2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

Mercedes Benz has made it official: the 2011 C-Class Coupe is on its way. The German luxury automaker has announced it will build the two-door C-Class at its massive Bremen plant, with production scheduled to begin in 2011. The addition of the Coupe gives Mercedes Benz three different variants of the C-Class, with a convertible almost certainly to follow.

The new-gen C-Class face has been applied, but since the coupe will continue to be built on the old platform (W203), the rest of the car's outward appearance is basically identical to the old model.





The C-Class coupe will be the second 2dr based on the current C-Class, but the first to take the ‘C-Class coupe’ name into production. The coupe has been envisaged to replace the CLK, which was discontinued earlier this year after 12 years in production and two model generations. Unlike the E-Class coupe, however, the C-Class version will not be modified and offered in cabriolet guise.

The switch in nomenclature from the CLK to the E-Class Coupe made a bit of a stir when word began to leak last year. Just this week, the issue was broken back open when it was revealed that the new E-Class Coupe is actually based on the C-Class platform - much like its CLK predecessor. So what, then, of a true C-Class coupe? These previews show what it might look like.



Mercedes is already thought to be working on a new C-Class cabrio dubbed the CLR, opening the door for a revised two-door C-Class hardtop, though Mercedes could simply split the difference and fit a collapsible hardtop. That would help leave breathing room for the new E-Class Coupe while also providing a niche vehicle in the more affordable C-Class range.



The CLC-Class is the current offering in that segment, but it's a three-door liftback and based around the older C-Class Sportcoupe. Though it has undergone a major revamp, it doesn't really match the new lineup, and will likely need to be replaced by the time of the mid-cycle refresh of the current C-Class. Mercedes' decision to fork the CLC off from the C-Class means that the new C-Coupe previewed here could also wear CLC-badging, however.



At this point it's all speculation, as Mercedes hasn't confirmed the existence of any plans for a new C-Class-based Coupe. If it does come along, however, expect powertrain options to fall in line with the rest of the C-Class, including a range of four and six-cylinder petrol units and, outside the U.S., diesels.



If Mercedes does build a new coupe on the C-Class platform, it won't be until 2010 or 2011, however, leaving plenty of time for a redeveloped AMG variant. There appears to be room in the lineup for an AMG C-Class Coupe since the CLK AMG died with the CLK, and no AMG model based on the E-Class Coupe is known to be in the works yet.
Preview: 2011 Mercedes Benz C-Class Coupe - MotorAuthority