Mercedes-Benz India is all set to rejig the C-Class sedan’s line-up by replacing the current range-topping C 300d variant with a new C 300 petrol variant in the second quarter of 2024. The rationale behind this variant rejig is a shift in demand from diesel to petrol in the luxury sedan segment.
- C 300 to get a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine
- Suspension tweaked to increase ground clearance
- Launch sometime in second quarter of 2024
Speaking to Autocar India at its recent annual results announcement, Santosh Iyer, CEO and managing director, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “Diesel demand is shrinking, especially in cities like Delhi-NCR. I think it is driven more by fear than a rational reason, but there’s an increased preference for petrol among customers.”
Iyer says the preference is particularly more prevalent in the sedan segment where, “we see almost 70 percent are petrols, but for SUVs, it's diesels that make up the majority 60 percent. So, it’s different depending on the segment.”
At launch, the fifth-gen C-Class was available with three variants – two diesels (C 220d and C 300d) and one petrol (C 200). With the rejigging of the C-Class range, the line-up will now consist of two petrols and a solitary diesel.
Mercedes C 300 petrol: what to expect?
Powering the new Mercedes C 300 will be a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine with mild-hybrid tech that's paired to a 9-speed automatic gearbox. Power output stands at 258hp (+23hp from the mild-hybrid system) and 400Nm, with Mercedes claiming it’ll do 0-100kph in 6secs. Meanwhile, the outgoing C 300d uses a 265hp, 440Nm, 2.0-litre diesel and had a claimed 0-100kph time of 5.7 seconds.
The C 300 petrol will also come with a raised suspension to address one of the C-class’ weaknesses – poor ground clearance. With the increased ground clearance, it's likely that the suspension will be softened too for better ride comfort. The new C 300 is also likely to be offered in a single, fully loaded AMG Line trim, like the outgoing C 300d. The C-Class range is currently priced from Rs 60.85 lakh, with the C 300d costing Rs 62.70 lakh. Expect the new C 300 petrol to be priced in the Rs 62 lakh range.
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class competes with the petrol-only Audi A4 (Rs 45.34 lakh-53.77 lakh) and the BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine (Rs 60.60 lakh-62.00 lakh) in India.
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