INTRODUCTION

First-Ever Mercedes-Benz Coupe in This Segment

For the 2012 model year, Mercedes-Benz is launching a new two-door coupe version of its highly successful C-Class, complete with bold AMG styling and a standard panorama sunroof. This marks the first time Mercedes-Benz has offered a traditional coupe in this market segment.


Major Sedan Redesign

At the same time, the popular four-door C-Class sedan has undergone a major restyling involving 2,000 new parts, including new bumpers, headlights, front grille, an aluminum hood, LED taillights and a redesigned interior. Interior design work focused on restyling the C-Class dash, its integrated display and the glove box, as well as introducing a new grain for the interior panels. The dash accommodates a new 5.8-inch display, color gauges and a new-generation telematics system. A prominent trim piece extends from the center vents across the front passenger area to the right-side vent, while trapezoidal air vents in the center and the round vents near the doors are accented with metallic trim.

More Convenience, More Safety

In addition, there are 13 new standard equipment features on the 2012 C-Class sedan and coupe line, as well as five new safety systems. Standard-equipment Attention Assist warns drivers when they get drowsy, and a new HOLD feature for the Adaptive Brake system keeps the car from rolling when stopped. Optional Blind Spot Assist provides a warning whenever a turn signal is activated with a car in a blind spot, while Lane Keeping Assist alerts drivers if the car drifts from its lane without the turn signals on. Parktronic now incorporates a parking guidance system that can identify right-size parking spaces and provide helpful steering guidance in the instrument cluster.

Two Body Styles, Seven Models

Both the coupe and sedan are available in three different models: the C250, powered by a new direct-injection, turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine (201 horsepower, 229 lb.-ft. of torque); the C350, with a new direct-injection 3.5-liter V6 (302 hp, 273 lb.-ft.); and the high-performance C63 AMG model with a normally aspirated 6.3-liter V8 (451 hp, 443 lb.-ft.) and AMG's MCT multi-clutch transmission. With an optional AMG Development Package, power jumps to 481 hp. Lastly, the C-Class sedan is available as a C300, with standard 4MATIC all-wheel drive and the proven 3.0-liter V6 engine (228 hp, 221 lb.-ft.).

Sport Versus Luxury Personalities

While all C-Class coupes boast inherently sporty personalities, the C250 and C300 sedan models can be ordered with Sport or Luxury equipment. In addition to a grill-mounted star, the C-Class Sport sedans can be identified by AMG cladding - deeper front and rear aprons as well as under-door rocker panels. Inside, Sport models come with three-spoke steering wheels, rubber-stud pedals and aluminum trim (instead of the four-spoke wheel and burl walnut trim found on Luxury models). Sport sedans are also fitted with staggered-width wheels and tires and a stiffer sports suspension that rides 0.6 inches lower than Luxury models.

New Transmission

All 2012 models (except the C63 AMG with its MCT transmission) feature a new seven-speed automatic transmission with a more advanced torque converter lock-up clutch that provides even better fuel mileage, more responsive driving and increased durability. The new transmission is also designed to work best with a new type of low-viscosity ATF transmission fluid - tinted blue instead of the usual red. Together with new planetary gears, bearings and seals, the "FE-ATF" fluid provides less friction and improved fuel mileage.

Award-Winning MCT Transmission

Adapted from high-end V8-powered AMG models, the cutting-edge MCT transmission in the high-performance C63 AMG features a start-up clutch that replaces the torque converter. The seven-speed MCT sports transmission provides the direct feedback of a manual transmission with the total convenience of an automatic, offering impressive versatility and even faster shift times.

For C63 AMG owners who are serious about competing on the race track, an optional AMG Development Package features lightweight forged pistons, connecting rods and crankshaft with modified engine management that together provide an extra 30 horsepower, for a total of 481 hp. The AMG Development Package also includes two-piece brakes with red calipers, carbon-fiber rear spoiler and a higher speed limiter of 174 mph.

New-Generation Telematics

2012 models are equipped with a new 5.8-inch color display that includes a Bluetooth interface for wireless audio streaming and hands-free phone operation, an FM phase-diversity twin tuner, HD/AM/weatherband, an MP3-compatible CD drive and a USB port in the center console.

An optional COMAND system comes with a larger seven-inch color display, GPS navigation, rear-view camera, a ten-gigabyte music storage hard drive, an SD card slot, voice control and an in-dash CD / DVD player. The powerful navigation system offers many new features, including Sirius real-time traffic info, the ability to show alternate routes before choosing them and record routes while driving as well as a 3D city-map display and a compass overlay.

COUPE DESIGN

A Dynamic "Three-Box" Coupe Silhouette

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe is a two-door, four-seat car of classic proportions. Based on the highly successful sedan, the new coupe embodies bold, yet elegant exterior styling with a dynamic three-box coupe silhouette topped off with a standard Panorama sunroof. While its exterior dimensions are similar to the sedan, the coupe roofline is about 1½ inches lower.

Dominated by its radiator grille, the front end of the new coupe has a bold and resolute presence. Within the grille, two chrome fins on each side of the centrally-positioned star taper to the sides, emphasizing the raked horizontal lines at the front, and a black threedimensional mesh insert behind the fins enhances its sporty look.

Headlights Reminiscent of a High-Tech Camera

Below the front bumper, side air intakes and horizontal daytime running lights accentuate the coupe's bold stance, as do headlight assemblies contoured into the front fenders. Turn signals sit at the outer edges of the headlight modules, low beams in the middle and high beams to the inside. With optional bi-xenon headlights, the sense of stylistic depth is amplified. C-shaped positioning lights identify the car at night, and behind them, cornering lights extend toward the main light modules, while a wideband row of LED turn signals at the base underscore the look of both light assemblies.

An Unmistakably Raked Look

The new front hood emphasizes the new coupe's unmistakably wedged-shaped lines. Visually tying together the lights, grille and front bumper, the lines of the hood naturally lead the eye to the windshield, which is more sharply angled than on the sedan. From the side, the profile of the coupe is defined by its short overhangs, a long front hood, the raked windshield and an elongated roof line. The greenhouse begins at its long doors and extends behind the rear wheels to a relatively flat rear window.

A Short, Sporty Rear

The beltline, which sweeps upward toward the rear, intensifies the car's wedge shape and leads to the uniquely-coupe C pillars, which form a taut, angular signature line at the rear. All of these angles, plus a wide bevel at the top edge of the trunk lid, accentuate the shortness of the car's rear section, which helps define its sporty look.

Taillights positioned at the far corners emphasize the width of the rear. Visual depth was achieved by integrating the LED turn signals in the center of the taillight assemblies, so they appear to float over the recessed LED light strips. The overall effect is eye-catching, making the car recognizable, especially at night. At the base of the rear bumper, between the exhaust outlets, an air diffuser lightens the look of the rear, lending an additional sporty flair.

A Distinctive Look for the C63 AMG

With its deeper front apron, distinctive AMG daytime running lights and lower ride height, the new C63 AMG is easy to spot. A single wing-like slat in the grille and power domes on the hood are also unique to the new AMG model.

From the side, special touches include new, high-gloss AMG five-twin-spoke alloy wheels, a "6.3 AMG" badge behind each front wheel and deeper, more aggressive AMG door sills. An AMG rear apron features a striking black three-fin air diffuser and four exhaust outlets.

Inside, an AMG Performance steering wheel greets the driver. Both the top and bottom of the metallic-trimmed wheel are flattened, and the grip areas are covered in perforated leather. However, the most eye-catching difference in the C63 AMG interior is new AMG sport seats that feature integral head restraints and distinctive horizontal seams.

SEDAN DESIGN

The Most Extensive Restyling Ever

For the 2012 model year, the C-Class sedan boasts the most extensive restyling in Mercedes- Benz history. Other than the company's new-generation products, the 2012 sedan line features more new parts than ever before. This year's redesign involved 2,000 new parts, which includes several new safety systems and higher standard equipment levels.

A Cool Makeover

The front end restyling includes a recontoured hood and bumper as well as new headlights. The new aluminum front hood better accentuates the sweeping lines of the front end, especially around the grille and headlights. Design lines that begin from the middle of the bumper sweep around to the side, in a design sense, connecting the front and sides. In a similar way, air intakes in the sides of the bumper help make the car appear connected to the road.

As in the coupe, sedan headlights feature a clear-glass look, with turn signals at the outer edges, low beams in the middle and high beams to the inside. The optional bi-xenon headlights include C-shaped positioning lights that clearly identify the car at night, and behind them, cornering lights extend toward the main light modules, while a wide band of LED turn signals at the base underscore the look of both light assemblies.

An Elegant Profile

Viewing the sedan from the side, its elegant style is characterized by the interplay of striking lines and large contoured surfaces. A wide, muscular shoulder line visually supports the side windows, roof pillars and roof, forming one sweeping line from the front all the way to the rear and elegantly stretching the body. Complementing the shoulder line, a character line emerges organically from the front fender and rises toward the rear, forming a boundary between the convex and concave door surfaces - emphasizing light and shadow.

For all its elegance, the design of the C-Class emphasizes its sporty character with wide track, prominent fender lines and large wheel wells. The shoulder curve and C-pillar join to form a line that flows to the rear, and the character line below it flows into the trunk lid, visually shortening the rear overhang and helping to create a stylish, athletic rear end.

A Redesigned Rear

Like the front, the redesigned rear of the 2012 C-Class sedan includes a new bumper and LED lights covered in a smooth one-piece clear lens. In particular, the edge of the bumper is more steeply angled as it approaches the taillight assemblies, and a light-catching contour at the top of the bumper wraps around to the side, visually connecting rear to the sides and giving it a sportier character. Between the exhaust outlets, the bottom of the bumper recedes, making the rear of the car appear lighter.

Proceed to the following link in order to download the complete technical guide of the new C-Class Coupe and Sedan (PDF file):

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart/Mannheim, Germany, May 20, 2011

Teams from all departments – from Development to Production to Sales & Marketing to After Sales – worked in close collaboration with one another during the development of the new Citaro. Their joint objective was to achieve supreme quality, in order to best prepare the new Citaro for the rigours of urban and rural regular-service operation


State-of-the-art design and development methods

The top quality achieved in the series production of the new Citaro is rooted in state-of-the-art development methods, such as HiL (Hardware in the Loop) and CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering). Examples for this type of quality assurance include component strength analyses, evaluation of vehicle vibrations and crash test simulations – all this and more is carried out by computer.
All safety-relevant components were analysed using the FMEA method in the early phases of development. The failure mode and effects analysis seeks to anticipate potential problems and prevent them. To put it in simple terms: the developers check everything that might go wrong in advance and undertake appropriate measures, thereby eliminating faults before they even occur. The development findings were backed up by numerous computer-aided calculations for components and assemblies as well as for the vehicle as a whole.

A laboratory bus examines production

The troubleshooting carried out during development of the new Citaro was not a purely theoretical affair, however: all the main body segments were scrutinised in rough form during the development phase when the prototype was built. It was therefore possible to examine potential cable chafing points, component accessibility or other critical issues directly on the vehicle, right from the outset.

The very first prototype of the new Citaro was already assembled on the production line so that any problems in the manufacturing process could be remedied immediately. Besides this, a special “laboratory bus” passed through each production station several times. Using this procedure, Mercedes-Benz was able to train the production workers and, at the same time, identify critical processes. Exact prototype protocols were kept to log all change requests for the bodyshop, assembly and testing, for instance. Workshops were held at regular intervals to resolve any flaws and document the progress in detail.

Testing under the toughest conditions on test rigs and the road

Individual components and assemblies, as well as complete buses were put to the test under the toughest conditions. The new doors, for example, were subject to endurance testing on test rigs, when they had to complete one million load cycles - the equivalent of a bus's entire service life – without any damage. Tests with seven carefully camouflaged prototypes were then conducted at the proving ground as well as on the road. Rigorous testing was also carried out in extreme climatic conditions, meaning that the new Citaro has already faced both the bitter cold of the Scandinavian winter and the searing summer heat in Spain and Turkey. The new urban bus furthermore had to prove its mettle in rough-road and endurance testing, which included a circuit of specially selected poor roads in remote regions of Turkey.

Successfully completed crash tests and pendulum impact tests in accordance with the ECE R29 standard for coaches, as well as rollover calculations based on the future ECE R66/01 standard, are testimony to the design’s high standard of safety.

The extensive programme of testing concludes this spring when new Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses will commence customer trials in everyday regular-service operation before series production gets underway.

The new Citaro: launching with rigid and articulated buses

Mercedes-Benz will be phasing in the high-volume model versions of the new Citaro over the course of 2011. The focus will be on urban and rural variants with a length of 12 metres and 2 or 3 doors, as well as the urban and rural versions of the articulated Citaro bus with 3 or 4 doors. The buses are driven by horizontal or vertical diesel engines from the OM 906 and OM 457 series in the familiar versions and power ratings. Further variants of the new Citaro will follow in 2012. The new Mercedes-Benz Citaro has been future-proofed, with all installation spaces already prepared for the future Euro VI emissions standard. The corresponding drive units will be launched at a later time. This progressive switch to the new model generation guarantees thorough testing of all versions, high quality, plus a continuous supply of vehicles without any disruption to customer deliveries. The complete range of new Mercedes-Benz Citaro models, including all rigid and articulated variants, the low-entry Citaro LE as well as the CapaCity, is due to become available over the course of 2012/2013.