SPYSHOTS: Mercedes-Benz C-Class station wagon seen testing; ‘X206’ All-Terrain variant to join line-up

The upcoming, W206-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class has been sighted on several occasions previously, and this time it is the turn of the station wagon bodystyle. Following the cold-weather sighting of the W206 sedan in February, the front end of the next C-Class remains somewhat concealed, though the long-roofed development car here wears the grille that is distinctly Mercedes-Benz.

This particular C-Class estate development vehicle appears to sit slightly taller on its wheels, and therefore could be the forthcoming X206 All-Terrain version that has been reported to join the W206/S206-generation line-up. Pitched at the customer base that wants a higher-riding wagon that isn’t an SUV, this will go up against the likes of the Audi A4 allroad and the Volvo V60 Cross Country.

Like the W206 sedan, the S206-generation station wagon will be based upon the MRA2 longitudinal engine, rear-wheel-drive-oriented platform, which aims to offer more interior space for passengers. The platform will be home to the automaker’s latest powertrains, including hybrid versions that will gain more EV range thanks to larger, more energy-dense battery packs.

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Conventional internal combustion engines will continue to be available as petrols and diesels, in four- and six-cylinder forms, along with a selection of combinations across engine types with rear-wheel-drive and 4Matic all-wheel-drive configurations. AMG performance versions will surely follow, though this appears to be the generation where the 4.0 litre biturbo V8 could be replaced by a electrified 2.0 litre turbo four.

The latest in technology made available to the C-Class is expected to feature in the interior, including the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) interface which the present-generation facelift missed out on. Here, the dashboard architecture appears to use a structure similar to that which will feature in the W223 S-Class, albeit with a slightly smaller main screen section and a dedicated panel beneath for the HVAC controls here in the C-Class. The standard Mercedes-Benz column-mounted gearlever arrangement remains.

More of the W206/S206 C-Class range can be expected to be revealed ahead of its official launch, which is likely to be in early 2021. This All-Terrain lifted station wagon bodystyle can be expected to follow sometime after the sedan debuts, while the performance AMG models are expected to arrive a year after that in 2022.