Mercedes-Benz C-class facelift launch on September 20

It was only at the Geneva motor show earlier this year that Mercedes-Benz unveiled the mid-life update for the C-class, and now, less than seven months later, the India launch is all set to take place on September 20, 2018.

From the outside, it's very much like the C-class we have come to know so well, save for a few tweaks to the bumpers and new designs for the alloy wheels. New on the C-class facelift are two variations of all-LED headlights, and the tail-lights that sport a new LED pattern. On the inside, additions could include a 12.3-inch digital instrument console, a 10.25-inch high-resolution screen for the COMAND infotainment system and also the new-design steering wheel, which gets the dual touchpad control system we’ve seen on the E-class and S-class facelift.

The changes sound minor at first, but Mercedes has made an effort to make this refresh a significant one, and it's the new and updated engines that are the bigger news with the C-class facelift. The range is likely to start with the C 200, but instead of the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol motor as in the current car, it'll come with a new, 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine. The downsizing, thankfully, hasn't resulted in a drop in power output, with the smaller engine putting out a similar 184hp as the 2.0-litre, and 280Nm of torque, just 20Nm down on the outgoing engine.

The diesel will be the all-new 2.0-litre, four-cylinder unit that was first introduced on the E 220d, but just like with the pre-facelift C-class, it'll be available in two states of tune. The C 220d will mirror the E 220d's 194hp and 400Nm, while the twin-turbo C 250d will be replaced by a C 300d, a twin-turbo version of the 2.0-litre OM654, which will produce close to 245hp! Both diesel engines will be BS-VI-compliant. Additionally, all variants of the C-class facelift will get the new, 9-speed, 9G-Tronic auto 'box, which replaces the old 7G-Tronic unit.

The C-class facelift is likely to cost a lakh or two more than the outgoing model. We expect the C 200 to be priced at Rs 41 lakh, and the C 300d to be priced at Rs 47 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). As we count down the days to the launch, you can read our review of the C-class facelift here.