The C-Class become brought in 1993, as a competitor to BMW's E36 three Series, as its predecessor, the a hundred ninety, had been. The C-Class proved immensely popular, fast turning into Mercedes-Benz's best-promoting magnificence of cars worldwide. Much of its recognition become permitted to its affordability. At the time the C-Class sedans have been the access stage to the Mercedes-Benz variety, however now are now not the smallest, least costly sedans presented with the aid of using Mercedes-Benz. The version additionally stored the sporty picture of the a hundred ninety with a smoother and extra rounded look than strains than the opposite cars produced with the aid of using Mercedes on the time, its sporty picture giving beginning to a opposition model withinside the DTM (German Touring Car Championship).
In 1994 and 1995, Mercedes brought some novelties withinside the engine variety. The first become a supercharged petrol model, the C 230 Kompressor, the use of a Roots-kind supercharger to generate 193 PS (142 kW/a hundred ninety hp) at 5300 rpm. A new 250 D Turbo become additionally brought, with a 20-valve 5 cylinder engine able to accomplishing a hundred and fifty PS (a hundred and ten kW/148 hp).
But the maximum critical addition become the primary real overall performance C-Class, the C 36 AMG, to counter the brand new six-cylinder BMW M3. Developed with AMG, the tuning residence that had now come to be a subsidiary of Daimler-Benz, it had a racing-tuned suspension (reduced with the aid of using 25 mm (1&nsp;in)) and a fashionable 5-velocity automated gearbox with Tiptronic function. The three.6 L engine had a most output of 280 PS (206 kW/276 hp) at 5750 rpm and 385 Nm (284 ft.lbf) at 4000 rpm. Top velocity become electronically constrained to 250 km/h (a hundred and fifty five mph). A overall of 5200 C 36 AMGs have been produced.
In 1997, the C-Class become given a small midlife freshening, with new darker rear lighting fixtures and new wheel rims in addition to diffused indoors trim changes, specially the door mouldings. Front and rear bumpers additionally modified in form for a extra modern, even sporty, look. For the primary time, the C-Class additionally acquired a station wagon, named the T-Modell. The C 220 become converted into the C 230, with displacement growing to 2.three L, maintaining the equal energy, however with torque elevated to 220 Nm (162 ft.lbf). In addition, contemporary 5 velocity automated gearboxes have been now non-compulsory withinside the complete variety.
In 1998, some different updates made it to the lineup. The European C-Class fashions acquired a much less effective C 2 hundred Kompressor version, in addition to a V6 engine for the primary time, starting from 2.four L to 2.eight L. These changed the DOHC four-valve heads with new SOHC heads with most effective 3 valves in line with cylinder and dual sparkplugs, theoretically decreasing emissions and gas intake with out sacrificing energy (the C 280 in reality had a mild four PS boom with the change). AMG evolved a brand new variety-topper for the C-Class, the C forty three AMG, powered with the aid of using a smoother four.three L V8, that could now obtain 306 PS (225 kW/302 hp) at 5850 rpm, with a torque of 410 Nm (302 ft.lbf) at 3250 rpm, much less effective however extra torquey than its opposition, the BMW M3. It nevertheless lacked a guide gearbox, however it become now to be had as a station wagon. 4200 AMG devices have been produced.
