What's the news?

With a new C-Class saloon revealed at the Detroit show earlier this month, Mercedes-Benz is injecting a bit more showroom appeal into the outgoing model with the announcement of a new AMG Sport Edition - available on saloon, estate and coupé variants. It replaces the old AMG Sport and AMG Sport Plus trims, thus merging two trim lines into one.

Exterior

The AMG Sport Edition C-Class models feature the same AMG kit as the now-defunct AMG Sport cars, which is to say an AMG body kit, steering wheel, alloys and sports suspension with a 15mm drop in ride height. In addition, the saloon and coupé cars get a boot lid spoiler, while all three variants also have dark-tinted headlamps and a high-gloss black grille.

Interior

Here you'll find the same seats as in the AMG Sport Plus, finished in black Artico and Dinamica with blue/grey contrast stitching. The Sport Edition also receives dark brushed aluminium trim, while the gearshift gaiter and Dinamica-covered door cards get grey contrast stitching. Finally, the saloon benefits from the split folding rear seats, as already found in the estate and coupé.

Mechanicals

No changes to the motive power, but AMG Sport Edition is available on C 220 CDI and C 250 CDI guises. The 2014 enhancements to the C-Class mean the 47 possible variants of the range, previously provided by seven engines and three trims, have been streamlined to 19, achievable through two trims and four engines.

Anything else?

Mercedes says if you fit the optional 18-inch seven-spoke AMG alloys to the AMG Sport Edition (at £300), it represents a 50 per cent saving over the superseded AMG Sport Plus, which used to be £3,000 more than an Executive SE model - the AMG Sport Edition is only £1,500 more by comparison. Prices are £30,170 on-the-road for the saloon, £31,370 for the estate and £32,455 for the coupé.

But if that's not enough for you, there are two option packages. Premium is £1,595 and adds in Comand Online with media interface, a reversing camera, heated front seats, a lighting package and DAB digital radio. For £2,495, you get all of the above and a panoramic sunroof as well in the Premium Plus package.