2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Australian launch on hold until next year, amid chip crisis
Keen to get behind the wheel of a new Mercedes-Benz C-Class? Chip shortage pressures mean you'll be waiting until at least early next year.
Mercedes-Benz has hit the pause button on the launch of its new 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan in Australia, as the semiconductor shortage continues to cause chaos for the global car industry.
Initially set to arrive in the fourth quarter of 2021 (October to December), local launch timing for the new C-Class is now pending amid the ongoing semiconductor shortage, as Mercedes-Benz looks to ensure steady supply lines before launching its crucial new mid-size sedan Down Under.
"Due to the current semiconductor shortages Mercedes-Benz Australia is yet to receive sufficient supply of new C-Class vehicles (W 206) to facilitate a local launch," a Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson told Drive.
"We are planning for a launch in the new year subject to production and shipping confirmation."
Final timing is yet to be locked in, however Drive understands Mercedes-Benz is targeting a launch in the first quarter of 2022 (January to March) as a best-case scenario.
However, with international Mercedes-Benz executives not predicting an end to the chip shortage until well into 2022, the new C-Class might not reach Australia until the middle of next year (though this remains speculation for now, as a launch date has not been finalised).
Mercedes-Benz hasn't been exempt from the semiconductor crisis – having been forced to remove some Pre-Safe safety features from a selection of its smaller models earlier this year – and joins an array of brands experiencing delays in new vehicle launches as a result of semiconductor pressures.
Stay tuned to Drive for more details – including full pricing and specifications – of the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class line-up as they surface.