What we have here are the first scoop pictures of the next generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan caught while undergoing preliminary tests in Europe. The C-Class is a very important model for the German automaker as it’s one of Mercedes’ top sellers worldwide.
Parent company Daimler has already revealed that the new iteration will arrive in the market in 2014 and that for the first time ever, it will be built on North American soil at its Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama. Currently, the C-Class is manufactured at Mercedes plants in Germany, China and South Africa.
These first photos of the 2014 model suggest that the new C-Class will get sportier proportions with a shorter tail and front overhangs, and a swoopier roofline. Like the new A-Class, Mercedes-Benz’s BMW 3-Series rival will adopt many styling cues from the F800 study showcased at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show.
The next C-Class will undergo a diet and use new lightweight materials on the body shell and the chassis to shed some pounds.
It’s still early to have precise details on the engine range but sources state that along with the usual gasoline and diesel powerplants, Mercedes-Benz will also offer several hybrid options combining downsized engines with electric motors, including plug-in variants. An AMG model, possibly equipped with a new twin-turbocharged V8 engine, will top off the range.
The introduction of the sedan model in 2014 will be followed by the Estate and the Coupe, while there’s also talk about a Convertible model.
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