Entire next-gen Mercedes C-Class range to get four-cylinder power

Monday, 15 February 2021

It’s confirmed – the entire refreshed C-Class range will get four-cylinder power and an automatic gearbox. That includes high-performance AMG variants.

This was always going to happen, with reports emerging earlier in February of such a change.

It won’t surprise anyone to hear that “severe regulations” are the driving force behind the ditching of big engines in favour of turbocharged and electrified engines.

The new C-Class is set to debut in the next few weeks but fans of big engines are set to be disappointed.

Every model in the line-up will use a four-cylinder engine of some description, with the C 63 going ahead with the 400kW/800Nm-plus powerplant, using a worked version of its unruly turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder in the A 45 S along with a plug-in hybrid set-up.

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Talking to Car and Driver about the W206-generation of C-Class, chief engineer Christian Früh confirmed the engine change, as well as saying the mid-size sedan will stick to a rear-wheel drive architecture sourced from the S-Class.

There won’t be any optional air suspension, but the chassis will have different set-ups with electronically adjustable dampers on the top-end version.

Mercedes-Benz will also offer rear-axle steering for the first time, presumably another top-end-only luxury.

It’s unclear if the AMG C 43 will move to the ‘53’ nomenclature, indicating electrification.

Other C-Class models will also get electric assistance to varying degrees. Car and Driver says plug-in versions of diesel and petrol models are coming while all other versions will have a 48-volt mild hybrid system.

Further C-Class improvements mean a revamped interior with more digitisation, a larger touchpad and a portrait-oriented infotainment screen. The head-up display now projects information ahead of the car (or makes it look like it does).

The new C-Class is set to debut at the end of February, with sales set to kick off in late 2021 or early 2022.