Geneva 2016: Mercedes-Benz unveils its first ever C-Class Convertible

Following in the footsteps of the C-Class Coupe that was unveiled last year, Mercedes-Benz has now taken the wraps off its cabriolet version in Geneva in both standard and AMG trims. Poised to compete with premium convertible offerings from BMW and Audi the C-Class Convertible’s basic dimensions are similar to its coupe sibling’s in almost every way, except for the marginally taller roof on the drop top. Otherwise the cars are nearly the same and that goes for their design as well, which mimics the larger S-Class Coupe and Convertible, albeit shrunken down a bit.

The roof in this case is a fabric soft top, which comes standard in black but can be ordered in dark brown, dark blue or a fetching dark red. The top takes about 20 seconds to close electronically at speeds up to 50 kmph. To keep occupants warm when the top is dropped on chilly days, all C-Class Cabriolet trim levels come standard with the Airscarf feature, which uses HVAC vents in the headrests to create, well, a scarf of warm air. A power deployable air diffuser dubbed AirCap is also part of the package.

The rest of the C-Class Convertible’s specifications are pretty much what we’ve seen on the Coupe. Customers will be able to choose from six petrol and two diesel engines at launch, starting from the 155PS turbo 1.6-litre C180 all the way up to the 365PS twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 C43 AMG 4-Matic. The company’s 2.2-litre diesel engine will be available in 170PS and 201PS versions for the C220 d and C250 d respectively. The C300 convertible will be available in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, while the C43 convertible will be equipped only with all-wheel drive.

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With the C43 AMG engine, the Merc will sprint to 96 kmph in 4.7 seconds, faster than the BMW 435i Convertible and the Audi S5 Cabriolet, while doing the same in 6.3 seconds in C300 trim. Top speed in both cases is limited electronically to 250 kmph. Both the AMG and standard versions will be offered with a new nine-speed automatic transmission, while the sedan model is limited to seven forward gears.

Pricing for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Convertible will be released closer to its launch, which should happen sometime later this year.