First look: Teaser pics show off C-class

THE new W204 Mercedes-Benz C-class is about to be launched in Europe, with its debut at the Geneva motor show in March, but photos from a sales brochure have already been leaked on to world web sites.

The closest GoAuto got to images were the "official" test photos of C-class prototypes. Take away the black masking tape and you’ve got the new sedan, which borrows styling cues from its larger siblings.

It is also slightly bigger, safer and more economical. The new range is expected to be launched locally around June.

In Europe 10 models will be available initially, the four-cylinder 116kW 1.8-litre C180 Kompressor four-cylinder 137kW 1.8-litre C200 Kompressor 152kW 2.5-litre V6 C230 172kW 3.0-litre V6 C280 202kW 3.5-litre V6 C350 101kW 2.2-litre C200 CDi 126kW 2.2-litre C220 CDi 167kW 3.0-litre V6 C320 CDi 217kW direct injection 3.5-litre V6 C350 CGi and range-topping 335kW 6.2-litre C63 AMG.

Apart from rear-wheel drive all-wheel drive will be offered on European versions.

The C-class is one of the world's first cars to be designed and developed based on a digital prototype.

Mercedes-Benz bundled together all of its calculation methods, using 2130 gigabytes of data to create a completely virtual car. Holden used a similar system to develop its Monaro coupe.

Computer simulation was used to develop and test the crash-safety and occupant-protection systems for the new C-Class as well as the car's noise, vibration and harshness, durability, energy management, climate control and aerodynamics.

Mercedes engineers at Sindelfingen used one of the world's largest IT networks for many of these calculations.

The new DPT process helped to save time and solve trade-offs at an early stage as well as permitting computer testing of the entire car.

Subsequently 280 real prototypes were built, starting in 2003, for real-world testing.

The new C-class has clocked up more than 24 million test kilometres world-wide, making this the largest test program in the Stuttgart manufacturer's history.

More than 600,000 current-model C-class sedans have been built at Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant since it was launched in 2000 with more than 1.4 million C-classes in total, including wagon and Sports Coupes.