From the company that brought you legends like the Silver Arrows that have been devouring race tracks remorselessly since the early 20th century and currently hold 7 consecutive Formula One driver’s and constructor’s championships from 2014 till date; comes a new statement piece to the world. These guys from Stuttgart have won so many awards, such that attempting to list all those is calling for carpal tunnel syndrome: no, thank you. I will just mention their 2020 awards for “Most Innovative Premium Brand” overall and in the “Interface and Networking” category. They have been at the forefront of automotive development since the proverbial big bang of the internal combustion-engined car in 1885. And last year, (2020, that all of us are trying to forget) they spent a whole, whopping, eye-watering 7 Billion Euros on R&D alone! It is, therefore, incontrovertible when one says that Mercedes Benz is one of the most recognizable and respected brands in the world. Period. So when you see the 3 pointed star in your rearview mirror, comport yourself; you have just encountered automotive engineering at its finest.
At this point, when Merc coughs, the auto industry sits up straight. Now imagine what happens when they roar. They gave us a very loud one last September; when they released the flagship 2021 S-Class. However, about 3 weeks ago, they did it again, this time speaking softly while swinging a big stick. They unleashed the 2022 C-Class.
This new car is a whole snack, meal and dessert with takeaway. It is the most prestigious C-Class made so far. While I particularly like the 2019 model, this one is a clear step up. In recent history, the C-Class has been designed to look like a Baby S-Class but you could always tell them apart fairly easily. Howbeit, this time Gordon Wagner and the magicians in Stuttgart have outdone themselves. The rear profiles of the latest models of the 2 lines are almost indistinguishable to the untrained eye. Even the new E-class is in on it. I remember walking past the 2019 C-Class and then getting confused when I saw an E-Class, I had to go back to check what I had just seen. This new model promises to bring more head-turning and head-scratching.
The silhouette of the car is quite shapely with a long hood and a “cab-backward” glasshouse evoking power and luxury; both of which it does have in spades.
On the power side, the base C300 comes with a potent 4-banger commanding 255 horsepower and 400 NM of Torque. Its also got a 48Volt hybrid system that adds 20 extra stallions and 200 NM. That’s enough to get you anywhere you want to go; in good time; with minutes to spare; while leaving new geologic formations in your wake. And we expect to have more powerful versions from AMG.
On the luxury side the C-Class is essentially a slightly shrunken S-Class which means it was designed to be classically elegant and respectable on sight. Although aero kits are available for those whose fancy swings that way. It even comes in an Estate version! The interior is loaded with class leading tech and appointed with enough leather,
chrome and lacquered wood to awaken the inner Tech CEO in you. There are 2 screens on the dashboard; one centrally mounted 11.9 inch screen to run the infotainment system and one in front of the driver as the instrument panel. These will run the latest version of MBUX, Mercedes’ proprietary user interface and AI personal assistant. It will have other bells and whistles like, mood lighting, augmented reality navigation overlays, heads-up display, fingerprint-activated driver profiles, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and more.
All in all, the 2022 C-Class is a beautiful and thoughtfully designed car that speaks to your aspirations and caresses your senses.
