2015 Mercedes Benz C-Class to get lighter

The C-Class is the go-to option for those buyers seeking to buy an entry-level rear wheel driven car with the three pointed star adoring the hood. With the segment leading BMW 3-Series undergoing a full model change in the form the F30 model, the pressure is back on Mercedes Benz to make the C-Class more appealing. Here’s how the Stuttgart-headquartered German luxury car giant has responded.  

Mercedes Benz has put the next generation version of the C-Class on a steel-aluminium diet and the resultant is a straight weight saving of 200 kilograms.

So, without Mercedes Benz having to touch the engine and transmission range of the 2015 C-Class, the car is likely to become a full 20% more fuel efficient than the outgoing version.

But then again, knowing Mercedes Benz, expect changes on the engine and transmission fronts as well although the German luxury car maker isn’t revealing anything more about these aspects for now.

The new car will be unveiled early next year, at the Detroit Motor Show.  The 2015 C-Class uses aluminium for many parts such as the roof, doors, hood, boot lid and wheel arches while the frame holding all these components together is made of steel.

Other changes on the car include a fully revised dashboard that comes with a new center console, revamped COMAND infotainment system, optional heads-up display and a new steering wheel.

Under the skin, safety gets a major fillip what with a radar based lane monitoring system called Intelligent Drive, new Pre-Safe features and weight saving aluminium suspension. The suspension can now be ordered with the optional AirMatic package.

Trick bits such a climate control system that uses GPS data to sense an oncoming tunnel and shift the car’s air conditioning to recirculation mode and a perfumed ionizer that also purifies air entering the cabin are standard on the 2015 C-Class.

More details of the car are likely to be revealed in the coming weeks. For now, Mercedes Benz has released images of the new car’s interiors, that ate a step above those of the current model.