Mecedes Benz CSC: Update with live photos
 

Mercedes-Benz has dropped official information and a full set of photos of its Concept Style Coupé (or CSC for short) ahead of the study's brief stint at the Avant/Garde Diaries event in Los Angeles on April 20 and its world premiere at the Auto China 2012 in Beijing on April 23.

The sleek looking sedan concept is a precursor of the production model that will follow next year and which Mercedes will build at its new manufacturing facility in Hungary. Sources state that it will likely be named CLC or CLA.
Judging by the spy shots we've shown you over the past few months, while the production model will be closely based on the concept, it won't be so aggressive in the details.
In essence, the CSC is a CLS-style four-door coupe based on the latest A-Class with which it shares an elongated version of the MFA modular platform, its running gear, interior and driveline. Some of its potential rivals in the premium market include next year's Audi A3 sedan and possibly, a similar model from BMW based on the 1-Series.
The CSC is 4,637mm (182.6 inches) long, 1,891mm (74.5 inches) wide and 1,398mm (55 inches) tall, which makes it 46mm longer (1.8-in.), 121mm (4.8-in.) wider and 49mm (1.9-in.) lower than the C-Class sedan. It rides on the same 2,699mm wheelbase as the A-Class hatch.
For its motivation, the concept is fitted with a 2.0-liter direct-injection and turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 208hp (211PS) and which is available on the production A25 hatchback. However, in the CSC, it is linked to Mercedes' 4MATIC all-wheel drive system and 7G-DCT dual clutch automatic transmission.
The production variant of the CSC will likely be offered with a similar engine lineup to the A-Class in both front- and all-whee drive versions. Aside from the 208hp 2.0L Turbo found on the prototype, the range in Europe will also include a 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol with 121hp (122PS) and 154hp (156PS) and two diesels, a 1.8-liter unit with 134hp (136PS) and a 2.2-liter engine with 168hp (170PS).
There will also be an AMG version powered by a specially tuned version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol, possibly delivering over 320-horses. This model will come with AWD as standard.
Unlike the A-Class five-door hatchback, the production CSC will be sold in North America, where it will likely be offered with the 2.0L Turbo, the most powerful diesel and in AMG guise.

They don't need another baby CLS. sigh... Why can't MB focus on making their C and E class better cars?

Production model is to be called CLA.

Updated C-class isn't a bad thing by any measure... apart from no clutch option

Didn't say their lineup is bad, but competitions is better. Look at how new 3 and 5 dominate the class. C and E can sell because of the brand image, but that's about it. Not to mention aging E doesn't offer anything as good as competitors, 5 series and GS.

yeah the c has always been out classed

Good points. It looks to me like Mercedes is going for a two-pronged approach:

• Still improve their C and E class to better compete against BMW's 3 and 5, Lexus GS, etc.
• At the same time, broaden their offerings by introducing new styling trims. The CLS was a trend center in the whole 4-door "coupe" thing, so maybe they'd like to do the same in the lower segment with this new concept CSC (or CLA, or whatever it will ultimately be called).

Looks awesome.

Steering wheel remind me of some Toyota cars, which use flat bottom steering wheel.
I understand the point, but unless this new model is a rebodied C or E. Knowing it's MB, I think they will do just fine with this model, but their C and E really need improvements. I sat in E, it was nice and all at first, but after a while, I find it's less attractive from the inside.

The MB CLA has been spotted