Mercedes to stretch C-Class wheelbase for China

A Mercedes-Benz board member has confirmed that the automaker’s next-generation C-Class sedan will be sold in a long wheelbase variant aimed specifically at buyers in China.

Likely to be built in China, the C-Class LWB will take advantage of the automaker’s new modular architecture that allows several variants of the same vehicle to be built at various assembly plants across the globe. The North American version of the C-Class will be assembled in Alabama, for instance.

“There will be a long-wheelbase version for the specific needs of Chinese clients. This car will be built in China, exclusively for that market,” Mercedes board member Thomas Weber told Reuters.

The C-Class LWB isn’t likely to be sold in the U.S., although its stretched architecture could very well underpin a future crossover vehicle. 

The standard wheelbase variant of the C-Class will debut next month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Shortly thereafter – likely at the Geneva Motor Show in March – Mercedes will take the wraps off of a wagon version of the car set to be offered primarily to buyers in Europe. Other variants including a coupe will follow later.

Weber also confirmed that Mercedes has set higher sales expectations for its next-generation C-Class. Capacity constraints have meant that Mercedes has only been able to produced about 316,000 examples of the sedan annually at its Bremen, Germany, plant. However, production in Alabama will greatly help the brand supply the lucrative North American market.