Mercedes-Benz CSC Concept world premiere at 2012 Beijing Auto Show

Following a brief appearance at the 2012 Los Angeles Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz will announce the world debut of its Concept Sports Coupe (CSC) at the 2012 Beijing International Auto Show starting April 23, 2012. Powered by the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 214PS of power, the CSC is coupled to Mercedes’ 4MATIC all-wheel drive system through a 7G-DCT dual clutch automatic transmission. The concept borrows its design cues from the Concept A-Class and will be at the show in a new paint scheme, Alubeam, accentuating its design lines.

“The Concept Style Coupe is expressive and powerful in its design,” said Dr Dieter Zetsch, head of Mercedes-Benz cars and chairman of the board of management at Daimler AG. “We are staking our claim very clearly here. This is the model against which sporty vehicles in the executive segment will have to measure themselves.”

The 4,637mm long four-door sports coupe is a tad longer than the current C-Class (47mm), however, the next-gen C-Class will be bigger pushing the CSC just above the A-Class in terms of size. Special features on the outside such as headlamps turning red in standby mode and indicators lighting up in succession also add to the aggressive stance of the car. 21-inch wheels deliver power to the tarmac while carrying the same sporty design. Frameless windows and absence of a B-pillar also add to the continuous design.

The inside sports a wing-like carbon-fibre trim panel that stretches across the cabin to highlight its avant-garde design. The light grey and anthracite colour also sport neon piping that flows throughout the cabin including the instrument cluster, air-conditioning vents, seats, steering wheel and door panels. While the instrument panel is upholstered in alcantara, all chrome elements now feature black anodised finish for the first time. Like the Concept A-Class, the air vents are backlit and change colour according to the temperature inside the cabin – blue for cool, red for warm and fluorescent green for mid-range temperature. The car is also equipped with the comand online vehicle infotainment system where new applications for the vehicle can be downloaded and transferred using a mobile phone connection, thereby reducing workshop visits.

The same model is expected to reach Indian shores, but there is no official statement from the Stuttgart-based manufacturer. The CSC Concept should come with a higher preference to diesel engines for the country. The company was pipped by Audi in first quarter 2012 sales, landing in #3 position selling 2,130 units compared to Audi’s 2,269 units and BMW’s 2,369 vehicles. According to The Times of India, the company mentioned of its rivals in the Indian car market as sellers of ‘no-frill’ models that are comparatively less priced. “Our customers do not compromise and ‘stripped-down’ models are not for them,” said Debasis Mitra, sales and marketing director of Mercedes-Benz India. “We are not selling commodity, but luxury. Numbers are not the prime focus today.”