February 15, 2008
Mercedes-Benz's CLC Hatch Revealed
MONTVALE, NJ - Fashion Week has arrived in Berlin, and Mercedes-Benz has shown off its twist on this season’s hottest trends, the affordable luxury hatchback, according to the Web site www.automobile.com.
The C-Class Sport Coupe, discontinued two years ago, has undergone a fairly serious nip and tuck, giving it a completely different look, not to mention a new name — the CLC. More than 1,100 new parts plus various refinements went into to turning the C-Class Sport Coupe into the CLC, including all-new sheet metal that brings it closely in line with the new C-Class sedan. The CLC is still a fastback coupe, although new tail lights and a new hatchback, without the unusual lower glass window, help to distinguish it from the previous car. The origins of the older car peek through in the interior; although there's a new steering wheel and the console has been refreshed, the dash and much of the switchgear has been carried over.
Mercedes' engine offerings will range from a basic 2.0L I-4 with 143 hp, all the way up to the willing and able 272 hp, 3.5L V-6, which enables the hatch to post a 0-60 mph time of 6.3 seconds. If offered in North America, the CLC will most likely feature V-6-only power including a 2.5L V-6 with 201-hp, a 3.0L V-6 with 230-hp and the aforementioned 3.5L 272-hp V-6. Six-speed manual and 7G-Tronic automatic transmissions are offered on all V-6s.