This is your first look at the new Mercedes C-Class and its light-up grille

Just a few days ago, BMW gave us a small surprise by bringing its upcoming i3 saloon along to the launch of its Neue Klasse iX3 SUV.

So, not to be outdone, just before it took the wraps off its new all-electric GLC at the Munich motor show on Sunday evening, Mercedes gave us a glimpse of its new C-Class. Almost like there’s some kind of competition going on, isn’t it?

Anyway, from this shadowy image we can see that the new C will get the large, illuminated grille of the GLC. We can also see… well, not much else. Still a three-box saloon though.

Of course, Merc boss Ola Källenius did recently tell TG that the company was set to launch 18 new models in 2026 alone, so we’d imagine this C-Class will be part of that offensive. The fifth-generation car was introduced in 2021, so it's due a facelift at any moment now.

Given the relationship between the two cars in the past, we’d also imagine that this C-Class will be based on the same platform as the GLC. Plus, at the launch of the GLC, Källenius let slip that he expected the C-Class to have more than 800km of range. Interestingly, that’s 497 miles in our money, so we’ve no doubt Merc will be looking to find at least three more miles in order to get past the iX3’s new 500-mile WLTP figure…