Press Release
A new dimension in handling safety and traction
- Permanent four-wheel drive system for the V6 models C 240 and C 320
- Combined with ESP???????????????????? for optimal handling stability and traction
- Electronic traction system instead of differential locks
- Handling dynamics and ride comfort to Mercedes standards
- Five-speed automatic transmission as standard
Top-level passive safety, serene handling safety, sporty agility and a high level of comfort - these are the outstanding characteristics of the C-Class which have found favor with approx. 760 000 drivers worldwide since the start of series production of this Mercedes model series around two years ago.
From autumn 2002 Mercedes-Benz is perfecting the exemplary driving characteristics with a highly efficient four-wheel drive system whose name has long been a synonym for a technical milestone in drive technology: 4MATIC.
This permanent four-wheel drive system, which is available for the Saloon and Estate variants of the six-cylinder models C 240 and C 320 - operates in conjunction with the standard Electronic Stability Program ESP????????????????????, which means that by virtue of this intelligent combination the C-Class once again forges ahead as the trendsetter in handling safety (= ESP????????????????????) and traction (= 4MATIC).
Superior handling safety in all situations
It is not only in unfavorable weather conditions such as rain, snow and ice that 4MATIC shows its strengths, for when moving off, accelerating, negotiating bends at speed or driving on poor road surfaces the electronically controlled four-wheel drive system ensures even better handling stability and helps the driver to control the vehicle more easily at the physical limits. 4MATIC also provides additional reserves of traction when towing a trailer.
In the new 4MATIC variants in the C-Class these exemplary driving characteristics go hand in hand with typical Mercedes comfort. This is ensured both by the sophisticated design of the front and rear suspension and the carefully coordinated spring and shock absorber settings in the four-wheel drive models, which basically correspond to the settings in the models with rear-wheel drive. Another comfort related advantage of 4MATIC is the absence of conventional differential locks, which have an influence on the steering characteristics and handling in other four-wheel drive cars.
Automatic braking impulses to increase traction
In place of differential locks 4MATIC uses the electronically controlled traction system 4ETS, an additional component of the stability program ESP????????????????????. This is automatically activated if one or more wheels lose their adhesion. In this case 4ETS applies individual brake pressure to these wheels while increasing the drive torque to the wheels which still have sufficient traction. These split-second braking impulses enable the effect of three differential locks to be achieved:
- Rear axle: If one rear wheel begins to spin, it is braked and a drive torque corresponding to the braking torque is transferred to the other rear wheel. This is equivalent to the function of a rear differential lock.
- Front axle: The same principle applies to the front wheels, therefore 4ETS also replaces a front differential lock.
- Central lock: If both rear wheels begin to spin, they are simultaneously braked while the transfer case compensates for the difference in speed between the front and rear axles. In this way 4ETS also performs the function of a central differential lock.
The four-wheel drive system in the C-Class is configured to distribute the drive torque to the front and rear axles at a ratio of 40 : 60 at all times. The Mercedes engineers have therefore intentionally given the C-Class four-wheel drive models a "rear emphasis", as this torque distribution provides the best conditions for safe handling characteristics - even at high speeds.
