6 design elements on 2015 C-Class you don’t want to miss

The all-new 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class made its debut at NAIAS and it comes with 6 distinctive design elements you don’t want to miss.

At the NAIAS, Mercedes introduced the new 2015 C-Class with design elements that are easily overlooked unless they are pointed out. Mercedes-Benz designed the all-new 2015 C-Class with six unique exterior features you don’t want to miss. The next-generation C-Class is all-new from the ground up and there’s some unique exterior treatments that sets it apart from the previous model. Here’s six elements that came from the Mercedes design studio and made it on to the new C-Class.

Flame Surfacing

For most of us, we never really get to see the tremendous amount of hours that goes into designing a new car. Gorden Wagener, Global Head of Design at Mercedes-Benz, was asked what inspired the design of the 2015 C-Class. He said, “German expressionism and good old-fashioned torque, hence the twists and turns in the car’s character lines.” Mercedes calls this “Flame Surfacing.” Flames are twisting surfaces, and twist is the visual expression of what’s under the hood; torque.

Aero Lip

Why would we pay much attention to the bottom of the front bumper? Mercedes says they put a line across the bottom. It’s called an Aero Lip. But it’s much more than just a nice visual feature. It also acts as a functional aerodynamic element that feeds cool air to the engine and brakes while improving airflow around the car’s front end. It’s easy to miss but plays an important role in the new C.

Overhangs

Designers have a term they call “dash-to-axle ratio.” It sound complicated, but its really just the distance between the base of the windshield and the front axle. The higher the ratio, the stronger and more athletic a design appears. Many automakers use the effect to further push the wheels as far out to the corners as possible to give the car a more aggressive and powerful appearance. Mercedes did this in the new 2015 C-Class.

Low Drag Rear

Most of us would think that dragging our rear is a bad thing. But the rear dynamics of a car are as important as in the front. The new C-Class has a short bobtail that effects its overall coefficient of drag. And Mercedes says it had a serendipitous effect that creates more trunk space.

Rear Diffuser

While automakers try to increase aerodynamics as much as possible, it has a negative impact on down force at the rear wheels which is a desirable thing. Mercedes uses a silver strip between the C-Class’s dual exhaust tips that solves this problem. It was developed from their F1 race cars and it’s called a rear diffuser. By breaking up the air passing under it, downforce that would otherwise be lost is “clawed back.”

Signature LED Lighting Technology

The new LED strips on the C-Class add a nice finishing touch. The headlights’ LED strips carry a line all the way to a finish at the base of the grille. This will give the all-new 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class a distinctive appearance whether it’s day or night. And the new C-Class comes in two flavors.

Watch All-New 2015 C-Class Premiere -- Mercedes-Benz Luxury Sedan video.