Mercedes C-Class Coupe spy pics

SPY images have caught the next Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe taking form as it shapes up for battle against the BMW 4 Series and the Audi A5.

The Benz-badged coupe’s sleek new profile is still a closely guarded secret judging by the lengths taken to disguise the C-pillar and boot-lid shape, the images show.

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Expected to be one of the biggest drawcards of next month’s IAA Frankfurt Motor Show, the C205-generation two-door Mercedes C-Class, seen here undergoing a final pre-production shakedown, banishes the upright dumpiness of the outgoing version for a smoother, sleeker silhouette that connects the newcomer with its C217 S-Class Coupe big brother.

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Also crystal clear from the spy shots is the lack of door B-pillars, revealing a more elegant frameless look that puts the Stuttgart car on equal bragging terms with the ageing Audi A5 and BMW’s successful 4 Series coupe alternatives. With the stylish Lexus RC and upcoming Infiniti Q60 coupe (to also star at Frankfurt) providing further competition, it is obvious the Benz team is serious about putting its best-looking foot forward this time around.

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As we’ve reported previously, the oily bits underneath are pure W205 C-Class sedan, meaning a variation of the latter’s modular rear-drive architecture. Among the more interesting powerplants is the return of the Mercedes straight-six cylinder engine, ending almost 20 years of mildly disappointing V6 applications. The upcoming C300’s circa-175kW 2.0-litre direct-injection four-pot turbo should be a winner, too.

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A flagship C63 AMG M4/RS5 basher, brandishing the Three Pointed Star’s M177 375kW/700Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 and driving the rear wheels via a seven-speed DCT dual-clutch transmission, will be the one to have the coupe set swooning, while the A205 convertible is set to surface sometime later in 2016.

Similar to today’s C204 Coupe launched in 2011, the 2016 C-Class should be priced to appeal, so expect a $60,000 kick-off, extending well past the $150K mark for the C63 AMG.

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Have spy pics of your own? We'd love to see them. Just email them to wheels@bauertrader.com.au

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