Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet 2016 | new car sales price

Drop-top C-Class now available to order ahead of October arrival, with AMG variants due early 2017.

Out of the gloom of winter and just in time for spring, Mercedes-Benz has rolled out the C-Class Cabriolet range for enthusiasts of open top motoring with prices starting at $85,900 for the C200 to $179,900 for the AMG-spec C63 S.

Not just made for months of ample sunshine, Mercedes-Benz has specced Australian-bound C-Class Cabriolet models with a multi-layer acoustic soft top as standard across the range, while its Aircap rear-seat draught preventing system and Airscarf neck warmers are standard on all variants except the entry-level C200, where it is available as an optional extra.

Available in four colours, dark brown, dark blue, dark red, or black, and derived from the bigger S-Class Cabriolet's soft top, Mercedes-Benz says the C-Class Cabriolet's soft top can be dropped or raised in 20 seconds at speeds of up to 50km/h, and has been subjected to 20,000 opening and closing cycles to ensure its reliability.

Though it doesn't have a folding metal roof like that of the BMW 4-Series Cabriolet, the C-Class Cabriolet's roof is far from being a plain old rag top. Its multi-layered structure is layered with acoustic damping and climate insulating materials for refinement and all-weather usability. The soft top also features a heatable rear glass window, while its manual boot partition ensures that the fabric roof doesn't intrude into the luggage space.

When paired with the Keyless Start and Keyless Go feature, the soft top can be opened and closed with the use of the keyfob. Its frame on the other hand is made from a mix of magnesium, extruded aluminium, and steel, Mercedes-Benz says that the soft top is around 8kg lighter than if it was made from steel.

Based on the recently-launched C-Class Coupe, the Cabriolet model range features the same engine line-up, sans the diesel-drinking C250 d variant. Both the $85,900 C200 Cabriolet and $99,900 C300 Cabriolet come fitted with the same 2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit, which produces 135kW and 300Nm of torque in the C200 and 180kW and 370Nm of torque in its C300 guise.

That being said, unlike the C-Class Coupe, instead of a 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed auto, both C200 and C300 variants of the Cabriolet comes with Mercedes-Benz's latest 9G-Tronic nine-speed torque converter automatic.

Those looking for more power - and prefer more cylinders under the hood - will have to stretch to the AMG-variants.

The specifications of the C-Class Cabriolet is rather generous with the C200 already equipped with metallic paintwork, 18-inch AMG wheels, AMG body styling, sports suspension with Sports Direct-Steer system, Dynamic Select Driving modes, heat-reflecting leather upholstery, Garmin Map Pilot navigation, DAB+ digital radio, head-up display, and electric front seats with memory function as standard.

As for the C300, it adds bigger 19-inch AMG wheels, a Burmester surround sound system, Comand Online navigation, heated front seats, Keyless-Go, and a sports exhaust system.

Those looking for more power - and prefer more cylinders under the hood - will have to stretch to the AMG-variants, with the $119,900 C43 Cabriolet 4MATIC having a 270kW/520Nm 3-litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine with all-wheel drive, and the range-topping $179,900 C63 S Cabriolet featuring AMG's 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with 375kW and 700Nm of torque.

With a 4MATIC all-wheel drive system and 9G-Tronic automatic, the C43 Cabriolet does the century sprint in 4.8 seconds, whereas the rear-wheel driven C63S Cabriolet gets to 100km/h from a standstill in 4.1 seconds with the utilisation of its seven-speed AMG Speedshift MCT-7 dual-clutch transmission.

Where the C43 has the additional AMG Ride Control sports suspension, the C63 S comes with the whole AMG furnishings, including bigger 19- and 20-inch AMG rims, AMG active dynamic engine mounts, AMG electronic rear axle locking differential, AMG high-performance composite braking system, and AMG performance exhaust system. The C63 S also comes lavished with Nappa leather upholstery, digital TV tuner, and the scent-dispensing Air-Balance package as standard.

Though the C200 and C300 Cabriolet variants are available for order from this month onwards, the AMG C43 and C63 S will only be arriving on our shores early next year.

On the safety front the C-Class Cabriolet's fitment of nine airbags, Collision Prevention Assist Plus with semi-autonomous braking, Blind Spot Assist, Pre-Safe pre-collision preparation system, Attention Assist drowsiness detection, Active Bonnet for pedestrian safety, roll-over protection system, and a 360-degree camera system, is standard across the range.

The C300, C43, and C63 S, on the other hand has an expanded list of safety features in the form of Driver Assistance Package Plus that includes Distronic Plus with steering assist cruise control, Pre-Safe Plus, BAS Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Active Blind Spot Assist.

Will the C-Class Cabriolet be your next top-down cruiser? Tell us what you think in the comments below.