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25 years ago, Mercedes-Benz introduced the Model 190 and laid the foundations for that has become the bestselling model series in the history of the brand: the C-Class. To date around six million C-Class Saloons, Estates and Sports Coupés have been delivered to customers. On March 31, 2007 the fourth generation of this bestselling Mercedes will appear in the showrooms of company-owned Mercedes sales outlets and dealerships throughout Europe to continue this success story. Around 60,000 orders have already been received for the Saloon. At the beginning of the 1980s, the news that Mercedes-Benz was working on a new model series below the E-Class was a sensation, and gave rise to a great deal of speculation. Seldom before had the press reported so often and so exhaustively about a secret prototype as about the “compact” Mercedes-Benz, which soon became world-famous as the “Baby Benz” even before its launch. The new car was the culmination of many years of deliberation for the Stuttgart brand. The compact Saloon met the wishes of car buyers, while offering Mercedes-Benz the opportunity to establish itself in a new market segment and gain additional customers. Moreover, there were increasing calls for more economical cars, and with the Model 190 Mercedes-Benz was able to demonstrate that its typically high standards of safety and comfort could also be realised in a more compact and economical model. Accordingly the requirements confronting the development engineers were very stringent, as they needed to reconcile fuel consumption related criteria such as a low weight and good aerodynamics with Mercedes standards of occupant safety, handling stability, comfort and quality. The aim was to develop a true Mercedes-Benz which was 30 centimetres shorter, ten centimetres narrower and 280 kilograms lighter than the Mercedes medium range at the time (W 123), and which would consume an average of only 8.5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres. The engineers were able to achieve their goal with the help of the latest development and calculation tools, as well as the use of newly developed lightweight materials. Accordingly the Mercedes-Benz 190 also became a technological trendsetter in automobile engineering. |
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