Mercedes has unveiled the long wheel base version of their C Class for the Chinese market
Chinese car buyers are known for their love for Extended Wheel Base versions of popular cars. Many OEMs, including the ones which operate in mass market or the luxury car segment, continue to bring in Extended Wheelbase variants of their cars to China to cater to the specific demands of customers.
At the ongoing 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, Mercedes has brought in an all new 2021 C Class L. As the nomenclature suggests, the model is an extended wheel base variant of the standard C Class. However, there is more to the model, rather than just some additional mm of leg space. Let’s find out!
Additional Space
While Mercedes hasn’t officially revealed the dimensions of the C Class L, the Chinese automotive media claims that the sedan will measure 4,882 mm in length, 1,820 mm in width and 1,461 mm in height.
This will help the variant to be 89 mm longer than the standard C Class and 34 mm longer than the previous generation C Class L. When compared with the competition, its wheel base (2,954 mm) will be longer than that of Audi A4 L (2,908 mm), but will be marginally shorter than the BMW 3 Series L (2,961 mm).
Additional Features
As stated earlier, Mercedes has added more than just few additional millimeters to the sedan. To begin with, the sedan gets an all new grille design which will help the sedan to differentiate itself from the standard C Class.
The changes aren’t restricted to the outside, as even on the inside, Mercedes will be offering some additional features like bigger armrests at the rear seat, better sound proofing, improved suspension, plusher head restraints and much more.
Majority of the features on the inside have been added to further improve the ride experience for the owners, who will presumably spend majority of their time in the rear seats.
Powertrain Options
As of now, the 2021 C Class will be sold only in China. The German automaker will be launching the sedan in 2 trim levels, C200 L and C260 L. As per reports, the C200 L will get a 168 hp 1.5 litre motor while the C260 L will be getting two engine options, a 201 hp 1.5 litre mild hybird motor or a 201 hp 2 litre unit. A 9-speed Automatic Transmission will be offered as standard across the range while Mercedes’ 4Matic All Wheel Drive system will be reserved for the top-end variants.
Price and Competition
Post launch, the C Class L will be competing with its competitors like the BMW 3 Series L and Audi A4 L. Pricing details haven’t been revealed as of now but the sedan should be pricier by around INR 3-5 L (post currency conversion) than the standard C Class. The sedan will be manufactured by Beijing Benz, which happens to be a JV between Daimler and BAIC Motor.
