The Mercedes-Benz C-Class has a sporty agility with its shock absorbers that change with the driving situation.

The unique blend of agility and comfort that forms one of the exceptional strengths of the new C-Class is basically down to the standard-fit AGILITY CONTROL package. This features shock absorbers which automatically adapt to the current driving situation for a noticeable improvement in ride comfort when driving normally. As soon as a more dynamic driving style is adopted, on the other hand, the maximum damping forces are set to stabilize the Estate effectively. A steering system that is six per cent more direct and a short-throw six-speed manual transmission also form part of the AGILITY CONTROL package.

The dynamic handling package that is available as an option bestows the new
C-Class Estate with a degree of agility worthy of out-and-out sports cars. The driver is able to choose from two drive modes which determine the fundamental suspension characteristic: Comfort and Sport. Within these modes, the shock absorbers at each wheel are regulated by means of an infinitely variable electronic control. What’s more, the body is lowered by 15 millimeters and the suspension equipped with shorter springs and thicker torsion bars. The dynamic handling package also encompasses the new speed-sensitive power steering with a more direct ratio and variable centring.

The body index devised by engineers at Mercedes clearly illustrates just how agilely the new C-Class Estate performs out on the road. This index is calculated from the readings for various driving maneuvers, thereby forming a new composite formula for a vehicle’s dynamic handling abilities. The larger the body index, the better the suspension is linked to the body and the firmer the suspension’s tuning. The standard AGILITY CONTROL suspension gives the C-Class a body index of 1.91 to 2.01 hertz, while the new model attains sports-car-like values of up to 2.46 hertz with the dynamic handling package fitted.

Kitting out the new Estate with the AMG sports package adds a sports suspension with shorter springs and firmer shock absorbers to the specification, along with 17-inch light-alloy wheels. The body is also dropped by 15 millimeters.

Source: Mercedes Benz

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 20th, 2007 at 7:51 am and is filed under Mercedes Benz C-Class, Mercedes Benz News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.