Tribute to 30 years of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Compact, safe and desirable – the Mercedes-Benz C-Class 202 series was a great success: from 1993 to 2001, nearly 1.9 million Saloon and Estate cars left the production lines.. In all its features, the first C-Class It has built on the success of its impressive predecessor, of the Mercedes-Benz 190 (W 201), popularly known as the “Baby Benz”. New diesel and gasoline engines with four-valve technology were more powerful and less expensive.

Mercedes-Benz also introduced a new nomenclature with the 202 series: alongside the S-Class, which had been called that since 1972,the letter was now used to generally identify the car class – hence the name “C-Class”. The mention of the style followed a new logic. The corresponding letter was now placed in front of the combination of numbers referring to the volume of the volume. In the summer of 1993, Mercedes-Benz transferred this principle to other passenger cars of the brand.

The timeless design of the C-Class

The design of the 202 series was timeless and elegant: “The first-class C-Class design aimed to appeal to a wide audience with elegance, beauty and a timeless shape”says Professor Peter Pfeiffer, head of design from 1999 to 2008, explaining the dimensions of that time. “It fits naturally into the brand’s design idiom. Its success showed that this partnership, which had been designed from the ground up, was the right way to go. The 202 series was a huge success.”

Compared to its predecessor, the C-Class offered more interior space: “We responded to the fact that the population of central Europe was increasing year by year”, says Professor Hermann Gaus, head of general vehicle development at the time. More interior space with larger exterior dimensions was achieved on the one hand by rearranging parts such as the engine, axles and gearbox.

In the C-class, the relocation of the fuel tank also brought significant benefits. At 190, it was still installed behind the rear seat. The plastic fuel tank was used for the first time in the new compact sedan. It was light, freely adjustable and located under the rear seat and in front of the rear axle.

So, in class C. it was possible to move the back seat a little for more space. The cargo compartment capacity has also been increased compared to the W 201. Lengthened by almost 40mm over its predecessor, the new model remained a compact sedan.

Security and conservation of resources

Except from improved safety in front and rear collisions, engineers gave high priority to protection against side collisions. The action pack was huge. It consisted of a one-piece side wall. This provided a very high level of durability. In addition, the tubular structure strengthened the doors.

Large cross beams under the front seats transferred power to the central tunnel and the side of the car that had not collided. Baffles on the side sills prevented bending.

The chairs were also designed with rigidity so that they can transfer power without falling. Additionally, the developers had resource savings in mind when designing the 202 series. The goal was to ensure that 85% of the vehicle at the end of the life cycle could be reused.

New engines for more power and less emissions
At the launch of its marketThe C-Class was available in four petrol and three diesel variants. The C 180 had an output of 122 hp. C 200 produced 136 hp. The C 220 produced 150 hp. The C 280 produced 193 hp from its inline six-cylinder engine. In diesel we find the C 200 Diesel with 75 hp which was the entry model, followed by the C 220 Diesel with 95 hp and the C 250 Diesel with 113 hp.

The new petrol engines had more torque and a higher level of power than the W 201, while the quality of the exhaust gas was significantly improved. At the same time Mercedes-Benz was the first manufacturer in the world to introduce four-valve technology for diesel engines. Along with further technical improvements such as new electronic injection systems, the progress achieved has also resulted in higher power ratings and more torque.

Suspension built for comfort

Modern axle designs contributed to a significant improvement in driving comfort and driving safety compared to the previous model. km of Double wishes in the front suspension.

The rear multi-link independent suspension known from the “Baby Benz” was modified. A new arrangement of springs and shock absorbers, as well as a long wheelbase and a wide wheelbase, also contributed to the comfort and safety of handling.

The right choice for everyone. Four lines of equipment

Standard equipment includes a driver’s airbag, built-in side impact protectionABS anti-lock braking system, power steering, five-speed gearbox and central locking system. In addition to the version called classic – later known as Classic – Mercedes-Benz offered the C-Class in equipment lines called Esprit, Elegance and Sport.

The Esprit featured a 25mm lower suspension and a fresh, clean interior. Elegance stood out with chrome inserts and wood paneling that set the interior mood. The Sport also featured a 25mm lower suspension and more aggressive suspension tuning. Equipment included wide tires and alloy wheels in a five-hole design.

The Classic and Elegance versions accounted for a third of the vehicles delivered. Esprit and Sport made up the remaining third.

Real estate model presentation

Very early in the design phase of the Saloon, which began in 1986, the Board of Directors of the former Daimler-Benz AG also decided to create a station wagon model with the internal name S 202. This was launched in 1996.

Powerful AMG models

The flagship of the 202 range was previously the C 36 AMG which was introduced in autumn 1993. It was the first car jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and AMG. It was based on the C 280 in the “Sport” trim line. AMG bumped the six-cylinder engine to 3.6 liters from 2.8. Special pistons, modified crankshaft and high compression ratio resulted in an output of 280 hp. Compared to the Sport version, the suspension has been lowered by an additional ten millimeters. A revised front and rear apron, side skirts and larger wheels distinguished the AMG variant.

It was a great success: from autumn 1993 to June 1997, 5,221 units of the C 36 AMG were produced. In September 1997, one The eight-cylinder engine made its debut in the C-Class. The C 43 AMG produced 306 hp. In the C 55 AMG launched in 1998, this number increased to 347 hp.

C-Class wins DTM at first attempt

In the DTM, the most popular racing series across Europe, the C-Class continued the great success of the 190 E 2.5-16 touring car from 1994 onwards. In 1994, Klaus Ludwig won the title in the AMG Mercedes C-Class DTM, whose V6 engine produced 400 hp..

With the revised 324 kW (440 hp) version, Bernd Schneider won the DTM Championship and the ITC International Touring Car Championship titles in 1995. The winning car is on display in Legend Room 7: “Racing and Records” at the Mercedes Museum. Benz.

New V6 and CDI engines with new model release

During the production period from 1993 to 2000 (Saloon) and 1996 to 2001 (Estate), many technical and visual improvements were included in the production. In 1995, for example, the C 230 Kompressor got a higher torque over the rev range and a faster response to power delivery.

“Because of the lack of turbo lag, we then decided in favor of a supercharger and against a supercharger”explains automotive development professor Hermann Gaus. From the 1997 model year onwards, the C 240 and C 280 were offered with new V6 engines. The ESP electronic stability program was only available for these models, but the rest followed. As part of the upgrade, standard equipment included side bags in the front doors, high-performance belt tensioners with belt tensioners in the front seats and Brake Assist.

Mercedes-Benz also introduced a turbocharged diesel engine. The C 250 Turbodiesel was the first turbodiesel passenger car with four-valve technology and intercooling. It developed a power of 150 hp. In 1997, common rail technology appeared in the C-class. The four-cylinder diesel C 220 CDI produced 125 hp. This engine not only had the highest torque in its displacement class, but it also set fuel consumption standards and production. In 1998 the C 200 CDI with 102 hp was added.

From 1993 to 2000, 1,626,383 202 saloon models of the series were produced. From 1996 to 2001, 243,871 Estate models were added to that number.

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