Mercedes C-class (W206)


Debut: 2021
Maker: Mercedes-Benz
Predecessor: C-class (W205)



 Published on 28 Oct 2021
All rights reserved. 


Born in a transitional period and compromised with new technologies and market challenges, it won’t be the most memorable C-class.


I like the sequential codenames Mercedes used for its cars. The first small Mercedes was the W201 series (aka “190E”) launched in 1982. 5 generations and almost 40 years later, we arrive at W206 C-class. Over the years, the C-class has gained a bit of size and weight, but its character and market positioning remain unchanged. This is still a junior executive car with emphasis on build quality and comfort, unlike its arch-rival BMW 3-Series which majors on performance and driving thrills. This strategy works, as the C-class has always been the best seller of Mercedes.

The W206 arrives at a time when the automotive industry is facing the biggest ever change. On the one hand, it needs to respond to the request for electrification (either from legislation or customer demands), on the other hand it needs to migrate to the digital world. Unfortunately, both cost a lot to develop, so Mercedes has less budget to spend on the rest of the car. This explains why the W206 has an evolutionary chassis and range of powertrains. From mechanical point of view, the W206 might be the least interesting C-class ever.

The exterior design is certainly evolutionary. It gets slightly sleeker but its minimum Cd remains the same at 0.24. It adopts the inverted front grille as found on other Mercedes, as well as double power budges on the bonnet. Looking so much like the E-class and S-class, it completes the Russian-doll trilogy.



The mechanical package is an evolution of the last W205 generation.


Predictably, the car gets larger again, being 65mm longer, 10mm wider and 25mm longer in wheelbase, although height is reduced by 5mm. This distance itself further from the A-class sedan and should offer its occupants a little bit more room.

It also retains the old car's suspension, which consists of 4-link up front and multi-link at the rear. As before, you may opt for stiffer and lower sport suspension setup or adaptive dampers, but air suspension option has been ditched – it was never a popular choice anyway. The only exception is PHEV model, which has air suspension fitted standard to its rear axle in order to deal with the extra weight of its boot-mounted battery. 4-wheel steering option is probably the only new technology, but it is strange for this segment. Anyway, 4WS is not exactly a new technology. We saw it in Nissan Skyline since 1985.

The engines are also mostly carried over, albeit with some minor improvements. For the first time in its history, only 4-cylinder engines are offered to the C-class, which is considered necessary to cut emission. All engines are now fitted with EQ Boost mild hybrid system, which uses a 48V integrated starter generator to provide an additional 20hp during acceleration. Petrol engines include 1.5-liter turbo with either 170hp (C180) or 204hp (C200) and 2-liter turbo with 258hp (C300). Diesel engine is an updated 2.0-liter twin-turbo, now with 2700-bar injection, both turbos converted to VTG and a slightly longer stroke to lift its capacity to 1992 c.c. It produces either 163hp (C200d), 200hp (C220d) or 265hp (C300d). The latter is good for 0-60 in 5.4 seconds, quicker than even the petrol C300. That said, without a 6-cylinder motor, the new C-class has nothing to fight against BMW M340i.



Without a 6-cylinder motor, it has nothing to fight against BMW M340i.


Most resources have been directed to the C300e plug-in hybrid, which gains a stronger permanently excited synchronous motor with 129 hp to mate with the 2-liter turbo engine for a combined output of 313 hp. Its battery capacity is nearly doubled to 25.4kWh, enabling an electric range of 100km and for speeds up to 87mph. Unfortunately, the PHEV is an astonishing 400kg heavier than its petrol sister, compromising performance and handling. PHEV has always been seen as an interim solution to satisfy policy makers, so don't expect it to be the real deal.

On the road, the W206 brings no surprises in driving dynamics. Among all powertrains, the C300d diesel is most impressive, delivering a relaxing manner with its smooth power delivery, remarkable refinement and strong mid-range. The 9G-tronic gearbox shifts crisply and smoothly when paired with this engine. C300 petrol lacks the diesel’s mid-range shove, so it needs to work a bit harder. The smaller engine of C200 is weaker again thus it feels a bit strained when revved.

Handicapped by a 2000kg kerbweight, the C300e never feels as quick as its 0-60 time of 5.8 seconds suggested. When run in battery power alone, it delivers the typical refinement of EVs. Push harder, the engine takes a moment to wake up, and when does so, the engine sounds boomy. Brake feel is far from satisfactory, too, with a soft initial response and abrupt pick-up when mechanical brakes engage. The soft-setting air suspension returns a smooth ride, but fails to contain body roll and understeer in fast corner.

The lighter petrol and diesel models are better. While they are no 3-Series in handling precision and Alfa Giulia in agility, they display decent body control and excellent grip. The steering is well-weighted but feels numb. The brake pedal feels mushy. However, they do ride smoother and calmer than the BMW, worthing the Mercedes badge. What they don’t is setting any new standards, because the chassis is evolutionary.


Open the doors, you will realize where most money is spent.


Open the doors, you will realize where most money is spent. The C-class has the most desirable interior of the segment, something you might call a “mini S-class”. The design is sleek, the material quality high, the textures and decorations are nicely executed. Technology is superbly integrated. You get a 12.3-inch cowl-less TFT instrument whose interface is configurable and changes according to driving modes. You get an S-class-style 11.9-inch portrait floating touchscreen. The graphics looks crisped and responds quickly to input. By tilting and orienting the touchscreen slightly towards the driver, access is made easier. The “Hey Mercedes” voice control gets smarter and more matured. Augmented reality head-up display projects virtual image to the windscreen. The C-class looks almost as high-tech from the cabin as the S-class flagship.

Cabin space is more limited, of course. Although Mercedes claims the extra size gives 21mm more legroom and 13mm more shoulder room to the rear passengers, it still feels smaller than the rear space of 3-Series. Those taller than 6-feet will find headroom at a premium, while the wide transmission tunnel limits the middle rear seat to short trips. Luggage space is also a bit smaller at 455 liters. In case of plug-in hybrid, it reduces further to 315 liters. 

As Mercedes promised to go all-electric from 2030 and launch only electric platforms from 2025, it is safe to say the next generation C-class will be shifted to a full-electric platform. Whether it will be still called “C-class” or EQC is uncertain, but W206 is certain to be the last combustion C-class. Born in a transitional period and compromised with new technologies and market challenges, it won’t be the most memorable C-class.
Verdict: 
 Published on 18 Oct 2022
All rights reserved. 
AMG C43


Switching from 6 to 4-cylinder is a poorest decision we have ever seen from AMG...


The big news of the new generation C43 is the switch to 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine from the last 3.0-liter V6, so you must be thinking the return of 190E 2.5-16? Sorry, as we shall see, it is neither a road-going race engine nor a green power as AMG wants you to believe. It’s a failed experiment that AMG will regret for many years to come.

The concept of downsizing is interesting these days. On the one hand, AMG’s engineers said it is the only way to go under tightening legislation. On the other hand, it emphasizes that the new M139L motor is not only the longitudinal version of the one employed by A45, but it employs the world’s first production electric turbocharger, a technology developed from Mercedes’ F1 engines. Formula One tech! So downsizing is not all that bad, isn’t it?

Like Formula One’s MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit - Heat), the Garrett-built turbo is an exhaust gas turbocharger added with a thin electric motor between the compressor wheel and exhaust turbine. At lower revs when the exhaust gas is not sufficient to drive the turbine, the electric motor takes the responsibility to spool up the turbine and produce boost. When the engine revs up and produces more exhaust gas than the turbocharger needs, MGU-H acts as a generator, recapturing the heat energy from exhaust stream that would be otherwise released from the wastegate. It sounds easy, but the most difficult is to minimize the size of this electric motor to fit into the limited space of turbocharger while is also heat-resisting enough to sustain the high temperatures found in a turbocharger. On the M139L, the electric turbo is driven by the 48V battery system which supplies also the belt-driven starter generator of mild-hybrid system.

High-tech it sounds, but how effective is it? Output is 408 horsepower, not quite as high as the A45 S unit with conventional turbo, but that is due to the use of a smaller turbo for better drivability. At least it is 18 hp higher than the old car’s twin-turbo V6. Max torque is 369 pound-foot, the same as the A45 S engine, but it still arrives at a rather high 5000 rpm, so from figures alone we cannot see its advantage over conventional turbos. More troubling is, the old V6 produced 383 lbft at merely 2500 rpm. AMG claims the new car does 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds, merely an improvement of a tenth. And that improvement is probably down to the 9-speed MCT transmission, whose multi-plate clutch is supposed to deliver quicker shifts than the torque converter of old car.

On the road, the 2.0-liter motor does deliver a virtually lag-free response at lower revs, but just as its torque figures suggested, it builds up power linearly rather than explosively, lacking the mid-range punch of the old V6. Still a pretty quick car, but not as quick as a 400-horsepower car should feel. Moreover, by downgrading from six to four cylinders, it loses a big chunk of aural character. There is still some exhaust pops and crackles on overrun, but some of them are obviously digitally enhanced through audio speakers. When the car cruises quietly on highway, you will see the true manner of its motor.

What made us doubt AMG’s decision to switch to 4-cylinder is, it is not especially green either. The last generation C43 had CO2 emission rated at 208 grams each kilometer. The new car is just marginally better at 206 grams. What the hell AMG did? Most ridiculous, the current E53, a much larger and heavier car itself, manages 207 grams of emission with its 3-liter turbo and electric-supercharged straight-six ! And it goes without saying that a straight-six must sound much better than a four-pot ! Not to mention extra smoothness and enthusiasm for rev. If I were AMG boss, the new C43 would have been powered by the straight-six, whose 435 hp and 383 lbft output would improve performance, too.

So why didn’t AMG think of that? They were not fools, of course. The answer is they had already decided to turn the range-topping C63 into a plug-in hybrid. With a powerful and heavy electric rear axle, using a downsized engine becomes more logical. Unfortunately, when C63 is turning to 4-cylinder, you cannot make the C43 6-cylinder, can you? If buyers found the smaller car rev smoother and sing better, that will be a nightmare to the range-topper. That’s why the C43 has to sacrifice.

But the problem of the new car is not limited to engine. Its 9G MCT gearbox is also flawed, delivering curiously slow downshift in manual mode. AMG put that to preproduction car glitches and promise the tuning will be improved. However, such an obvious problem should not have happened in a world debut test drive event, especially considering the superb track records of Mercedes-Benz. I believe, if Tobias Moers was still at the helm of AMG, he would not have signed off something like this.

As for other aspects of its dynamic quality, the new C43 is reasonably good without scoring distinction. Like last generation, it employs 4matic as standard, which uses a planetary differential to send 31 percent torque to the front, 69 percent to the rear, accompanied with a multiplate clutch locking device. Combined with newly added active rear-wheel steering, the handling feels neutral enough. The Michelin PS 4S tires offer bags of grip, so much that it is hard to break loose the tail. At the limit it runs into mild understeer, no matter how hard you try to unsettle its back axle. Power slide is just not an option in its DNA.

The combination of steel suspension springs, standard adaptive dampers, some bespoke suspension components and chassis-reinforcing braces results in good body control, but the downside is a ride best to be described as firm, even at Comfort mode. Steering is direct and accurate, but feels springy and artificial. Overall, the car is a competent mid-range performance car but lacks any qualities to thrill its driver.

Problem is, AMG is overoptimistic about its attractiveness. The new C43 is priced from £64,000, a full £10,000 higher than BMW M340i xDrive which is quicker, steers sweeter, rides better and comes with one of the best 6-cylinder motors in the world. Zero difficulty to choose between the two German rivals this time.
Verdict:
 Published on 12 Jun 2023
All rights reserved. 
AMG C63 S E-Performance


New C63 falls victims to the trend of electrification.


Weighing over 2 tons without occupants, the new C63 S E Performance is by far the heaviest C-class ever built. Ridiculously, it has the fewest cylinder count, too. While its ancestor 190E was fitted with some hot 4-cylinder engines, since the line got the C-class name in the early 1990s, its AMG models sought power from either straight-six, V6 or V8, and most often the latter. However, in the view of tightening emission limits and the migration to full electric power, AMG has taken a bold change, hence the first AMG C63 powered by a 4-pot engine and plug-in hybrid power.

Undoubtedly, losing a mighty V8 and its sonorous induction and exhaust note will raise many eyebrows. To compensate, AMG has no choice but to increase power and performance way beyond its predecessor. Here comes the eye-popping figures: 680 horsepower in total and 752 lbft of torque. That's 170 hp and 236 lbft more than the outgoing V8 model! Translate to speed, it means 0-60 mph cut by 0.6s to merely 3.3 ticks, beating the new BMW M3 Competition xDrive by a tenth. On the downside, top speed slides from 180 to 174 mph if you opt for AMG driver package. Otherwise, it is still capped at 155 mph.

Codenamed M139L, the 2.0-liter turbo engine is not just the longitudinal version of the M139 unit that powers A45 but is also benefited from new development, most notably an electrically assisted turbo that is both larger, hence boosting pressure up to 1.6 bar, and far more responsive at lower revs. In fact, the same arrangement has been using on SL43 as well as the lesser C43, but while those versions rely on 48V electrical system to power the electric turbocharger, the C63 makes use of its 400V battery system. No wonder it is easily the most powerful production 4-cylinder ever built, with maximum output rated at 476 hp at 6750 rpm, while max. torque reaches a new height of 402 lbft at 5250-5500 rpm. That's 55 hp and 33 lbft stronger than its A45 S sibling.



680 hp sounds spectacular, but it doesn't feel as much in the real world due to various factors.


The electric part of the hybrid equation is plug-and-play, taking straight from the recent GT63 S E Performance. It combines a 204 hp / 236 lbft electric motor, a 2-speed gearbox (which switches to the higher gear from 87 mph) and an electronic-controlled LSD in a single package called Electric Drive Unit (EDU), mounted at the rear axle. Right above the EDU is a 6.1 kWh lithium battery pack, which gives a dismal zero-emission range of 8 miles but can supply 95 horsepower continuously or 204 hp for up to 10 seconds. This means, the C63 S E-Performance is capable to deliver its maximum 680 horsepower for 10 seconds, or 571 horsepower until the battery dries up, and thereafter only 476 hp. No wonder its top speed is actually down from the old car.

Up until now, all C63 models have been rear-wheel drive only. With a lot more power to handle now, AMG decided to install its 4matic+ system as standard on the new car. As in the case of GT63 S E Performance, engine power goes through the 9-speed MCT transmission to a multi-plate clutch, which can vary torque split between front and rear depending on conditions and drive modes, but normally rear-biased. The EDU's power can also flow to the front axle through the mechanical linkage, although that case will be seldom.

With more power and weight to tame, requirement for the chassis is also lifted. Therefore, it comes standard with active rear-wheel steering, which turns to opposite direction below 62 mph to reduce turning circle, or in the same direction above that speed to enhance stability. The suspension keeps steel springs but gets adaptive dampers with separate reservoirs. Needless to say, tracks have been widened and ride height is lowered compared with the regular C-class models, while steering knuckles are new.


You feel every bit of its mass under braking, over bumps or pushing to the limit.


All these enhancement and complexity add weight. The EDU and battery combined to add about 250 kg, and the whole car now tips the DIN scale at 2036 kg, or 380 kg more than its V8-powered predecessor. A BMW M3 Competition xDrive, itself no lightweight as well, is 256 kilograms lighter. Rear-drive M3 Competition is over 300 kg lighter.

Apart from more weight and power, the more complex C63 also gains cost. Now it starts from around £90,000, and with a few options ticked it could easily surpass £100K, crazy. On the plus side, the official CO2 emission rating drops from 244 to 156 grams per km, may save you some money in taxes or fuel bills, but in reality it is no more frugal than its predecessor.

On the Road

Expectation for a 6-figures price car is inevitably higher. The same goes for something claimed to offer close to 700 horsepower and accelerate from 0-60 mph in just over 3 seconds. The question is, can AMG’s engineers do wonder to mask the negative effect of extra weight and the loss of V8 thunder? Unfortunately, the answer is negative.



If it were Porsche, I suppose they would not have rolled out such an underachieved product to the market.


Until now, a big part of AMG experience has been the tremendous power and sound of its big V8s. The M139L lacks both. On paper, its output sounds superior to even the outgoing twin-turbo V8, but that 680 hp of full thrust is available only in Race mode and for merely 10 seconds. Keep pushing, especially when driving on a track, the output drops back and, coupling to the extra weight, the C63 doesn’t feel as quick as the old car actually. The power delivery is also to blame. Despite an electric turbo, peak torque of the four-cylinder engine does not arrive until 5250 rpm. It takes a moment to pick up and more revs to pile up the power, lacking the low-rev grunt and the explosive manner of the old V8. Meanwhile, it lacks also the high-rev enthusiasm of the V8, touching the rev limiter all too easily. And the sound? Night and day difference. It sounds plain at lower revs, getting sportier at the upper end, yet no more special than a hot hatch motor. In contrast, the old V8 thrills at whatever rev you give it.

In normal driving, the C63 hides its bulk pretty well. The ride is quite comfortable in Comfort mode. The rear-wheel steering helps you to forget its weight in tighter corners. The body control and traction are also good in everyday driving. However, push it harder, its handling starts getting out of shape. You feel its mass under heavy braking, which is more reluctant to shed speed. The brake pedal feels mushy, the steering is lifeless. Body control is easier to be unsettled by surface changes and mid-corner bumps as if the suspension fails to contain its tremendous weight. Pushing on a track, the extra mass also leads to persistent understeer in fast corners. It never gets out of your mind. In the end, you adapt to its limitation, start driving in a measured way, managing the front end and feeding the brake earlier. You learn not to abuse it, which is a shame. Even in Drift mode, the new car doesn’t play powerslide as intuitively as in the old car. The brawny C63 is dead.

If the C63 S E Performance previews the electric future of AMG, then its future will be really worrying, because a full-electric C63 could be heavier and quieter still. More worrying is the way AMG engineers developed it and how its management accepted the outcome. If it were Porsche, I suppose they would not have rolled out such an underachieved product to the market.
Verdict:

Specifications





Year
Layout
Chassis
Body
Length / width / height
Wheelbase
Engine
Capacity
Valve gears
Induction
Other engine features
Max power
Max torque
Transmission
Suspension layout
Suspension features
Tires
Kerb weight
Top speed
0-60 mph (sec)
0-100 mph (sec)
C200
2021
Front-engined, RWD
Steel + aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4751 / 1820 / 1437 mm
2865 mm
Inline-4, mild hybrid
1496 cc
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT
Turbo
DI
204 hp
221 lbft
9-speed automatic
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
-
205/55R17
1575 kg
153 mph (c)
6.9 (c)
-
C300
2021
Front-engined, RWD, 4WS
Steel + aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4751 / 1820 / 1437 mm
2865 mm
Inline-4, mild hybrid
1999 cc
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT
Turbo
DI
258 hp
295 lbft
9-speed automatic
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping
F: 225/45R18; R: 245/40R18
1600 kg
155 mph (limited)
5.7 (c)
-
C300d
2021
Front-engined, RWD, 4WS
Steel + aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4751 / 1820 / 1437 mm
2865 mm
Inline-4, diesel, mild hybrid
1992 cc
DOHC 16 valves
VTG turbo
CDI
265 hp
406 lbft
9-speed automatic
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping
F: 225/45R18; R: 245/40R18
1700 kg
155 mph (limited)
5.4 (c)
-




Performance tested by: -





Year
Layout
Chassis
Body
Length / width / height
Wheelbase
Engine
Capacity
Valve gears
Induction
Other engine features
Max power
Max torque
Transmission
Suspension layout
Suspension features
Tires
Kerb weight
Top speed
0-60 mph (sec)
0-100 mph (sec)
C300e
2021
Front-engined, RWD, 4WS
Steel + aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4751 / 1820 / 1437 mm
2865 mm
Inline-4 + electric motor
1999 cc, battery 25.4kWh
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT
Turbo
DI
204 hp + 129 hp = 313 hp
236 lbft + 324 lbft = 406 lbft
9-speed automatic
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping, rear air springs
F: 225/45R18; R: 245/40R18
2005 kg
152 mph (c)
5.8 (c)
-
AMG C43 4matic
2022
Front-engined, 4WD, 4WS
Steel + aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4791 / 1824 / 1450 mm
2865 mm
Inline-4, mild hybrid
1991 cc
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT, VVL
Electric turbo
DI
408 hp / 6750 rpm
369 lbft / 5000 rpm
9-speed MCT
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping
All: 245/40ZR20
1765 kg
165 mph (limited)
4.4 (c) / 3.9*
9.8*
AMG C63 S E-Performance
2023
Front-engined, 4WD, 4WS
Steel + aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4842 / 1900 / 1458 mm
2875 mm
Inline-4 + electric motor
1991 cc
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT, VVL
Electric turbo
DI
476 + 204 = 680 hp / 6750 rpm
402 + 236 = 752 lbft / 5250 rpm
9-speed MCT
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping
F: 265/35ZR20; R: 275/35ZR20
2036 kg
174 mph (limited)
3.3 (c) / 2.9* / 3.3**
7.1* / 7.6**




Performance tested by: *C&D, **Autocar





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C-class Sedan


AMG C43


AMG C63 S E-Performance



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