Mercedes-Benz C-class

Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Overview
Manufacturer	Daimler AG
Production	1993–present
Body and chassis
Class	Compact executive car
Layout	Front engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Chronology
Predecessor	Mercedes-Benz 190 E (W201)

W202
Overview
Production	May 1993–2000
Model years	1994–2000
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan 5-door wagon

W203
Overview
Production	July 2000 – December 2006
Model years	2001–2007
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door coupe 4-door sedan 5-door station wagon

W204
Overview
Production	2007–2014
Model years	2008–2014
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan 5-door station wagon 2-door coupe

W205
Overview
Production	4 February 2014–present
Model years	2015–present
Assembly	Bremen, Germany Iracemápolis, Brazil Pune, India East London, South Africa Beijing, China (Beijing Benz) Tuscaloosa Alabama USA (MBUSI) Pekan, Malaysia (DRB-HICOM), Thailand (TAAP)
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan 5-door station wagon 2-door convertible 2-door coupe

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a line of compact executive cars produced by Daimler AG. Introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the 190 (W201) range, the C-Class was the smallest model in the marque's line-up until the A-Class arrived in 1997. The C-Class is built at Mercedes-Benz factories in Sindelfingen and Bremen, Germany as well as numerous satellite factories in other countries. The first C-Class (W202) sedan was produced on 1 June 1993, and the first of the second generation (W203) rolled off the assembly line on 18 July 2000. The C-Class has been available with a 4Matic (i.e. four-wheel drive) option since 2002. The third generation (W204) was launched in 2007. The latest generation C-Class (W205) came out in 2014.

Though originally available as a sedan and a station wagon, the W203 series in 2000 debuted a fastback coupé (SportCoupé) version that, when facelifted, became the Mercedes-Benz CLC-Class. The CLC-Class remained in production until 2011 when it was replaced by a new W204 C-Class coupé for the 2012 model year.

In October 1986, three years into Mercedes-Benz W201 (190)'s production run, work began on a successor. Design work began in 1987, with the final design by Murat Günak being selected in 1989 and the production design by Olivier Boulay delayed in January 1990, finally being patented on 19 December 1990. Rough prototypes went into testing in 1989, with first production design prototypes commencing testing in 1990. In May 1993, the first generation W202 C-Class was introduced as a replacement for the 190. The C-Class sedan was the company's entry-level model up until 1997, when Mercedes launched the A-Class. Styling themes were carried over from the previous W201 series, but the new series had a smoother and rounder design than the previous generation of compact Mercedes, with styling cues from the W124 E-Class (short, high trunk and taller tail lights), W140 S-Class (front end), and R129 SL-Class (headlights).

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Wikipedia