Mercedes-Benz CLC: The New Class

Motoring Channel Staff - 29/January/2008

Stuttgart, Germany — Mercedes has taken the wraps off its new entry-level sports coupe. What was once called the C-Class Sport Coupe has now be renamed the CLC-Class.

As Mercedes asserts in its press release this is a stand-alone model series, hence the new CLC badges. 

According to the German car maker, the CLC is "the compelling entry-level model in the Mercedes-Benz coupé family." The German company hopes to attract younger drivers new the Mercedes brand with this stylish new model.

As the first official photos show, the CLC has a strong family resemblance to the C-Class sedan and wagon models with similar headlights and grille styling.

Where the design differs from its more conservative Mercedes siblings is past the A-pillar and towards the rear of the car. 

It's a sports coupe, so it's got just 2-doors and an athletically raked profile.

According to Mercedes, the redesigned tailgate with a long row of LED lights conceals a variable boot with up to 1100 litres of luggage capacity with the seats folded down. 

Based on the same, unchanged platform as the previous model, the CLC-Class has just 310 litres of boot space in its normal configuration.

The new model is being built alongside the A-Class at Mercedes' Brazilian Juiz de Fora factory. 

Along with more than 1100 "newly developed or enhanced" components, the Mercedes CLC-Class will also benefit from a new 'direct-steer' system which provides for "even more agile cornering" to suit the car's sporty image.

Set for a European launch in May of this year and coming to Australia late in '08, the Mercedes-Benz CLC-Class has also been given a work over in the power department.

Adding more impact to the driving experience, the CLC-Class will be offered with a range of more powerful 4-cylinder engines, including a newly upgraded version of the 1.8-litre forced induction petrol engine, which can sprint from zero to 100km/h in 8.6 seconds.

Expected to be one of the most popular models among new buyers thanks to its affordability, the CLC 200 Kompressor now outputs 135kW (184hp) and 250Nm of torque, while using around 8.0-litres of fuel per 100km travelled on the combined cycle.

The range-topping Mercedes CLC 350 model generates 200kW (272hp) from its 3.5-litre V6 engine. It sprints from zero to 100km/h in just 6.3 seconds, helped by 350Nm hitting the rear wheels @ 2400rpm. It has a maximum speed of 250km/h and consumes petrol at a rate of 9.7L/100km on the combined cycle.

There is also a 2.5-litre V6 model (CLC 230), but its performance is only slightly better than the 1.8-litre CLC 200 Kompressor while using significantly more fuel.

Mercedes will also offer two diesel models in the form of the CLC 200 CDI and the CLC 220 CDI. These two diesel sports coupes feature the same 2.1-litre inline 4-cylinder turbo engine, just with different amounts of turbo boost for 90kW (122hp) and 110kW (150hp) respectively. 

These low emissions diesel engines consume between 5.8 and 6.1 litres of diesel per 100km travelled, which is fairly frugal. Mercedes-Benz says the diesel models can travel more than 1000km with just one tank of fuel (62 litres).

In total there will be six models in the range:

CLC 200 CDI (90kW)
CLC 220 CDI (110kW)
CLC 180 Kompressor (105kW)
CLC 200 Kompressor (135kW)
CLC 230 (150kW)
CLC 350 (200kW)

All CLC-Class models will come standard with a 6-speed manual gearbox, but 5-speed automatic transmissions for the 4-cylinder vehicles will be available. The V6 models can be equipped with 7-speed automatic transmissions.

Mercedes wants to entice new buyers with the CLC-Class's sporty appearance, but also hopes to hook buyers with a strong standard features list, including things like the Thermatic automatic climate control system, three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, sports seats with improved lateral support, six airbags, and new projection-beam headlamps.

The full standard features list is as follows:

  Stowage compartment with cup holder in tunnel covering
  Adaptive airbags for driver and front passenger
  Acceleration skid control (ASR)
  Electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors
  Outside temperature display
  Brake Assist
  Diesel particulate filter (for CDI models)
  ESP
  Headlamp Assist
  Front power windows
  33:66 split-folding rear seats
  Luggage net in front-passenger footwell
  Belt tensioner and belt-force limiter for driver, front passenger and rear passengers
  THERMATIC automatic climate control with dust and activated charcoal filter
  Instrument cluster with white needles
  Steering column adjustable for reach and height
  Three-spoke multifunction steering wheel with eight buttons
  Fog lamps
  Head restraints adjustable for fore-aft position and height, front and rear
  Halogen projection-beam headlamps
  ELCODE locking system with infrared/radio remote control
  Sidebags for driver and front passenger
  Front sports seats with EASY-ENTRY system
  Diffusor-look rear bumper
  Heat-insulating glass
  Windowbags
  Central locking with crash sensor
  Trim elements in brushed aluminium

Mercedes-Benz says the CLC's predecessor, the C-Class Sport Coupe, sold more than 320,000 units globally since it first hit the scene in 2001. The German company says the majority of these buyers were new Mercedes customers, and hopes to repeat this trend with the CLC-Class.

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