April 04, 2008
Mercedes Considers Four-Cylinder C-Class for U.S.
NEW YORK – Due
to rising fuel costs here and further pressure for low emissions, Mercedes-Benz
executives and engineers are contemplating a four-cylinder Mercedes-Benz
C-Class for the U.S. market. In fact, a supercharged 1.4L engine is already being tested. To make
the car acceptable to Mercedes customers, engineers told www.edmunds.com that
it would have a higher level of “perceived performance” than it actually
delivers. A louder exhaust and ultraquick-response throttle settings would give
the driver the “perception of performance.”
Mercedes
already sells a four-cylinder version of the C-Class sedan in Europe.
There, the entry-level C180 Kompressor is fitted with a supercharged 1.8L
inline four-cylinder engine rated at 154 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of
torque. No word as to whether the 1.4L under development would replace the
European 1.8L, or if it would be reserved for the U.S. market only, according to
www.edmunds.com.