C-Class (W206) [Spy Shots] 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class W206 spied pics & info thread

[lukeswiss]

I’m quite excited about this C-Class downsizing and all.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

So as not to rain on the parade after the launch when everyone is super hyped. Has MB given any thought to the rational of launching a brand new dedicated ICE premium sedan in 2021, given how the segment is fairing now, and how it would fair in couple of years let alone 7? For context, here is how C class faired in 2020 in its 3 biggest markets against the top selling BEV in the same class.

Market	C Class	BEV
China	152k	135k (vol production only started in Q2)
US	26k	167k
Europe	82k	86k
Total	260k	388k

* Numbers from https://carsalesbase.com/

If you look at the trend from previous years, it paints an even worse pic.
IMHO, Mercedes should have canned the car and focused the time, money, effort, capacity on a small premium BEV sedan - a real one, not a hack job.

Their platform wasn't ready correct? It will only be ready in 2025.

And there is still a substantial portion of global markets and buyers not ready for EV vehicles. I mean if they can make a case for keeping jaguar alive having only sold approximately 120k vehicles worldwide in 2020, they can certainly make a convincing economic case for the C, shrinking market and all.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

MB Passion posted an update.

THE NEW C-CLASS IS PRESENTED AS A LIMO + T-MODEL ON FEBRUARY 23, 2021

“Upgrade your comfort zone” - under this claim, Mercedes-Benz will unveil the new C-Class in the form of a purely digital world premiere on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. (CET).

“With the new C-Class, Mercedes-Benz is breaking into a more efficient and even more digital world, creating an all-round future-proof comfort zone - a refuge that combines apparent opposites such as sportiness and comfort with efficiency, emotion and intelligence and thus defines modern luxury.” - said Daimler AG in a first official press release on the new generation “206”.

Electrification and 48 volt on-board system for all drives

According to official information from Mercedes-Benz, the new C-Class is the manufacturer's first series that is fully electrified. The second generation of the integrated starter generator (ISG) with 20 hp is used for the petrol variants with M 254 engines. The diesel variants receive the OM 654 M drive with a second SCR catalytic converter and additional AdBlue injection and also a 20 PS ISG.

As a further highlight, after the new S-Class, the new C-Class also receives the second generation MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) and optionally the new Digital Light lighting system. Also new is rear-axle steering with 2.5″ degrees and a modified driver assistance package (but without level 3 functions!).

Order release on March 30, 2021

The world premiere of the new 206 series will show the sedan and the 206 series T-model at the same time. Orders will then be released on March 30, 2021, with first deliveries from June 2021.

The grille with star pattern / hexagons magnified

https:///2021/02/neue-c-klasse-zeigt-sich-am-23-februar-2021/

Is this the new GLC behind the C sedan?

 

[PanterroR]

Is this the new GLC behind the C sedan?

I think it's a T-modell.

 

[Sunny]

Their platform wasn't ready correct? It will only be ready in 2025.

Whose fault is that it is not ready?

 

[klier]

I think it's going to be a pretty car though, in terms of proportions and overall silhouette.

Yeah, same can be said about the new M3 though, lol. Look how that turned out.

Is this the new GLC behind the C sedan?

It's the sedan and estate morphed into one, since they're apparently launching them together.

 

[klier]

So as not to rain on the parade after the launch when everyone is super hyped. Has MB given any thought to the rational of launching a brand new dedicated ICE premium sedan in 2021, given how the segment is fairing now, and how it would fair in couple of years let alone 7? For context, here is how C class faired in 2020 in its 3 biggest markets against the top selling BEV in the same class.

Market	C Class	BEV
China	152k	135k (vol production only started in Q2)
US	26k	167k
Europe	82k	86k
Total	260k	388k

* Numbers from https://carsalesbase.com/

If you look at the trend from previous years, it paints an even worse pic.

Is that all of BEV? I don't understand that chart.
Also, it's always the case a model on it's last legs dies out in sales, as people wait for the new version to arrive.
Your point obviously still stands, but it's maybe less dramatic in proper context.

 

[Robi777]

So as not to rain on the parade after the launch when everyone is super hyped. Has MB given any thought to the rational of launching a brand new dedicated ICE premium sedan in 2021, given how the segment is fairing now, and how it would fair in couple of years let alone 7? For context, here is how C class faired in 2020 in its 3 biggest markets against the top selling BEV in the same class.

Market	C Class	BEV
China	152k	135k (vol production only started in Q2)
US	26k	167k
Europe	82k	86k
Total	260k	388k

* Numbers from https://carsalesbase.com/

If you look at the trend from previous years, it paints an even worse pic.

This raises an interesting question (and I excuse myself for venturing a little bit off topic): What will happen to the E class in the coming years? The current-gen E-class will reach the end of it’s life-cycle by 2023. Since the latest S and C class will probably be produced until the end of the decade, it would be highly unusual for there not to be a mid-size ICE sedan offering as well. So will Mercedes just slap on another extensive facelift on the E class to extend it’s lifetime or will there be another ICE generation after the current generation expires?

 

[klier]

This raises an interesting question (and I excuse myself for venturing a little bit off topic): What will happen to the E class in the coming years? The current-gen E-class will reach the end of it’s life-cycle by 2023. Since the latest S and C class will probably be produced until the end of the decade, it would be highly unusual for there not to be a mid-size ICE sedan offering as well. So will Mercedes just slap on another extensive facelift on the E class to extend it’s lifetime or will there be another ICE generation after the current generation expires?

Is the new C class just an extensive facelift then?
As for the E, yeah probably yet another ICE version, alongside a banana shaped EQE. And EQE will hopefully be a downsized EQS, and not an electrified W214/15 (is W215 a CL product code btw?)

 

[Merc1]

OMG the EV shit again.

M

 

[Serpens]

Is the new C class just an extensive facelift then?
As for the E, yeah probably yet another ICE version, alongside a banana shaped EQE. And EQE will hopefully be a downsized EQS, and not an electrified W214/15 (is W215 a CL product code btw?)

The C-class is on MRA II with the S-class, new platform and car. We've already seen spy pics of the EQE with the exact same shape as the EQS.

So as not to rain on the parade after the launch when everyone is super hyped. Has MB given any thought to the rational of launching a brand new dedicated ICE premium sedan in 2021, given how the segment is fairing now, and how it would fair in couple of years let alone 7? For context, here is how C class faired in 2020 in its 3 biggest markets against the top selling BEV in the same class.

Market	C Class	BEV
China	152k	135k (vol production only started in Q2)
US	26k	167k
Europe	82k	86k
Total	260k	388k

* Numbers from https://carsalesbase.com/

If you look at the trend from previous years, it paints an even worse pic.

Lol I think you know the answer to this question. Of course Mercedes has looked at where this is going. Their product roadmap points to an earnest EV entry in this class in 2025 with this C-class bowing out sometime shortly thereafter. You could definitely say they're late to the party but I think it's been made clear Mercedes will not be prepared with the dedicated platform and battery tech for small cars until then. I'd much rather them debut the EV entry in this class with fully baked MB OS technology, a dedicated platform, and the right battery setup instead of punting something out similar to the compromised EQC.

With the BMW i4 coming later this year and BEV Audi A4 coming in 2023 (and yes the Model 3, leaving this class without a BEV entry is a risky move.

 

[Serpens]

I really hope these stupid renders fall out of fashion some day.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

Whose fault is that it is not ready?

Yeah, tremendous development speed. Maybe it started before and will finish after the development of the Mars mission of SpaceX. But an EV platform is so hard to develop, they can not be compared.

 

[Luca]

At this point the curiosity is to see what the taillights will look like

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Not unlike the W/V223, the W/S206 will surely be an eye-pleasing automobile. And unlike the W/V223, the W/S206 will be a crucial volume model here in the EU (as the S-Class' most significant hunting grounds are located elsewhere).

It will be interesting to witness how M-Bs' EQ dedicated BEV sedans are received by the public. Their exteriors certainly constitute a gamble. Should they be rejected, it would not be surprising should M-B inititate a rapid "correction", diminish the duration of the originally planned model cycles and return to a design paradigm that is less pod-like.
There are more than a few examples that show us that dedicated BEVs' need not be pods.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

Not unlike the W/V223, the W/S206 will surely be an eye-pleasing automobile. And unlike the W/V223, the W/S206 will be a crucial volume model here in the EU (as the S-Class' most significant hunting grounds are located elsewhere).

It will be interesting to witness how M-Bs' EQ dedicated BEV sedans are received by the public. Their exteriors certainly constitute a gamble. Should they be rejected, it would not be surprising should M-B inititate a rapid "correction", diminish the duration of the originally planned model cycles and return to a design paradigm that is less pod-like.
There are more than a few examples that show us that dedicated BEVs' need not be pods.

Maybe you should check the sales numbers of the C class in China. The L version accounts for half of the model sales.

 

[Monster]

I really hope these stupid renders fall out of fashion some day.

The crazy thing is, we have 20 years of technological advancement, yet the quality of these renders have not improved a single bit.

 

[martinbo]

Together with the below segment average interior quality of MB interiors, this screen-heavy interior has the potential of ruining the car to me.

I don't car what anyone says, the problem is that the layout of the facia with its two screens is clunky looking. There's certainly no elegant flow to this new design language.

 

[PHYBENZ]

Funny how everyone complained about the tacked on look of the MB screens when the W205 was first released or the first CLA etc. Now you look at almost all interiors being released and the screens look tacked on. Curious to see how things progress and if other manufacturers follow MBs lead.

 

[Antti]

The C-class is on MRA II with the S-class, new platform and car. We've already seen spy pics of the EQE with the exact same shape as the EQS.



Lol I think you know the answer to this question. Of course Mercedes has looked at where this is going. Their product roadmap points to an earnest EV entry in this class in 2025 with this C-class bowing out sometime shortly thereafter. You could definitely say they're late to the party but I think it's been made clear Mercedes will not be prepared with the dedicated platform and battery tech for small cars until then. I'd much rather them debut the EV entry in this class with fully baked MB OS technology, a dedicated platform, and the right battery setup instead of punting something out similar to the compromised EQC.

With the BMW i4 coming later this year and BEV Audi A4 coming in 2023 (and yes the Model 3, leaving this class without a BEV entry is a risky move.

I think introducing the W206 C Class now as an ICE vehicle is a wise move. Their BEV platform will allow for an electric C Class from 2025 onwards and potentially only a couple of variants at the beginning. So, let's say they will have a full EV range in this segment for sale in 2027. Then W206 will already be 6 years old so can be phased out gradually. Also, there will be W206 plug-in hybrids with an electric-only range of around 100 km (62 miles) which is pretty impressive in its own right.