Mercedes, who struggle in the bottom end of the luxury car market up against the BMW 3 series is again trying to steal BMW’s thunder with a new Mercedes C-Class.
To make sure it succeeds, Mercedes has turned its vehicle development process inside out to eliminate potential faults at the design stage and has driven 200 prototypes an unprecedented 20 million kilometers to iron out any further bugs. And, in what it sees as an important one-up on competitors such as BMW and Audi, Mercedes has hit upon the idea of producing two different incarnations of the same car in order to attract not just its traditional older buyers but a younger, sportier clientele too. The model is expected in Australia later this year.
New Mercedes C Class |
For Mercedes is also relying on the new C-Class to restore the tarnished image of the whole Stuttgart brand. As the company’s biggest-selling line the C-Class stands the best chance of hauling Mercedes back ahead of upstart BMW to restore what it feels is its rightful status as the world’s leading premium car manufacturer. And as a company that has been wounded by plummeting customer satisfaction ratings – largely due to electronics-related breakdowns – Mercedes is currently in the process of restoring its battered reputation by successfully launching major new models (the S- and E-Classes) that are seen to be totally glitch-free. Only then will the company’s traditional halo shine again.