Mercedes-Benz C-Class interior styling, features revealed

The interior styling of the all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class has been officially revealed, along with a raft features and details, ahead of its anticipated unveiling at January’s Detroit auto show.

Coming just a day after a video teaser shed light on the upcoming premium mid-sizer’s exterior design and interior layout, the new images confirm the Mercedes-Benz C-Class cabin will take inspiration from its CLA- and S-Class siblings.

Highlighted by a high and wide centre stack, a 7- or optional 8.4-inch COMAND screen and touch-operated COMAND system controller, the car maker says the new interior compared with the old is “akin to an upgrade from economy to business class on an airline.”

Also new to the C-Class is a head-up display. Sitting above the three-spoke 12-button-equipped leather steering wheel, the head-up system displays current speed, speed limits, navigation instructions and messages from the car’s DISTRONIC PLUS adaptive cruise control with steering assist.

Adding to the sense of luxury, hand-finished white stitched items â€" the upper section of the dashboard, central and door armrests and door panels â€" are joined by switches borrowed from the flagship S-Class along with GPS-sensitive air conditioning.

Part of Mercedes’ Air-Balance package that debuted in the S-Class, the system is linked to the car’s GPS navigation software and ensures the air conditioning unit automatically closes the air recirculation flap in order to prevent fumes entering the vehicle while in tunnels and then reopens the flap once the vehicle has exited the tunnel. The package additionally features “active fragrancing”, ionisation and improved filtration.

A child seat-detecting front passenger airbag sensor is also new technology to the C-Class, touting the ability to automatically deactivate the airbag when a child seat is installed.

Further safety is covered under Mercedes-Benz’s Intelligent Drive systems â€" seen on the new E- and S-Class â€" and comprises Pre-Safe; Brake Assist; Active Parking Assist; Traffic Sign Assist; and Adaptive High-beam Assist Plus.

Coming standard with steel suspension, the new C-Class will be optionally available with AIRMATIC air suspension on both front and rear axles. Electronically controlled and continuously variable, the system allows drivers to select damper characteristics from Comfort and ECO to Sport and Sport Plus. An additional ‘Individual’ setting exists for drivers who wish to configure their own personal preferences.

Despite the boost in equipment and technology, Mercedes says the new C-Class is 100kg lighter than its predecessor thanks to the extensive use of aluminium for the front guards, bonnet, boot lid, doors and roof panelling. Compared with the previous model’s nine per cent use of the lightweight material, the new car sees this figure rise to 48 per cent. Less weight also brings with it claimed fuel consumption reductions of 20 per cent.

The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, spied in sedan and wagon guises earlier this year, is due to launch in Europe around mid 2014 ahead of its local arrival in the second half of 2014.

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