viper

Interior
- new design steering wheel incorporates cruise control
- single CD player standard
- new design smaller/cheaper 6 disk CD changer intro 12/02
- new high end DSP stereo system incl sub intro 12/02
- new interior colors TBA
- window switches moved up 15 cm
- storage pockets on seat back
- seat rack travel increase 5 cm
- seat latch repositon to side
- rear seat cupholders built-in console side
- 12V power point in hatchback area

Exterior
- several colors retired and new colors TBA
- new C7 wheel/all season tire option
- AMG package C9A/C9B intro 12/02 C9B incl 18 inch staggered
- rear window wiper option
- redesigned windscreen for pana roof effective MY2002 05/02
- bi-xeon headlight option intro 10/02
- new smart key functions TBA

viper

Source is a product engineer. Can't say much else.

viper

The AMG package is cosmetic only but the shock calibration has been revised as well as some rear end gear ratios.
Its still TBA about a special engine for the package. A new intake manifold and other engine tidbits are being talked about but for now it looks like a high output engine is not being committed.
This is an entry level car and MB really does not want to get too close to the C32 performance envelope.

trench

Does your buddy have any info on the available motors?

BT

viper

A lot of the previous posts about engines is close but not entirely accurate. MB has to balance out available powertrains both on product type and market demand. In most cases these decisions are not made until later in the product cycle. The final decisions on MY2003 engines for North America has not been made contrary to what some people think.

avlis

Interesting. The interior changes pretty much clear up any complaints I had about my car. Is MB reading my mind? Everything except the window switches, seat track, interior colors, and 12v power point interest me.

Hopefully they'll raise the starting price so I won't feel as much like an a$$ for buying the first model year (so I can say- "at least I didn't have to pay $xxxxxx.xx for mine).

I don't care about the exterior changes especially the rear wiper: no thanks!!

I wonder if the TBA Smartkey functions will be a hatch-popper? That would be nice. I hate getting my hands dirty feeling around for that handle...

TimmyC230boy

- new design steering wheel incorporates cruise control A GOOD THING

- single CD player standard IT WILL DO

- new design smaller/cheaper 6 disk CD changer intro 12/02 JUST SOMETHING NEW
- new high end DSP stereo system incl sub intro 12/02 GREAT
- new interior colors TBA CAN YOU SAY JAVA?
- window switches moved up 15 cm WHAT FOR
- storage pockets on seat back PLEASE NO
- seat rack travel increase 5 cm OK
- seat latch repositon to side YES FINALLY
- rear seat cupholders built-in console side THATS NICE, IT NEEDED IT
- 12V power point in hatchback area THAT WILL WORK

Exterior
- several colors retired and new colors TBA GREAT I HATE ORION, JUST JIDDING GUYS ITS A SWEET COLOR
- new C7 wheel/all season tire option THATS COOL
- AMG package C9A/C9B intro 12/02 C9B incl 18 inch staggered THATS COOLER
- rear window wiper option UM... NO
- redesigned windscreen for pana roof effective MY2002 05/02 THAT COULD WORK
- bi-xeon headlight option intro 10/02 DUH! WHY NOT LAST YEAR
- new smart key functions TBA THE KEY WORKS FINE FOR ME

That wiper on the back will totally screw up the lines on the car.

columbus

"...
Exterior
- several colors retired and new colors TBA
..."

Oops - there goes that Orion Blue; better get it while you can

Davidta

I feel the car needed a rear wiper, lines or not and only hope a retrofit is available!

Black230

I would really like to see the rear qt. windows pop out via an electric motor as in the BMW 3-series coupe. And PLEASE no rear WIPER that's for Celica's and Mitsubishi's hatchbacks.

timorgan

Do you know anything about the sedan changes?

Thanks,

Tim

Flashman

Sounds cool... the only thing I'd be curious about retrofitting would be the single-cd in-dash stereo and the rear cup-holder. Not much else that would apply to me...

Though FITTING mud flaps would be nice... ;-)

avlis

After re-reading this list and thinking about it for a while, I'm skeptical of the validity of this information.

I'm sure no one will disagree that any change a manufacturer makes to a car costs the manufacturer money. From what I've been seeing, the C230K is selling quite well as is. Why would MB spend the money to rework coupe specific items such as the steering wheel, windscreen, and seats after only 1 year in production? If it isn't broken, why would they fix it?

Things like color changes and small added features (like cupholders, smart-key, audio, AMG add-ons) I can understand. These are changes all manufacturers make from year to year. The cost to implement these changes are minimal. But a total re-design of the seats and steering wheel? Unlikely IMO.

Why would they move the window switches?

Bper

They made a mistake.

young

here's my reasoning. if the trend of keeping the body styles for about 7 years is maintained, then it is better to change the car as soon as possible and thus recoup any incurred cost in the next six years of selling the car. especially if the changes are seen as improvements and thus, more cars are sold b/c people who wouldn't buy the car b/c of the lack of the rear wiper, may now do so.

i also think that the engine changes are ways to manage costs. if the new engine is smaller and cheaper (conjecture of course), then they can maintain their $25k starting price. i get the feeling that the car was somewhat underpriced.

finally, i'm not sure if the car is actually selling that well. so far, it is on pace to maybe meet their original sales goals (20000). but, if sales are linear, i don't think they're going to make it. on the other hand, selling 18000 coupés is no failure. i wonder how many bmw ti's were sold altogether?

dmichael

I once read official sales numbers for the BMW 318ti, and off the top of my head and if memory serves, the best year they had was in 1996 for a grand total of just over 7,000 units. From 1995-1999 the total was about 21,000. The last year (1999) sales dipped to just over 4,000. Thats why I laughed when I heard MB's sales goal of 20,000/year. I have to admit, having owned both, the biggest failing (power) of the 318ti is more than adequately addressed by MB in the C230K. I also find the C230k has many other improvements in many other areas to justify the nominal price increase over the 318ti.

avlis

I realize the need for updates during the 7 year life span, but some of these items are re-designs of brand new designs. They seem a bit drastic for a 1-year-old model. I could see if the steering wheel, sunroof, and seats were shared among the coupe, wagon, sedan lines- then the cost of the change-over would be spread out over more units.

I hope they do make the changes in MY03 as described, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I'd bet that these changes will be made over the life of car and not in MY03.

Does anyone know what the changes/updates were in the second year of the SLK (or any recent MB model for that matter)? Maybe we could use that info as a guage.

supeRama

I heard some rumor about a new COMAND system which will be DVD based. Anyone know if this is true or not?

DtS

Well... it's true for the new E-class where a DVD-based coMand is optional already. Lets see how long it takes til it finds the way to the C-class.

chronopassion

While picking up my new C230 earlier this week, my local dealer received confirmation that there would only be an indash CD player for those who purchase the COMAND option. The information came straight from MBUSA. I do not think he would be so certain if there was any doubt. As far as the motor, he did seem to think they might be switching it for 2003. We shall see. Right now everything is rumor.

CP

revstriker

I thought that if you get the COMMAND option, it already came with a in dash CD player, and no cassette player. I don't believe this is new.

Rick

You're absolutely correct...and MBNA is a BANK
MBUSA is the car company....

revstriker

LOL I didn't catch that one!!

greg230

uhm if it didnt have an indash cd player with comand, how would it work??? no place to put the nav CD

btw it is spelled COMAND (one "m" guys)

slcvr6

That's why you get the COMAND AND the CD Changer. Geesh!

I know where I drive 99 times out of 100 (the airport or home), so the NAV CDs will have copies burned and the originals stored in a safe place (almost never to be used). I will have the dash CD slot for current favorites and the CD changer for the standard tunes I always like close-by.