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MERCEDES-BENZ has a new entry-level convertible. Meet the first ever C-Class Cabriolet.
Revealed on the eve of the Geneva motor show, Benz has done more than simply rip the roof off its C-Class coupe.
The biggest change is a new 9-speed automatic gearbox (the sedans make do with a 7-speeder). And there’s confirmation of a faster AMG version, dubbed C43 Cabriolet.
As for that new cloth roof, Benz says its multi-layer design is based on the S-Class Cabriolet. It comes in the choice of black, brown, blue or red.
Engine wise, regular versions of the C-Class Cabrio will be offered with the same suite of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines as the Coupe. Mercedes Australia is yet to decide on the local line-up, though it’ll likely comprise C200 and C300, plus the C43.
Benz’s Airmatic air suspension set-up is also available, and if the sedan’s form is anything to go by it’s an option worth ticking. Airmatic also adds Dynamic Select with five transmission modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual.
To separate them from the regular Cabrio range, C43 variants sport styling tweaks and bigger 18-inch wheels that house larger brakes. There’s also a rear-biased four-wheel-drive system as standard, which splits torque 31 percent front and 69 percent rear, and firmer AMG tuned suspension with three-stage adaptive dampers.
The Cabrio is also heavier, which has a negative effect on fuel consumption and acceleration, with the C43’s 0-100km/h sprint of 4.8sec a tenth slower than the hardtop coupe.
