Detroit: The All New Mercedes-Benz C Class

[rage2]

http://www.beyond.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015-mercedes-benz-c-class-naias-2014-10.jpg

http://www.beyond.ca/detroit-the-all-new-mercedes-benz-c-class/32081.html

[rage2]

Some thoughts after spending more time with the car in the afternoon. Exterior, wasn't a huge fan of the new body style, but after seeing the C400 which I think has AMG body pieces, it's starting to grow on me. The interior is impressive, the C class pretty much has the level of refinement found in the CLS and above. Very impressive for this segment. The rear legroom has been improved quite a bit, it's still tight for me but it's no longer claustrophobic back there. Rear headroom has also improved.

It's weird sitting in the car. It does not feel like a C class at all. Makes the W204 look ghetto. I couldn't figure out the touch interface, only spent 5 mins inside the car. Would be curious to see how well it works while driving.

The iPad screen still feels like an afterthought, but it's not really distracting at all for some reason. Maybe it's the rest of the upscale interior taking my focus away. The CLA and GLA screens were more noticeable and constantly felt tacked on when I looked at it.

It'll be curious to see what pricing will look like, and how far upscale MB is going with the car. It'll be a killer DD in Calgary if the C400 4Matic is priced aggressively. Coupled with air suspension, it'll be an awesome winter car too, being able to lift the car 3 inches higher for clearance.

[bob9979]

I like the c400 amg line. executive? not so much

[rizfarmer]

Damn. New standard for interiors in this class

[Hakkola]

Love it, I think the headlights could have been a little more aggressive but it looks great!
Grille on that blue one is awful though.
Interior is jaw dropping.

[shakalaka]

Did they have the new C63AMG's there? Curious to check out those.

[K3RMiTdot]

Originally posted by shakalaka
Did they have the new C63AMG's there? Curious to check out those.

nope

[rage2]

Expect the AMG version to get unveiled in New York in April.

[01RedDX]

.

[speedog]

What is up with the drive-in theatre look on the dash? BMW, Audi and now Mercedes? C'mon, they should be able to do better than that.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by speedog
What is up with the drive-in theatre look on the dash? BMW, Audi and now Mercedes? C'mon, they should be able to do better than that.

It really seems to be a complete afterthought on most cars of this generation. I understand they want it as high as possible, so the driver doesn't have to look too far off the road, but there has to be a better way.

[speedog]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
It really seems to be a complete afterthought on most cars of this generation. I understand they want it as high as possible, so the driver doesn't have to look too far off the road, but there has to be a better way.
Well drivers have always had to look a ways off to adjust HVAC controls or entertainment systems and while I'll agree that a driver having to adjust their sight lines less is a good idea, a big square rectangle plopped up on top of the dash just isn't cutting it - it looks cheap and very out of place (kind of like a cheap after-market add-on). Maybe move the three vents up and plop the screen below that and integrate it into the dash nicely at the same time.

[KRyn]

The front end doesn't appear proportional to the rear end and it looks like the car has a raked stance. But overall, not bad.

[clem24]

I've said it before.. I think it's a good solution though I would've preferred a motorized solution so you can hide the screen. The alternative is another hump in the dash (yuck) or in some cars, the screen is so far embedded in the top of dash and SOOO far away from you.

The Audi solution seems to be putting the NAV screen inside your gauge cluster:

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/new-audi-tt-interior-revealed-2014-01-08

Which i think is absolute information overload, PLUS the fact that you have to look DOWN into the gauge cluster which completely takes your eyes off the road, whereas the Merc solution allows you to glance at the screen with your peripheral vision (or vice versa - looking at the screen while still keeping the road in your peripheral).

I think the Merc solution is still the lesser of all evils, but like I said, would've been perfect if there was a way to retract the screen into the dash.

[speedog]

Originally posted by clem24
I've said it before.. I think it's a good solution though I would've preferred a motorized solution so you can hide the screen. The alternative is another hump in the dash (yuck) or in some cars, the screen is so far embedded in the top of dash and SOOO far away from you.

The Audi solution seems to be putting the NAV screen inside your gauge cluster:

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/new-audi-tt-interior-revealed-2014-01-08

Which i think is absolute information overload, PLUS the fact that you have to look DOWN into the gauge cluster which completely takes your eyes off the road, whereas the Merc solution allows you to glance at the screen with your peripheral vision (or vice versa - looking at the screen while still keeping the road in your peripheral).

I think the Merc solution is still the lesser of all evils, but like I said, would've been perfect if there was a way to retract the screen into the dash.
Isn't there a Cadillac with a screen that retracts into the dash?

[rage2]

The W204 C Class pre-facelift has a screen that retracts too.

[speedog]

Problem with a retractable screen is that it's probably elevated once the vehicle is turned on or in motion - no option to have it disappear when not in use. Vehicle manufacturers need to find a better way to integrate these screens into their interior design so they don't look like some hideous after-market add-on. It can be done and it has been done on vehicles that cost a whole lot less than these and as such, why the big drive-in theatre look on these higher end vehicles - maybe the target demographic who purchase these vehicles just like that look.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by speedog

Isn't there a Cadillac with a screen that retracts into the dash?

Yes some recent years of SRX, CTS and CTS-V have the retractable screens, they basically are a small screen when retracted then a large screen when extended from the dash.

[clem24]

Originally posted by speedog
Problem with a retractable screen is that it's probably elevated once the vehicle is turned on or in motion - no option to have it disappear when not in use.

Says you.. The C Class has a button that retracts the screen into the dash while driving. Then you just use the standard radio buttons or steering wheel controls to select radio stations, skip a track, etc.. Or use the small LCD display beside the speedo that can show you radio stations, street names, etc.... Can even make phone calls that way too. Works like a charm. And it stays down even when you shut off the car... Unless you have the reverse camera turned on - then it retracts back up when you reverse.

Works like a charm, especially at night time on a dark highway and you don't want a huge LCD screen glaring in your face. And keeps the dash nice and tidy too.

[kenny]

Not sure if its just a new shade of white or what but I never liked white on the previous C-class but it looks great on this new one. Either that or its the newer proportions.

[speedog]

Originally posted by clem24
Says you.. The C Class has a button that retracts the screen into the dash while driving. Then you just use the standard radio buttons or steering wheel controls to select radio stations, skip a track, etc.. Or use the small LCD display beside the speedo that can show you radio stations, street names, etc.... Can even make phone calls that way too. Works like a charm. And it stays down even when you shut off the car... Unless you have the reverse camera turned on - then it retracts back up when you reverse.

Works like a charm, especially at night time on a dark highway and you don't want a huge LCD screen glaring in your face. And keeps the dash nice and tidy too.
Well that's cool and the way it should be. Why then the non-retractable protuberances - someone must be liking them, no?

[Mibz]

Originally posted by kenny
Not sure if its just a new shade of white or what but I never liked white on the previous C-class but it looks great on this new one. Either that or its the newer proportions. It's either a new shade or just the lighting, but you're right. The old calcite white or whatever was never as white as Ibis or whatever Porsche put on the Turbos. The new one looks much better, but I'll wait to see it on the streets instead of a showroom.

[rage2]

So I think I've figured out why the C iPad screen looks better than the GLA/CLA screen. The GLA/CLA is thicker and is further from the dash. The C screen is much closer to the dash, and blends in better.

[kolumbo69]

Any news on whether we will get the estate version in N/A?

[clem24]

Originally posted by Mibz
It's either a new shade or just the lighting, but you're right. The old calcite white or whatever was never as white as Ibis or whatever Porsche put on the Turbos. The new one looks much better, but I'll wait to see it on the streets instead of a showroom.

Yup the white on my car is more like cum white. :eek: