The new C-Class will be sacrificing room for more sportiness

Reports say the German automaker will sacrifice interior roominess for a sleeker design, ensuring that the C-Class coupe won’t simply be like the C-Class sedan with two doors removed. It will be making its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and the C-Class coupe will have reduced rear seat room and less trunk space after the company’s chief designer, Gorden Wagener, fought hard for a new design approach.

Sources say compared to the current model, the new C-Class coupe’s rear seats have been pushed forward and the roofline is lowered by 1.6 inches. In addition, passengers will sit almost an inch lower and the center of gravity has been lowered accordingly.

To further differentiate it from the hardcore C63 AMG coupe, Mercedes will outfit it with unique fenders, giving it a wider profile compared to the standard coupe models.

According to sources, at launch the U.S. lineup will include the C300 coupe powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine with 241 hp and will be priced under $40,000. The C400 coupe and C450 AMG coupe will use a 3.0-liter V6 with the C400 sporting 329 hp and the C450 churning 362 hp. The range-topping C63 AMG coupe will come with a base 469 hp while the more powerful C63 S coupe will have 503 hp.