet the new 2018 #Mercedes Benz C-Class at the upcoming #GenevaMotorShow in March! #MercedesBenz #2018CClass #Car #Cars #Saloon #LuxuryCars #Daimler pic.twitter.com/ChNiywEoz1
— Daimler Truck (@DaimlerTruck) February 13, 2018
The big news is the C-Class now comes with Intelligent Drive, Mercedes latest version of its semi-autonomous driving. By using a mix of radar and cameras, the new C-Class can now maintain a safe distance with the cars in front of it up to 120 MPH in straight lines and curved roads and can actively steer even in situations where lane markings aren’t all that visible. Additionally, the new C-Class now offers active brake assist which will warn its driver of an imminent crash and will apply the brakes in a situation where the driver does not.
The updated front and rear brings the C-Class in line with the rest of its lineup. The new front grill and extra slats on the front bumper give the C-Class a slightly more aggressive look. The same can be said for the tightened up rear with presumably faux rear vents.
Backing up that slightly more aggressive demeanor is a bit more grunt underneath the hood. Mercedes says this 2.0T is new for 2019 with 255 HP and 273 lb-ft paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission.
With these new technical improvements, I don’t expect performance to change all that much from its sub-six-second dash to 60 MPH or its 30ish combined MPG.
If you’re hankering to see it in the flesh, you can at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show where the C-Class will make its world premiere. And if you actually want one, Mercedes says late-2018.
C-class sales are important for Mercedes. According to Good Car Bad Car, they’ve sold over 77,000 units in the United States alone last year. I expect that trend to continue into 2018, even more so now that you can get semi-autonomous tech on the cheap.
