Sneak peek: 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

What it is: A timely update of Mercedes’ smallest sedan, the C-Class. Although to us the launch seems like it was just done last summer, the mid-cycle facelift couldn’t come soon enough; the four-door is already 4 years old and faces a multitude of rivals, including the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Lexus IS. All are hawking goods similar to the C: luxury and prestige in a relatively affordable package.

Design: At its launch, the C-Class was notable for having two distinct brands of styling. The Elegance model had the classic Mercedes-Benz grille and upright chrome logo on the hood. This gave it a more stately (read: sedate) appearance. On the other hand, the Avantgarde line carried the styling of the sports models, with a large three-pointed star mounted in the middle of the grille. The upright hood ornament disappears, replaced with a flat Mercedes badge, again as on sports cars like the SL and SLK.

The 2011 C-Class updates the looks by, not surprisingly, changing the headlamps, taillights and minor details. The headlamps now bulge and sweep up at the corners, not unlike its Bavarian counterpart. LED technology is used for the daytime running lights built into the headlamp clusters, as well as on the taillights. An aluminum hood helps to reduce weight.

The interior features a flat-bottomed steering wheel, 11.4-cm high-resolution monitor built into the dash, a rotary controller for the computer and entertainment system, and reportedly high quality materials throughout. Black and gray are the dominant themes for one of the available color schemes, highly suitable for the classic layout of the interior.

Engine and transmission: There are five models available at launch: C 180 CGI, C 180 CGI Avantgarde, C 200 CGI Avantgarde, C 250 CGI Avantgarde, and the C 300 Avantgarde AMG Sport. The 180, 200, and 250 actually use variants of the four-cylinder, 1.8-liter engine. Turbocharging and direct injection bump up the power and torque. Output varies from 156 hp on the C 180 to 204 hp in the C 250. For the C 250, torque is healthy 310 Nm, from as low as 2000 rpm.

Then there is the C 300, endowed with a 3.0-liter V6 engine. Power is 231 hp and 300 Nm. So why will you pick this over the more sensible (and cheaper) C 250? As is the current debate in F1, it’s all about the sound.

The engines have been tweaked to make them more fuel efficient. All engines pair with a 7-speed automatic transmission, feeding power to the rear wheels.

Suspension: Mercedes has been saying that this is the sportiest C-Class yet. Using MacPherson struts up front and independent multi-link suspension at the rear, the C has been tuned to have a compliant ride, yet deliver the goods when cornering. This was borne out by the current model, during comparisons with its German and Japanese rivals, and gives reason to expect that the 2011 car will be similarly well-balanced.

Positioning: The Mercedes C-Class spans a wide price range, from P2,880,000 for the C 180 CGI to P4,480,000 for the C 300 Avantgarde AMG Sport. The “base” C is an elegant enough so that one will not be wishing that he could buy the E-Class instead, while we expect that the AMG is a sporty machine that can play luxury coach one moment, and hustling sports car the next.

Built in: Sindelfingen and Bremen, Germany. Where else can you still find an available Becker radio?