The Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W204) is the third generation of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. It was manufactured and marketed by Mercedes-Benz in sedan/saloon (2007–2014), station wagon/estate (2008–2014) and coupé (2011–2015) bodystyles, with styling by Karlheinz Bauer and Peter Pfeiffer.
The C-Class was available in rear- or all-wheel drive, the latter marketed as 4MATIC. The W204 platform was also used for the E-Class Coupé (C207).
Sub-models included the C 200 Kompressor, the C 230, the C 280, the C 350, the C 220 CDI, and the C 320 CDI. The C 180 Kompressor, C 230, and C 200 CDI were available in the beginning of August 2007. The W204 station wagon was not marketed in North America.
Production reached over 2.4 million worldwide, and the W204 was the brand's best selling vehicle at the time.
Development In the summer of 2003, the development of the W204 C-Class used a "digital prototype", a 2.1 terabyte digital replica of the car, over a virtual distance of 15 million miles. An industry first, the digital testing allowed for crash testing before a physical prototype existed. The design of W204 was finalized in 2003 and a German design patent application was first filed on 9 September 2004, demonstrating a W204 fiberglass design model.Patent application (Designnummer: 40405118-0001) with DPMA in Germany, 2004-09-09
DaimlerChrysler introduced the W204 C-Class on 18 January 2007 at the 2007 Geneva Auto Show. Deliveries began in late March 2007 in almost all European countries.
Trim levels
Typically, Mercedes offered the W204 in three trim and equipment levels, marketed as Classic, Elegance and Avantgarde. The base trim, marketed as Classic, was offered with smaller four-cylinder engines and cloth seats or optional leatherette, marketed as ARTICO. Elegance trim featured standard leatherette upholstery with optional leather. The Avantgarde offered Liverpool fabric/leatherette seats or optional leather. Classic and Elegance retained a traditional Mercedes-Benz grille, with horizontal chrome bars and standing hood emblem. Avantgarde trim featured a 'sport' grille with three wide matt-finish horizontal bars and a large, central emblem as well as an optional AMG bodykit, sport seats, three-spoke sport steering wheel, lower and stiffer sports suspension, upgraded brake piston calipers, and larger alloy wheels. W204s advertising predominantly featured the sport grille and AMG bodykit, especially in Canada and the United States.
The W204 line offered a range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, a 3.5-litre V6 petrol and a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine are also available. The AMG variant, marketed as the C 63 AMG used the 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine.
In the United Kingdom, the Classic trim level was marketed as the SE, and the Avantgarde trim with the AMG Sport Package was marketed as the Sport.
In the United States, the C250, made in South Africa, in Avantgarde trim with the AMG Sport Package was available on the C-250 with a four-cylinder turbocharged 1.8L engine, 7 speed automatic gearbox and RWD and the C-300 (the only US market C-Class with a standard manual transmission (manual transmission was only available with RWD), with 4MATIC system available as an option) and the C 350 Sport (RWD only).The Elegance trim was only available on the C 300 Luxury with an option for the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system, There were no Classic/SE trim models, no models with diesel engine, and no station wagon models available in the US market.
The Canadian market offered only the AMG Line trim level; four-cylinder models and station wagon models were not offered. The base C 230 model (renamed the C 250 from the 2010 model year) was exclusive to the Canadian market and was the only model that has amenities similar to the Elegance/Luxury trim with the traditional grille and three-point star hood ornament. The other C-Class models (C 300, C 350 and C 63 respectively) offered the AMG body kit and sport grille as standard. These amenities were available as an CAD800 option for the C 230 model as the Sport Package (which rose to CAD1200 for the 2011 model year due to the new LED fog lights).
All models except the C 63 AMG and C350 were available in both rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive (4Matic).
Equipment For the 2008–2011 model year, the dashtop features a deployable central sliding cover panel over an LCD colour screen for entertainment and information functions. The optional navigation system, marketed as COMAND APS integrates a larger, 7-inch TFT screen into the deployable panel. Post MY2012 models feature a fixed screen similar to E-Class and GLK-Class models.
2010 W204s received revised turn signals integrated into the side mirrors. From the 2011 model year on, the bumper fog lamps in the AMG bodykit were replaced by LED lights, except for the C 63 AMG which retained its unique bumper.
The C-class offered a system marketed as the agility control package, which provided revised agility and ride quality via hydro-mechanics, which analysed road conditions and driving habits, and adjusted damper and suspension settings to provide a balance between ride comfort and agility. An optional advanced agility control package offered a sport mode button to enable a stiffer suspension setting and more precise handling.
Models
Vision C 220 BlueTEC (2007) Unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show,Mercedes unveils four-cylinder Vision C220 Bluetec the Vision C 220 BlueTEC is a concept saloon demonstrating Mercedes-Benz's first 4-cylinder Bluetec Diesel engine complying with the Euro 6 emission standard. The BlueTEC includes an inline-4 variable nozzle turbocharged engine with third-generation common-rail direct injection generating a power output of and of torque, a 6-speed manual transmission, exhaust gas recirculation, particulate filter, oxidization and SCR catalytic converters. The car accelerates from 0– in 8.5 seconds, and has a top speed of .Vision C 220 BLUETEC – First four-cylinder BLUETEC model: well on the way to complying with the EURO 6 emission standard Geneva Motor Show: Mercedes-Benz Vision C 220 BLUETEC concept
C 300 BlueTEC Hybrid (2007) Unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show,Mercedes-Benz at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007: Powerful, economical and clean diesel engines for the motherland of petrol hybrids the C 300 Bluetec Hybrid is a near-production study based on the C-Class Estate. The C 300 Bluetec has a 4-cylinder hybrid engine generating a combined power output of and of torque.Mercedes BLUETEC HYBRID to deliver 60 MPG
4MATIC models (2007–2014) Available from mid 2007,Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Available with 4MATIC all-wheel drive from the summer the 4MATIC models include a 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic transmission, permanently active all wheel drive with 45:55 torque split, a transfer case with multi-disc clutch centre differential, 4ETS traction control and Electronic Stability Program. The C 320 CDI 4MATIC and C 350 4MATIC models also include Elegance and Avantgarde trim package option, which include 17-inch light-alloy wheels, a luxury multifunction steering wheel and fine wood or aluminium trim in the interior.New C-Class with 4MATIC all-wheel drive from 40,281 Euro
C-Class Estate (2007–2014)
The C-Class Estate was unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt International Motor Show. Later, it was displayed at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007, followed by the Auto China 2010.Mercedes-Benz at Auto China 2010: World premiere of the Concept Shooting Break and four new models for the Chinese car market The estate models went on sale in late 2007; early models included: C 200 CDI, C 220 CDI, C 320 CDI, C 320 CDI 4MATIC, C 180 Kompressor, C 200 Kompressor, C 230, C 280, C 350 and the C 63 AMG.The new C-Class Estate: Unrivalled spaciousness, plus exemplary safety, optimum comfort and tangible agility New C-Class Estate from 31,713.50 euros Frankfurt 2007: Mercedes C-Class wagon arrives in BLUETEC Hybrid form
BlueEFFICIENCY models (2008–2014) The BlueEFFICIENCY variants achieved better economy and weight reduction by using a newly developed windscreen made of laminated glass by AGC shared with the Maybach saloon, optimised noise-insulating firewall lining, lightweight forged wheels with low rolling resistance tyres from Michelin, a lightweight transmission; reducing drag coefficient to 0.25 via smooth under-body cladding, a radiator grille shutter, sealed joints between the hood and headlamps as well as between the rear fender and headlamps, streamlined exterior mirrors housing, lowered suspension (15 millimetres height reduction), aerodynamically tuned wheels; servo pump shut-off in power steering system[?]; a new 6-speed manual transmission with newly developed final drive having further-improved anti friction bearings and forged differential gears, longer final-drive ratios (C 180 Kompressor and C 200 CDI models only); ECO Training mode cockpit; reduced engine displacement, optimised combustion chamber, mixture formation and engine friction (C 180 Kompressor); direct injection with max 200 bar piezoelectric fuel injectors (C 350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY).
Early models were introduced in Spring 2008, including the C 180 Kompressor BlueEFFICIENCY, C 200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and the C 350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY.Improved aerodynamics, lightweight construction, tyres and drive technology – BlueEFFICIENCY in the C-Class: Fuel consumption reduced by 12 per cent
The C 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY, C 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and the C 250 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY were introduced in 2009. The C 250 CGI BlueEfficiency includes direct injection. All 3 models include the choice of saloon or station wagon bodystyles.New Engines in the Mercedes-Benz C-Class: The Most Efficient C-Class Ever
The C 180 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY, C 200 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY, C 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and the C 250 CDI 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY were added to the range in 2010, with the C 250 CDI 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY and the C 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY being available in autumn 2010. All of the 4 models include the choice of saloon or estate bodystyles. ECO start/stop function is included for C 180 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY, C 200 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY and the C 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY. Direct petrol injection were added for C 180 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY and the C 200 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY. The C 250 CDI 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY includes Electronic Stability Program and the 4ETS traction system.Direct injection, ECO start/stop function, four-cylinder engine with four-wheel drive: New Mercedes-Benz C-Class models are even more economical and responsive
C 350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY (2008–2010) The C 350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY was unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. Standard trim level on the C 350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY included standard Elegance or Avantgarde packages, and 3.5L 90 degree V6 stratified charge direct injection M272E35 engine was used. The saloon model includes an AMG lip spoiler on the boot lid, a dual-flow exhaust system with polished stainless steel tailpipes, a seven-speed 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission, 16-inch light alloy wheels with 17-inch wheels available as a no cost option, a speed-sensitive steering and the "Speedtronic" cruise control with a variable speed limiter.
C 350 BlueEFFICIENCY (2011–2014) Coinciding with the 2011 facelift, new 3.5L 60 degree V6 M276DE35 engine debuted on C350 in 2011. Although M276 was also a stratified charge direct injection engine as the predecessor M272, the moniker 'CGI' was dropped from the naming. The radiator grille shutter for saloon and stationwagon, and the foldable rear seat back as well as the boot lid spoiler on the saloon body were eliminated. 225/45R17 front and 245/40R17 rear tires became standard, with 225/40R18 front and 255/35R18 rear tires as a no cost option. Power output of the M276DE35 engine was increased from to for 2012–2014.
C 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Prime Edition (2008–2014)