MBUSA considering 4-banger C for American consumption

[Deutsch]

NEW YORK — Due to rising fuel costs here and further pressure for low emissions, Mercedes-Benz executives and engineers are contemplating a four-cylinder Mercedes-Benz C-Class for the U.S. market.

In fact, a supercharged 1.4-liter engine is already in test mules. To make the car acceptable to Mercedes customers, engineers tell us that it would have a higher level of "perceived performance" than it actually delivers. A louder exhaust and ultraquick-response throttle settings would give the driver the "perception of performance." Hey, you can't make this stuff up.

Mercedes already sells a four-cylinder version of the C-Class sedan in Europe. There, the entry-level C180 Kompressor is fitted with a supercharged 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder engine rated at 154 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. No word as to whether the 1.4-liter under development would replace the European 1.8-liter, or if it would be reserved for the U.S. market only.

If a four-cylinder C-Class sedan is launched in the United States, it would be priced well under the automatic V6-powered C300, which carries a base price of $33,040. And it will share that model's seven-speed automatic transmission.

What this means to you: Perceived power may work for those anxious to drive a Mercedes in name only. — Kelly Toepke, News Editor

Mercedes Considers Four-Cylinder C-Class for U.S.

What this means to you: Perceived power may work for those anxious to drive a Mercedes in name only. — Kelly Toepke, News Editor

See now this kind of stuff pisses me off, there's no objectivity in this statement whatsoever and goes to show the narrow minded/"negative nancy" mentality a lot of Americans have towards anything premium "with slightly less", be it features, power, whatever. It's not a four pot from some foreign brand other than MB, this is an MB product through and trough. You don't hear the Germans complaining about smaller engines, do you? We need a serious reality check and learn to appreciate the fact that less can indeed be more.

 

[Merc1]

If a 4-cylinder C-Class does come back to the U.S. it needs much greater refinement than the previous effort. A turbocharged, not supercharged 4-cylinder, with direct-injection would be the ticket IMO.

M

 

[Gullwing]

How about diesels?
1.8 liter that was dumped in 06 was ok if driven hard, the ones that wern't had problems.
I am not sure how the US would react to a 1.4 liter, would be too small for most people I would think.

 

[cawimmer430]

The good news is that the current 1.8-l supercharged 4-cylinder in the C180- and C200 Kompressor are very refined for a 4-cylinder unit. Mercedes really took care of those originally unrefined motors by adding TwinPulse and counter-rotating-balance-shafts.

Even the naturally aspirated 4-cylinder units in the A- and B-Classes have really impressed me with their refinement and engine response. In comparison my sisters BMW 118i sounds a bit rough - almost like a diesel (still a great engine with character, though).

So, refinement wise, nothing to worry about.

I'm not sure how American luxury consumers will respond to this though since they seem to bent on "power and performance" over fuel economy.



EDIT: Oh, and the C180- and C200K and C200 CDI and C220 CDI are going to be replaced very soon. The gasoline engines will apparently be turbocharged while the diesel engine replacement will be a 2.0 or 2.2 4-cylinder with 200-horsepower in the next generation C220 CDI.

 

[Tarek]

I don't know why folks complain about the current 1.8K engines they are truly impressive units,they offer best refinement,fuel economy and pulling power.The new turbo bangers has big shoes to fill IMO!

 

[tennmb]

The previous 1.8 was a big let down. It looked like it had a bicycle chain in the engine. And we had problems. Mercedes thinks you can go 12,000 miles without changing oil in a 4 banger? get a clue. We had engine problems to say the least.

Beef up the chain, and move oil changes to every 5k and you are probably all right. The power at the time was better than the wimpy 240. The old 2.3 was a durable, tough engine. however, the supercharger was very loud.

Mercedes, if anyone is listening. 4 cyl. turbo diesel, please.

 

[Gullwing]

The previous 1.8 was a big let down. It looked like it had a bicycle chain in the engine. And we had problems. Mercedes thinks you can go 12,000 miles without changing oil in a 4 banger? get a clue. We had engine problems to say the least.

Beef up the chain, and move oil changes to every 5k and you are probably all right. The power at the time was better than the wimpy 240. The old 2.3 was a durable, tough engine. however, the supercharger was very loud.

Mercedes, if anyone is listening. 4 cyl. turbo diesel, please.

Oil changes wern't the problem. The valve springs wern't strong enough and had to be replaced, or the supercharger bypass cracked. Then there was the alternators that would fail causing the engine to run rough at idle with a load on it.

4 cylinder diesel engine with 50 mpg would do just fine

 

[tennmb]

Basically it was just pathetically under engineered.