Canada Is Getting New Mercedes-Benz C-Class Wagon
he new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Wagon – as multifaceted as modern life
Mercedes-Benz Canada will expand the C-Class family with the new Wagon starting in 2016. The Wagon stands out with its clear and at the same time emotional, sporty design, innovative technology, variability and load capacity. Its high-class, sophisticated interior makes modern luxury tangible with design highlights. With these qualities the Wagon reinforces its reputation as a multifaceted lifestyle vehicle with outstanding properties for everyday use. In addition, its many new assistance systems offer the highest standards of safety.
The new C-Class Wagon combines a striking, dynamic design and high-class appointments with outstanding variability and a high level of utility. With its versatility it also adapts to a wide variety of requirements. As a stylish, sporty, spacious vehicle it accompanies active, modern people on shopping sprees, on vacation or when playing sports, and is suitable for families in every respect. Consequently, it continues the tradition of the C-Class Wagons, which all in their own time combined demands on lifestyle, sportiness and practicality in wagon, in the fourth generation on a new level.
“The new C-Class Wagon is not only extremely practical thanks to its once again enlarged, variable load compartment. With innovative lightweight construction and its state-of-the-art technical features it also strikes out in new directions in this segment with regard to safety, efficiency and comfort. Worldwide we are the first to offer a comfortable air suspension in this segment. And both men and women drivers enjoy noticeably more driving pleasure”, states Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development.
Variable and practical
The dimensions of the new C-Class Wagon have grown considerably compared to its previous generation which was not offered in Canada. With an 80-millimetre increase in the wheelbase (2,840 millimetres), the vehicle is 96 millimetres longer (4,702 millimetres) and 40 millimetres wider (1,810 millimetres). The resulting increase in space primarily benefits the rear-seat passengers, who now enjoy 45 millimetres more legroom. There is also more interior width and headroom than in the previous model.
The growth spurt also involves the load compartment. The sporty rear of the new C-Class Wagon provides a maximum load capacity of 1,510 litres thus surpassing its predecessor by ten litres. The load compartment volume behind the rear seats has increased by five litres to 490 litres.
Variability and consequently functionality also increased significantly. The rear seats now have a 40:20:40 split instead of the 60:40 split in the predecessor. This opens up a wide range of possibilities for using the interior as a five, four, three or two-seater version.
Practical details ensure that the load compartment is even more versatile and easier to use, and as a result it can be conveniently tailored to the individual transport tasks. The electric unlocking of the rear seat backrests at the push of a button provides a flat, larger load compartment where necessary using the Singlefold function for the rear seat backrest.
The exceptional loading convenience can optionally be further enhanced with the EASY-PACK tailgate and the likewise optional HANDS-FREE ACCESS system. It allows opening and closing the tailgate without touching it. All it takes is a motion of the foot in the area of the rear bumper.
Dynamic and high-quality
The new C-Class sets visual highlights with a modern, dynamic design that at the same time exudes sensual purity, arouses emotions and, to top it all off, stages high tech in perfect fashion. Customers can choose from two fronts – with the sports grille or – reserved solely for the Luxury Package – with the luxury grille with the Mercedes star on the hood.
Unusual for a vehicle with a focus on a high level of utility and functionality is the high-quality interior of the Wagon, which was adopted from the Sedan. With straightforward sportiness, thrilling flowing lines and high-grade materials on the level of a luxury vehicle, it provides a modern, luxurious and at the same time sporty ambience.
Touchpad and head-up display
The touchpad in the new C-Class Wagon developed by Mercedes-Benz marks an evolutionary step. As on a smartphone, all the head unit functions can be operated using finger gestures. The 65 x 45 millimetre control surface of the touchpad is built into the handrest on the central control panel and bordered by a high-quality metal support – a design feature with a high-tech feel which exudes luxury at the same time.
A head-up display is also featured in the C-Class Wagon. As in a jet fighter, it projects important information directly into the driver’s field of vision, ensuring that there is less distraction from the road ahead. The system provides information on vehicle speed, navigation instructions and DISTRONIC messages.
Less weight, more comfort
Thanks to innovative solutions, the bodyshell of the new C-Class Wagon weighs less, provides the basis for outstanding vehicle handling and best noise and vibration comfort with exceptional rigidity, and offers a high level of crash safety. With an aluminium content of 49 percent and up to 65 kilograms less gross vehicle weight, the Wagon is the lightweight-construction leader in its segment.
Efficient and lively diesel engine
The powerful and efficient diesel engine with ECO start/stop function ensures a sporty performance and driving pleasure. The C 300d 4MATIC Wagon is powered by a four-cylinder diesel engine that is equipped with SCR (selective catalytic reduction) technology which develops 200 hp and a robust 369 lb-ft.
Agile and comfortable driving
Exemplary suspension comfort and road roar and tire vibration characteristics coupled with outstanding dynamic vehicle handling – these are the hallmarks of the newly designed suspension of the new C-Class Wagon. Thanks to a new four-link front axle it offers driving pleasure and ride comfort at the same time.
C-Class Wagon customers will have a choice of two versions of the standard-specification steel suspension, which also includes a sporty set-up. As an alternative, Mercedes-Benz for the first time offers an air suspension in this segment. The AIRMATIC air suspension manages to bridge the gap between a high level of ride comfort and dynamic, agile handling. AIRMATIC also features all-round self-levelling for optimum ride comfort even with the vehicle loaded.
Choose your own driving experience
In the new C-Class Wagon, the driver can determine the individual driving experience at the push of a button. Depending on the equipment level, the driver can choose from various preconfigured drive programs and one the driver can design personally to a large extent. The following characteristics are available: “Comfort”, “ECO”, “Sport” and “Sport+”. The additional “Individual” setting enables drivers to configure their vehicle to suit their own preferences.
Like the Sedan, the new C-Class Wagon is equipped with an electric parking brake. This brake is released automatically when the driver ends parking mode with the aim of moving off.
Steering with a sporty character
All models of the C-Class family feature an electromechanical Direct-Steer system as standard. This combines speed-sensitive servo assistance from the speed-sensitive steering with a steering ratio that varies with the given steering angle. The power steering assistance provided by the rack-and-pinion steering gear is controlled as needed, thereby contributing towards efficiency.
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive: the intelligent car
It is the declared aim of Mercedes-Benz to make the highest standard of safety available to everyone. For this reason the Wagon adopts new assistance systems from the S-Class and E-Class, which have been enhanced with significant functions. The assistance systems enhance both comfort and safety.
Mercedes-Benz calls this Intelligent Drive.
The C-Class Wagon is fitted as standard with ATTENTION ASSIST, which can warn the driver of inattentiveness and drowsiness. It offers an adjustable sensitivity level and can provide drivers with information on their level of fatigue and the amount of driving time that has elapsed since the last break. On highways, ATTENTION ASSIST in conjunction with COMAND can suggest service areas as stopovers where a warning has been issued.
Also part of the standard equipment is COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS. In addition to the distance and collision warning as well as the adaptive Brake Assist, which helps to protect against collisions at speeds above 7 km/h, this system now features an additional function: when a danger of collision persists and the driver fails to respond, the system is able to carry out autonomous braking at speeds of up to 100 km/h (200 km/h in conjunction with DISTRONIC PLUS), thereby preventing a rear-end collision with slower or stopping vehicles or reducing the severity of the resulting collision. At speeds of up to 50 km/h the system also brakes in response to stationary vehicles, and is able to help prevent rear-end collisions at up to around 40 km/h.
The multitude of optionally available assistance systems also include, among others:
Active Parking Assist, which enables automated parking with active steering and brake control in both parallel and perpendicular spaces, as well as manoeuvring out of parallel spaces again if the vehicle was parked there automatically beforehand.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist, which allows automatically adjusts the high-beam headlamps in response to oncoming traffic and vehicles ahead.
Airbags for safety
In addition to three-point seat belts with pyrotechnical belt tensioning and belt force limiters for driver, front passenger and those in the outer rear seats, numerous airbags serve to protect the vehicle’s occupants in an accident. These include:
Combined thorax/pelvis sidebags for driver and front passenger
An optimized windowbag
A kneebag for the driver
The front passenger seat is also equipped with an automatic child seat recognition system. This automatic front passenger airbag deactivation, introduced first by Mercedes-Benz, uses a pressure sensor in the seat cushion to detect whether an infant or child seat was placed on the front passenger seat and automatically deactivates the front passenger airbag. Contrary to other systems that require the airbag to be deactivated with a key, this system prevents incorrect operation. As no special transponder is required, the system works with all rear-facing child restraint systems.