Mercedes-Benz South Africa has confirmed the locally produced next-generation C-Class sedan will lead its product assault in 2021.
Johannes Fritz, co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz SA and executive director for Mercedes-Benz Cars, said local production of the as-yet-unrevealed new C-Class saloon would follow the latest R10-billion investment in the East London plant, contributing “valuably to the South African economy”.
While official details of the W206-generation C-Class sedan have yet to be announced, we expect the newcomer to ride on an updated version of the outgoing model’s rear-wheel-drive architecture, perhaps with slightly more space between its axles.
The styling updates are likely to be fairly conservative with this fifth-generation model, although the cabin looks set for a major overhaul, gaining all sorts of “baby S-Class” technology (i.e., a variety of large displays and extra driver assistance functions).
Powertrain details are thin on the ground at the moment, but some sort of electrification is likely to be offered for markets in Europe. Expect high-performance variants from Mercedes-AMG to follow a little further down the line (when we’ll find out whether rumours of a four-pot C63 hold any substance).
What else does Mercedes-Benz SA have in store for 2021? Well, the company says new S-Class is scheduled to hit local roads during the year, along with the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS (we’ve already unearthed pricing for this one) and a small handful of units of the 537 kW Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series.
