Vive la C-Klasse! _

The last time I was in France, I experienced glamping for the first time, and drank Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc trackside at midnight while enjoying the symphony of 50-plus race cars zoom into the Circuit de la Sarthe’s final chicane during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was one heck of an experience, if not a bit hectic. On this trip to France, I’m driving the all-new sixth-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class on some glorious roads in Southern France, before kicking back at the luxury hotel in the ancient Mediterranean port city of Marseille and enjoying some rosé wine from Côtes de Provence and local seafood at dinner. C’est la vie, but I’ll tell you what! If the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C 400 4MATIC sedan I drove is an indication of things to come from Mercedes, then more goodness is on its way.

History
Mercedes-Benz has sold more than 8.5 million cars in this segment since the first generation (W 201) 190 and 190 E models debuted in 1982. Since then, the C-Class has continued its success story marked by innovations in three more generations – the 202 model series (1993-2000), 203 (2000-07) and 204 (2007-14). The next generation of the C-Class (205 model series) celebrates its debut in 2014 and leads this tradition into the future.

Design
The first thing you will notice about the incoming W 205 is that it looks nothing like the outgoing W 204. It really doesn’t, inside or outside. In fact, the differences are game-changing from a design standpoint as the exterior and interior have been completely redesigned to be more luxurious, spacious and sophisticated. I rather fancy the outgoing car, but I like the new version even more so.

Continue reading my experience with the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C 400 4MATIC on the IGNITION MAGAZINE website!