Mercedes is aiming for a broader appeal to both fleet and private customers with its new C-class, one of the most significant cars unveiled at the Geneva Show.

Three trim levels will be available when the new car goes on sale in the UK in June. SE, which replaces the Classic trim level, is biased toward corporate users, with a high level of specification demanded by business car drivers. Mercedes spokesman Rob Halloway said 56% of buyers for the outgoing C-class were company car drivers, and that percentage was expected to increase with the new C-class.

Sport, which replaces Avant Garde, lives up to its name with almost a full AMG-style body kit. This trim level is aimed more toward private buyers, as is the top trim level, which retains the Elegance name.

The C-class is a very significant vehicle for Mercedes in the UK. Last year 24,000 were sold here, making it Merc’s top selling car in this country. In total, 114,000 have been registered in Britain since the last model change back in 2000. A total of 2 million of the current Generation C-class have been made in its seven-year lifespan.

At 4.581m, the new C-class is 55mm longer than its predecessor. The body width has increased by 42 mm to 1.77m, and the wheelbase by 45mm to 2.76m. The car takes styling cues from the CLS and features different radiator grille designs to distinguish between the three trim levels, including a centrally positioned Mercedes star for the Sport trim.

Engines are more powerful, especially the supercharged Kompressor models. The output of the entry-level C 180 Kompressor has been increased by 9% from 143bhp to 156bhp. An estate version will join the range later in the year – it’s expected to debut at the Frankfurt Show in September.