C-Class (W204) Official Mercedes-Benz W204 C-Class Discussion Thread

[cawimmer430]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

One thing I am a little baffled at was the removal of the 6-speed manual for the C350. Ok, sales of the manual C350 were poor anyway, but this could have given the new W204 C350 a bit of a competitive advantage over the Lexus IS350. It might not be as fast or powerful as the IS350, but for the purist driver, the manual transmission would have been enough to choose a C350 6-speed over an IS350.

 

[MercFan]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

Buyers will have the choice of adding wood or brushed aluminum to their cockpit

I wish it is what am I thinking about

 

[GermanFoamy]

Re: MERCEDES-BENZ W204 C-CLASS SPECIAL (Auto Motor und Sport)

I like what this article is saying. I like the fact that you can get:

3 zone climate control
Panorama roof
The choice of adding wood or brushed aluminum to the cockpit
Multicontour seats
E-class suspension with adaptive controlled system
7GTronic automatic transmission
PRESAFE and Xenon with ILS
Bigger interior and bigger trunk

Way to go Mercedes.

 

[GermanFoamy]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

I like what this article is saying. I like the fact that you can get:

3 zone climate control - I'm assuming the 3rd cc is for the rear passengers?
Panorama roof
The choice of adding wood or brushed aluminum to the cockpit
Multicontour seats
E-class suspension
Adaptive gas-controlled suspension system
Sport steering setup
7GTronic automatic transmission
PRESAFE and Xenon lights with ILS
Bigger interior and trunk

Way to go Mercedes. . Now we'll just have to wait and see what the damage to our wallets will be.

I'm getting the C-350 with a bunch of options. I'll have to wait until they get to my dealer to see options and price tho.

 

[Alwing]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

Buyers will have the choice of adding wood or brushed aluminum to their cockpit

I wish it is what am I thinking about

I know what you're thinking but don't get too excited.
I quote what it is written in the article of Automotorundsport magazine.

"Wahlweise steht Holz oder Aluminium zur Verschönerung des Innenraums bereit."

According to my dusty German skill it means that buyers can choose between wood or aluminium decoration/finish for the interior. It doesn't specifically mean that you could actually add more wood or aluminium to the interior than there already is in the standard/default interior.
Which means that it's kind of what the current W203 C-class offers.
Here in Europe, the Avantgarde package offers standard aluminum and the Elegance package offers standard wood in their interiors.
Nothing new if you ask me.
Sorry to spoil it for you.

 

[woozer]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

Not enough wood in the new C-class? Personally, I think wood does not belong in a car! Does anyone agree out there?
I recently test drove an Audi A6. Not a trace of wood inside, and nevertheless as classy as it gets. Outside looks great to me also. Just too big a car for everyday use in a European town. And it rode like a cart on wooden wheels.
The reason I did not buy the last C-class is that Mercedes seems to think that wood inside and chrome outside need to come in tandem. Classic: no wood, but also no chrome. Elegance: wood plus chrome. From what I have read it might be the same this time around. I hope it is not true and pray that MB gives me the option of a chromy outside without having the rain forest inside my car.

You are right. But then you have to take the big-star grille and the sports suspension, right, which is not to everybody's taste, especially when you are looking for elegance and comfort.

I was talking about the w203. The w203 avantgard doesn't have a big-star grille, neither a sport suspension as a standard (at least in Portugal it hasn't...).

In relation to the new w204, for what I understood by reading the AMS article, you'll get to choose between aluminium or wood for the interior, no matter the version you choose (but I'm not sure that I understood it right ). This means you can buy the Classic or Elegance, with the standard suspension and the usual wood, and choose aluminium to the interior. This way everybody will be happy

 

[MercFan]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

I know what you're thinking but don't get too excited.
I quote what it is written in the article of Automotorundsport magazine.



According to my dusty German skill it means that buyers can choose between wood or aluminium decoration/finish for the interior. It doesn't specifically mean that you could actually add more wood or aluminium to the interior than there already is in the standard/default interior.
Which means that it's kind of what the current W203 C-class offers.
Here in Europe, the Avantgarde package offers standard aluminum and the Elegance package offers standard wood in their interiors.
Nothing new if you ask me.
Sorry to spoil it for you.

I thought it was a new kind of option.

But I don't understand: what for it is written about it in the article if there is nothing new?

 

[cracker123]

Re: MERCEDES-BENZ W204 C-CLASS SPECIAL (Auto Motor und Sport)

adding to the list.

Color Display standard (COMMAND)
Bluetooth
Distronic
Keyless Go
Sport mode button dont know what this does ?
Aston Martin type speedometer dials very nice touch.

3 zone climate control
Panorama roof
The choice of adding wood or brushed aluminum to the cockpit
Multicontour seats
E-class suspension with adaptive controlled system
7GTronic automatic transmission
PRESAFE and Xenon with ILS
Bigger interior and bigger trunk

 

[cracker123]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

http://www.germancarforum.com/showpost.php?p=137191&postcount=551

those dials look awesome sort of similar to the AstonMartin.

Also the plastic seems better than the SLK.

 

[mercmad]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

Some more brochure pics but these seem to have come out a bit darker

 

[Vivaki]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

Some more brochure pics though these seem to have come out darker than the ones before.

Classic interior and exterior pics and one elegance exterior pic. Overall the exterior looks really nice and looking at the rear shots I think the rear looks great too. So all exterior worries are over but its the interior im worried about...

 

[GermanFoamy]

Re: MERCEDES-BENZ W204 C-CLASS SPECIAL (Auto Motor und Sport)

Not a big fan of keyless go, but I'm glad it's finally available. It's about time that bluetooth is available. Yes, the dials are nice looking.

adding to the list.

Color Display standard (COMMAND)
Bluetooth
Distronic
Keyless Go
Sport mode button dont know what this does ?
Aston Martin type speedometer dials very nice touch.

3 zone climate control
Panorama roof
The choice of adding wood or brushed aluminum to the cockpit
Multicontour seats
E-class suspension with adaptive controlled system
7GTronic automatic transmission
PRESAFE and Xenon with ILS
Bigger interior and bigger trunk

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

I completely agree with you and others here.

In defence of the W204 however, the W203 interior also had a large slab of dull black plastic and little wood, and yet, it still came across as a quality interior (after the facelift, not the original W203). In fact, we can also say that this W204 interior is an "evolution" of the W203 interior in some design aspects. If the facelifted W203 interior was considered a quality interior, despite a lot of HQ dark and dull plastic, I think the W204 can pull it off too.

You make a good point about certain similarities between the W203 and it's new successor when it comes to the interior. Although not a gradual evolution, I can see some similarities between the two cockpits.
What I find a bit interesting is that we've seen with BMW lately that customers have been asking for more chrome on their cars... which in a wider perspective means they want more of a 'luxury' look. If this trend is to be true then it's a little suprising that Mercedes hasn't put a bunch of wood/alu'/chrome lining throughout the W204's interior so that people see shiney or woodgrain around them. Lexus do this very well by incorporating fake wood (plastic) and chrome coated plastic linings in their interiors. We can obviously see how the US market likes Lexus (not implying that the interior of Lexus cars is what wins over buyers, just shows the 'materialistic' mindset of the US market). Now the US market is a BIG market, both for the IS and the 3er, so I would have expected MB to make a more direct go at US buyers by including a whole bunch of luxury/status-associated interior trims... but I guess they're American enough with the American-like interior design/layout.

Even so, I agree that prospective buyers won't turn their backs on the new C just coz of its interior... it'll sell regardless.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

Lexus interiors (the IS and GS at least) tend to have less wood on the center console than the Germans No? Around the radio, airconditioning controls, its almost always just black plastic with wood only on the transmission tunnel and doors.

For a 'classic' level interior, that last interior picture looks quite promising.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

The wheelbase was extended by 4.5 cm's,..

Alrighty then.. let's compare the pack just for fun..

W203 Wheelbase: 271.5cm
W204 wheelbase: W203(271.5cm) + 4.5cm = 276.0cm

3er Wheelbase: 276.0cm
A4 Wheelbase: 264.8cm
IS Wheelbase: 273.0cm

* All figures are from the respective manufacturers' official websites

Why didn't MB just add an extra centimetre to the wheelbase?!!.. they could have marketed the fact that the new C-class has the longest wheelbase in its class!


How about width now...

"The new C-Class has grown in width by 40 mm and appears more aggressive and solid on the road," Pfeiffer claims.

W203 Width: 174.4cm
W204 Width: 174.4 + 4 = 178.4cm

3er Width: 181.7cm
A4 Width: 177.2cm
IS Width: 180.0cm

Very interesting number for the new C-class. A little disappointing that it isnt on-par with the 3er or IS for overall width (not include side mirrors).


--

The body shell of the W204 weighs 8 kg less than the body shell of the W203.

That's pretty impressive considering that the C-class has grown in nearly all proportions, but then again new materials and manufacturing technologies have made such a feat rather common.
Considering the fact that the sentence was carefully worded to emphasize only the body-shell's weight, you'd have to think the overall weight of the new C is heavier than its predecessor.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

I hate to bring up all the chit-chat about the interior again but I found something which seems a little worrying.

Now please don't flame me, and please don't think I'm just here to attack the new C-class. This observation I've made was something I stumbled upon and I couldn't believe the uncanny resemblance between these 2 cars.

Look at the pics below and you'll see what I mean.




The 2nd, 3rd and 4th pics are of the Audi A3's interior, and to my eyes I see more than a few similarities.

A - Both cars have very similar designs here. It's more an Audi trademark with that simple wood piece surrounded by a chrome lining, but MB has adopted it to the C.

B - The up-sweeping design here is similar to that of the A3, as well as the 5er.

C - Very similar shape and design with that door storage space. The only thing I see different between the C and the A3 door design is that shape of the speakers. Ofcourse quality wise it's a different story, but I'm talking purely design wise here.

D - A similar shape to the centre console. Just try and take the round air-outlets out of your mind and it seems rather similar.

E - Another similarity between the two. They both have the glovebox sitting 'below' the upper dash with minimal space for some trim.

Again.. not trying to take a shot at MB, just trying to show you guys what I saw.

What do you guys think of these similarities?

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

Mercedes did poach the head of Audi interior design, and his influence has shown up in the new generation of Mercedes interiors. I find nothing wrong with the similarities because after all Audi interiors are the class benchmarks. The designs are atrractive and the quality superb. He has though since left MB and returned to the VAG group I believe.

 

[Loose_Moose]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

Very interesting...well spotted beemer boi

 

[blu]

Re: MERCEDES-BENZ W204 C-CLASS SPECIAL (Auto Motor und Sport)

Christian - Thanks for your efforts in scanning the article and also posting it here. Very much appreciate it.

I will be having a beer on your behalf later today

 

[Vivaki]

Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.

The countdown has began for the world premiere of the new C-Class in the Mercedes World in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim. The press conference, which will be attended by some 600 journalists from around the world on 18th January 2007 can be seen live on the internet from 7:00 to 7:40pm (CET) by using a link that will be provided by DCX in the coming hours. Following the event various text and photo materials relating to the new C-Class will also be available on here on the DaimlerChrysler Media Site, along with pictures of the world premiere.

There is nothing we can do, other than look at the leaked C-Class photos, or wait and make sure to come back to BenzInsider at 7pm (CET) for the link to the live show. Just an important FYI for everyone; CET means (Central European Time), so if you live in the following areas, these are the times to come back.

East-Coast (e.g. New York) - 1pm
West-Coast (e.g. Seattle) - 10am
West-Central (e.g. Denver) - 11am
East-Central (e.g. Chicago) - 12pm

Link: http://benzinsider.com/2007/01/c-class-unveiling-live-on-the-internet/

Links,

Broadband: http://www.streamevents.de/070118_pk_dc/en/stream_en_dsl.html

ISDN: http://www.streamevents.de/070118_pk_dc/en/stream_en_isdn.html