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New C-Class Compact W203 for Year 2000.........Updated Aug. 26th 1999
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Photo: Auto Motor und Sport (AMS)   Additional background retouching by MBEP webmaster

Compact C-Class Translation of an article from "Auto Motor und Sport" August 1999

With the actual Mercedes C-Class the sales figures could be increased by clever launches of additional body variants - T-model, SLK and CLK. The success of the next C-Class shall be ensured with the same strategy. In the summer of the next year at first the sedans come, but already in autumn the compact

Photo: AMS version shall follow. The compact-Mercedes exclusively offered as a two-door is roughly 15cm shorter and a bit lighter than the sedan. The targeted young buyers shall be turned away from the competitors Audi A3 and BMW 3-Series Compact by a sporty adjusted chassis, agile road behaviour and moderate base prices below DM 40.000 ((USD 21.000 assumed USD 1 =

DM 1.90)). Four-cylinder gasoline and diesel units shall be available. It is thinkable that besides the known CDI-engines with 116hp and 143hp a common-rail-diesel with less than 100hp will be developed for the C-Class Compact. A possibility as gasoline engines are the 1.8-litre engine with 122hp and two-litre units with 140hp and 190 hp (supercharger).
End of article - translation by MBEP webmaster
As usual remarks in ((blabla)), but (blabla) belongs to original text

Graphics: Auto Motor und Sport    Additional background retouching by MBEP webmaster   Newer graphics Please note that the computer graphics shows how the magazine thinks the car will look like and doesn't show an actual photographed car

Translated excerpt from an article from "Auto Motor und Sport" from April 1999 written by Gert Hack:

...The two-door CL which is roughly 15 centimetres shorter and also lighter probably will be delivered with four-cylinder engines only. At last the compact C with tail gate placed as entry-level model shall keep a clear price distance to the sedan. It shall even more than the four-door profit from the more agile road behaviour caused by the rack and pinion steering .
That fits into the concept. Because the compact CL shall attract also younger buyers with its dynamic appearance and its price (below DM 40.000 ((= USD 21.000 assumed USD 1 = DM 1.90; BMW 316i Compact currently costs DM 36.500 = USD 19.200; W202 C180 sedan currently starts at DM 47.444 = USD 25.000))). One wants to get away from the image of the senior citizen`s Benz where the average age of the C-Class buyers until now lies in the mid-fifties.
The new group C whose variants will follow in relatively short intervals offers all chances for that.
Gert Hack
End of translated excerpt from article from "Auto Motor und Sport"
Translation by MBEP webmaster as well as remarks in ((blabla)), but (blabla) belongs to the original text
The headline of the article is "Group C": That`s the translation of the German denotion "Gruppe C" for a touring car race series.
The complete article is on the page of the W203 sedan - click here

Graphics: Auto Motor und Sport    Two-piece mounting and additional background retouching by MBEP webmaster Please note that the computer graphics shows how the magazine thinks the car will look like and doesn't show an actual photographed car

Self-written article based upon two articles from "Auto Motor und Sport":

The sedan and the compact will both come onto market in summer 2000, the station wagon, the T-Model, one year later in summer 2001.
BMW will present its new 3-Series compact - the rival - at the very same time. The present model has a share of up to 20 per cent of all 3-Series models and sells up to 80.000 times a year.
Price for the C-Compact in Germany will be just under DM 40.000 ((USD 21.000 assumed USD 1 = DM 1,90)), which is some DM 8.000 ((USD 4.200)) lower than for the sedan.
As an option a full glass roof can be ordered, just like with today`s SL R129. The front of the C-Compact will be different to the rest of the W203-Series: Double round headlamps which overlap and a front grille with wide lamellas like the current A-Class W168. The steering will be changed from recirculating ball to rack and pinion type.

Computer retouched photo: Auto Bild   Additional background retouching by MBEP webmaster

Choice of engines for the Compact will not only be the present 180, 200, 200CDI and 220CDI, but also 200 Kompressor ((as presently sold in Southern Europe)), both curreent 240 and 280, but the new 2.7-litre 270CDI with 170hp will only be available with the other W203 variants, not with the Compact.
Only one year after the presentation of the W203-Series new four-cylinder engines will have their premiere: Only three instead of four-valves per cylinder, 1.6-, 1.8- , 2.0- and 2.3-litre displacements, the 2.0 also as Kompressor with the same 193hp as the present 2.3-litre Kompressor.
Especially for taxis MB thinks about offering a four-cylinder 1.8-litre CDI with 90hp.

Graphics:Auto  Additional background retouching and horizontal mirroring by MBEP webmaster  Please note that the computer graphics shows how the magazine thinks the car will look like and doesn't show an actual photographed car

The choice of transmissions will be greater:
A) Base models with five gears,
B) Optionally with AKS, the automatic clutch system ((no more clutch pedal but manual shifting)),
C) All models with 6-speed manuals as an option,
D) Stronger engines also with five-speed automatic,
E) Four-cylinders with CVT-automatic ((constant automatic transmission, no more gears))
End of self-written article based upon two articles from "Auto Motor und Sport"

Photo and photo text: Auto Motor und Sport      Additional background retouching by MBEP webmaster

The coupe: The successor will be more compact and more practical because of its large tailgate.

Photo: Auto Motor und Sport

More articles on the C-Class W203:

New C-Class W203 for Year 2000

Interior Photos W203

New C-Class W203 Station Wagon for Year 2001

Old Spy-Photos New C-Class W203 for Year 2000

Last revised technically: Oct. 25th '99   Visits since May 27th '98.....

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