Updates Spotted for the 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Motorauthority.com has used a spy cam to tease photos of the next update to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Traditionally, Mercedes releases a refresh to their models midway through their lifecycles. As the C-Class was released in 2015, this would mean a new refresh unveiling in 2019.

Cosmetic changes to the C-Class mostly appear minor so far. Reshaped bumpers and internal light components seem on the horizon. Some prototypes that have been spotted even featured lights closer to those in the current E-Class line of vehicles.

Internal components are also getting a refresh, most significant among them being the change from a dial for internal controls to a new, state-of-the-art touchscreen. A digital instrument cluster is also a possibility, though it’s unclear whether this would come standard or be offered as an option, similar to the optional digital instrument cluster offered in the current Audi line of vehicles. The new C-Class will also feature a newly redesigned steering wheel and column.

Mercedes debuted a new class of engines in the 2019 S-class, and the C-Class is likely to adopt this new engine. Drivers would benefit from significant efficiency improvements, such as an upgrade from a starter and alternator motor to a single electric motor, which should improve performance, as well. Though the 2018 S-class still uses Mercedes’ current motor design, the 2019 C-Class and beyond will likely implement an inline V6 in a modular design.

“More powerful, more economical and cleaner—the new modular family of engines from Mercedes-Benz offers the right powertrain for every vehicle,” Benz Research & Development head Thomas Weber said in a statement. Presumably this would be true for an updated C-Class as well. Their new engine promises 20 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque boost, which creates performance closer to that of an 8-cylinder engine than a traditional 6-cylinder.