The upcoming 2016 Mercedes Benz C Class Cabriolet has been spotted undergoing road tests with a heavy camouflage. The convertible joins other members of the C Class family, which includes a sedan and coupe, a plug-in hybrid model, a long-wheelbase model, a wagon, a sporty C450 AMG Sport, and high-performance Mercedes C63 AMG. The car is expected to be unveiled officially sometime in mid-2015.
As expected the design of the C Class Cabriolet will be based on the latest generation C Class, with slight modifications and a sportier appeal. Also, as is the case with the sedan, the upcoming model is likely to look like a smaller version the S Class cabriolet, which is the case with their sedan models. The test mule appears to be wider and also sits lower than the sedan, all of which lends it a sporty character. The side rear view mirrors are mounted on the doors of the car rather than the A-pillar like the C Class sedan. Like the E Class Cabriolet the C Class cabriolet will get a folding hard top and not a folding metal metal, which would save costs and create more of a difference between the Coupe and Cabriolet versions. The interiors will be borrowed directly from the sedan with minor changes to the upholstery, etc.
The engine options offered on the upcoming C Class Cabriolet will be the same as the ones seen on the sedan, so expect C300 and C400 models to be the launch models. In the C-Class sedan, the C300 is powered by a 235-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder while the C400 gets a 329-horsepower 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6. A seven-speed automatic that would send power to the rear wheels should be standard. In India, the new C Class is sold in only one variant, the C200 which gets a 2 litre petrol motor putting out 181bhp so engine options for the C Class Cabriolet will most likely be different should Mercedes decide to launch the vehicle in India. The car however, will most likely miss out on the AMG treatment unlike the coupe which will get an AMG tuned version.
