The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a compact executive car produced by the Mercedes-Benz division of Daimler AG. The earliest models (pre-production) were seen during 1992[citation needed], but the car itself was first introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the 190 range. The C-Class was nicknamed the "Baby Benz" as it was the smallest model in the marque's lineup, until the 1997 arrival of the A-Class. The C-Class is built at Mercedes-Benz factories in Sindelfingen and Bremen, Germany, as well as in Mercedes's factories in Brazil and DaimlerChrysler's South African factory in East London. The very first W202 C-Class sedan was produced on June 1, 1993, and the second generation W203 C-Class rolled off the assembly line on July 18, 2000. The third generation W204 C-Class was launched in 2007.

The C-Class platform has been used for several coupes, including the CLC-Class (and its predecessor, the C-Class Sportcoupe) and CLK-Class.

The first generation W202 C-Class was introduced in 1993, as a replacement for the Mercedes-Benz W201 (190), and proved successful among high-end car buyers. The C-Class sedan was the company's entry-level model up until 1997, when Mercedes launched the A-Class supermini. Styling themes were carried over from the previous W201 series, but the new series had a smoother and rounder design than the previous generation of compact Mercedes.

Engines

On its debut, the C-Class was the only Mercedes model with a complete lineup of multivalve engines. The new family of four cylinder petrol units, called M111, debuted in the C 180 (1.8L, 122PS (120hp/90kW)), C 200 (2.0L, 136PS (134hp/100kW) and C 220 (2.2L, 150PS (148hp/110kW), the only four cylinder of the range sold in the U.S.). In 1996 the C 220 was replaced by the C 230, enlarged to 2.3L displacement but with the same output, although with torque increased to 220N·m (162lb·ft). . The top of the range was the C 280, with a four-valve-per-cylinder straight-6 engine, capable of reaching 193PS (190hp/142kW).