2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedan and Estate Facelift: First Photos hit the Net

We’ve already brought you plenty of spy photos and even brochure scans of the refreshed (2012MY for North America) 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, but now we’ve gone one step better with the first official pictures of both the sedan and estate model.

We're still waiting for Mercedes to come out with a press release detailing all the changes, but we can tell by looking at the photos that the exterior styling changes are somewhat subtle, and are concentrated up front with the very CLS-like, L-shaped headlamps, the re-sculptured bump and more heavily contoured hood. The only rear-end photos we have are of the estate model, which appears to get a revised bumper and possibly, LED tail lamps.

As for the interior, the updated Mercedes model gains a fixed (and larger in size) LCD screen on top of the dashboard along with a completely new center console design.

Aside from the facelifted sedan and estate models, the C-Class range will soon be enhanced with the presentation of the two-door Coupe model, spy pictures of which, you can check out in our previous post here.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Live Photos from Detroit

The refreshed Mercedes-Benz C-Class made its first public outing at a special media event in Detroit. Available in both sedan and estate variants with an all-new coupe model set to follow shortly after, the C-Class is scheduled to arrive in the U.S. in the summer of 2011.

The most notable cosmetic changes on the outside concern the redesigned front end with the L-shaped headlamps while the interior has been upgraded with a revised dashboard highlighted by the more finely detailed controls and a larger, high-resolution color display positioned on the center console.

Under the skin, Mercedes says fuel economy has been improved by as much as 15 percent, thanks to new direct-injection engines and the redesigned 7-speed automatic transmission. Along with the C350 that sports a more powerful V6 gasoline engine pushing out 302 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque (previously 268 hp and 258 lb-ft), U.S. buyers also get a newly introduced direct-injected turbocharged 4-cylinder engine returning a combined 24 MPG in the C250.

In addition, five new driver assistance systems ranging from the ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection system through to the Blind Spot Assist are now available in the C-Class lineup, while the updated telematics offer new infotainment and navigation features.

VIDEO: 2012 Mercedes C-Class Coupe Spied at California Processing Center

The all-new 2012 Mercedes C-Class Coupe, that may or may not debut in Detroit next week as a Geneva Salon show up in March is also a strong possibility, was spied at the Long Beach Vehicle Processing Center in California by a crafty Youtube user. The lightly camouflaged C-Class with the two-door body was parked alongside other Mercedes-Benz models including a pair of wrapped up prototypes that appear to be the next generation M-Class and SLK roadster.

While exact specifications aren’t known yet, it's believed that the C-Class Coupe will be almost identical to its recently refreshed four-door and Estate siblings under the skin, offering buyers a choice of four-cylinder and V6 gasoline engines, while a V8-powered AMG model could also be in the cards.

VIDEO: Mercedes-Benz's First Ever Super Bowl Ads Teased

Continuing our online stream of the automotive-related ads of the Super Bowl XLV, we now have a trio of teaser spots from Mercedes-Benz, which will be making its first advertising appearance at the game. According to the German automaker, four new models will be featured in the ads, with two of them making their world debut in the 60-second-long spot called 'Welcome'. You can watch the two teaser spots plus the making of the 'Welcome' commercial right after the break.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Sedan and Estate: First Official Photos

This is the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, the performance version of the facelifted C-Class, which will make its official show debut at the 2011 Geneva Salon in early March. Available in both sedan and estate body styles, the C63 AMG receives a styling makeover as well as a series mechanical and chassis tweaks.

On the outside, the C63 AMG sports the same design changes as the rest of the range including the new L-shaped headlamps, adding to the mix a new aluminum hood, restyled bumpers with LED day time lights up front, a revised grille and specific alloy wheel designs. We don't have any photos of the interior yet, but the cabin will feature the standard model's revised dashboard spruced up with AMG-specific trim.

For the 2012 model year, the C63 AMG keeps the pre-facelift's naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine with 457HP and 600Nm or 442 lb-ft of peak torque, but gets the firm's new AMG speed-shift MCT 7-speed sports transmission, which helps improve fuel consumption by around ten percent to 12lt/100km [19.6 mpg US] for the sedan and 12.3 lt/100km for the Estate. The four door model completes the 0-100km/h [62mph] sprint in 4.5 seconds, while its Estate sibling in 4.6 seconds.

An available performance package pushes output to 487HP, allowing the sedan to reach 100km/h [62mph] in 4.4 seconds and the estate in 4.5 seconds.

AMG engineers have also tweaked the suspension settings promising improved handling characteristics.

The revised C63 AMG is expected to go on sale this summer.