2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes has officially announced the addition of a biturbo direct-injection inline-four-cylinder engine to its lineup that will supply the C250 with 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque in the entry-level Benz. A 228-horspower, 221-pound-foot V-6 will be in the C300 4matic and the range topping C350 will get a new 300-horspower, 273-pound-foot, direct-injection V6.
Along with the new engines, the 2012 C-Class will receive a high-resolution full color display in the instrument panel, along with a host of driver assistance features including; drowsiness assist, park assist, adaptive high-beam assist, lane keep assist and blind spot assist. No word yet on if Mercedes will offer an assist-assist to help drivers manage all of this added assistance.
2012 Mercedes Benz C Class Rear Three Quarters
The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is headed to the 2011 Detroit Auto Show for its public debut, but before that happens and thanks to a broken embargo in Europe, we've got photos of the new C-Class ahead of its official reveal.
Changes to the exterior of the car are extremely minor, limited almost entirely to the front and rear fascias. The front fascia receives a new headlight treatment, with a two-tiered design nearly identical to those seen on the new CL. The grille is slightly reshaped as are the lower air intakes, the fenders flares look to have been reduced, and the rear bumper is slightly lower. New, modern wheels complete the exterior revisions.
2012 Mercedes Benz C Class Front Three Quarters
The interior of the 2012 C-Class is an entirely different story as it has been thoroughly redesigned. It now features the same angular design theme being applied across Mercedes' lineup and now found in the S-, CLS-, E-, and CL-Classes. The new C-Class features inverted vents compared to the rest of the lineup. The big news though is that the navigation unit is no longer a pop-up unit, but is rather built right into the dash and nestled under a sun-shielding hood.
2012 Mercedes Benz C Class Front Three Quarters 4
Mercedes also updated the center console with modern aluminum-look controls. The same aluminum-look is used for new, 3-D surrounds on the instrument cluster rather than the simple, 2-D surrounds on the outgoing car. The steering wheel and its controls have also been updated, and dare we say it, actually look like a more upscale version of those found on a 2011 Volkswagen GTI. New, classy trim accents complete the changes to the 2012 C-Class' interior.
As for powertrains, details on the U.S.-spec car have yet to be released, but expect very few changes apart from direct-injection for the basic C-Class models. The outrageous C63 AMG however, is likely to get Mercedes' new twin-turbocharged, direct-injected, 5.5-liter V-8 that's currently finding its way into all "-63" badged AMG models. We'll know exact U.S.-powertrain specifications shortly.
Stick with us as we approach the public unveiling of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class at the 2010 Detroit auto show