STUTTGART, Germany — Instead of Frankfurt, Detroit or Tokyo, Mercedes-Benz has chosen the Berlin Fashion Week, which takes place in late January, as the perfect location to present its new compact coupe, the CLC.
The styling cues are pretty similar to those of the all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Avantgarde (W204), including the large brand logo in the grille and the arrow-shaped front end. But the design team had to obey clear limits set by the fact that the CLC uses the same old C203 platform as its predecessor, the C-Class Sport Coupe.
Taking that into account, the new car only grew 2.8 inches in length to 173.6 inches, while all the other measurements remained largely untouched. Although the interior cannot hide its roots, Mercedes has done a pretty good job of updating it. The steering wheel has a fresh new design and optional multifunction controls; the all-new COMAND APS navigation system now provides an SD card reader, hard-drive storage for more than a thousand of your favorite tunes, plus a fully integrated iPod interface, and the panoramic glass sunroof brings a bit of the big Benz's luxurious flavor.
The marketing experts from Stuttgart have decided to launch the hatchback with four four-cylinder and two six-cylinder engines, providing power outputs ranging from 122 horsepower to 272 hp. The direct-steer system, which comes standard with the sports package, emphasizes the manufacturer's ambition to create a car with agile, responsive handling and a dynamic ride quality.
What this means to you: Not much, since at this time, Mercedes has no plans to sell it in the U.S.. — Max Kacher, Correspondent
The styling cues are pretty similar to those of the all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Avantgarde (W204), including the large brand logo in the grille and the arrow-shaped front end. But the design team had to obey clear limits set by the fact that the CLC uses the same old C203 platform as its predecessor, the C-Class Sport Coupe.
Taking that into account, the new car only grew 2.8 inches in length to 173.6 inches, while all the other measurements remained largely untouched. Although the interior cannot hide its roots, Mercedes has done a pretty good job of updating it. The steering wheel has a fresh new design and optional multifunction controls; the all-new COMAND APS navigation system now provides an SD card reader, hard-drive storage for more than a thousand of your favorite tunes, plus a fully integrated iPod interface, and the panoramic glass sunroof brings a bit of the big Benz's luxurious flavor.
The marketing experts from Stuttgart have decided to launch the hatchback with four four-cylinder and two six-cylinder engines, providing power outputs ranging from 122 horsepower to 272 hp. The direct-steer system, which comes standard with the sports package, emphasizes the manufacturer's ambition to create a car with agile, responsive handling and a dynamic ride quality.
What this means to you: Not much, since at this time, Mercedes has no plans to sell it in the U.S.. — Max Kacher, Correspondent
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