“Locally the saloon got off to an excellent start despite challenging market conditions,” says Eckart Mayer, Divisional Manager, Mercedes-Benz Cars.

He attributes the success of the new models to product quality and design, excellent residual values, the wide range of model choices, top-notch customer service and buyers looking for the best purchases for the least risk.

He said a particularly appealing feature of the new C-Class was the clear differentiation between the model's three equipment lines, Avantgarde, Elegance and Classic. “The response of our customers to the sporty design of the C-Class Avantgarde has exceeded our expectations.”

Along with the new model's distinctive design, C-Class customers are also attracted by the vehicle's even more dynamic chassis, which features a selective damping system that also offers greater comfort. Other major selling points include a further refined telematics system with Bluetooth and a new Linguatronic voice-command system.

The C-Class estate model, introduced in April this year takes the trademark strengths of the sedan — safety, agility, and comfort — and combines them with a significant increase in spaciousness and versatility.

With maximum cargo capacity of 1,500 litres the new estate offers more space than any other premium station wagon in its segment. “Given all these attributes, the C-Class estate has been well received and will soon excel in its segment,” adds Mayer.

The high-performance C63 AMG, introduced in April 2008, is the top model in the C-Class model range. This eight-cylinder AMG differentiates itself from the production C-Class with a combination of striking design, sporty interior and practicality which makes it a unique high-performance vehicle.

The soon to be introduced new CLC sports coupé will arrive in South Africa in mid-July 2008. The model series will offer customers an attractive entry-level variant to the Mercedes-Benz coupé family.

The CLC is the successor to the C-Class sports coupé, which has been purchased by approximately 320,000 motorists around the world since 2001. Of these, 7,200 were sold in South Africa.

C-Class saloons are manufactured in Germany at Mercedes-Benz plants in Sindelfingen and Bremen. They are also built in East London with left-hand drive models being exported to the American market since November 2007.

The C-Class estate range is produced exclusively in Bremen, and the new CLC is manufactured at Mercedes-Benz' Juiz de Fora plant in Brazil.

[19 Jun 2008 14:04]

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