Here’s Why The New Mercedes C-Class Won’t Have Six-Cylinder Engines

Mercedes-Benz is set to reveal the next-generation C-Class on February 23, but there will be no straight-six engine option at all. The V8 option on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class going away was never a surprise, but the Mercedes straight-six engine is a fairly recent addition to its piston-powered range. It’s a smooth and torquey lump, seemingly perfect for the BMW 3 Series rival but not even the AMG version will have six-cylinder power. In an interview with Automotive News, the C-Class’s chief engineer, Christian Fruh, said that if Mercedes had designed for the 3.0-liter engine, the front would have to have gained around two inches in length.

In addition, a higher axle load and the larger engine’s extra weight would harm the C-Class’s dynamics, which wouldn’t be balanced out by extra power. “Performance-wise, we have more than made up for the difference between the four- and six-cylinder engines through the plug-in hybrid models,” Fruh explains. “Besides a slight increase in smoothness, these engines have significantly better efficiency.” Add these reasons to the tougher CO2 emissions limits in Europe and the US, and the decision to keep the C-Class as a four-cylinder vehicle makes sense, even though its main competitor, the BMW 3 Series, is standing by its six-cylinder engines as an option.