MERCEDES-BENZ has launched a specialised corporate sales website as it gears up for the British launch of the all-new C-class. The prestige player has acknowledged the crucial role company car drivers will play in the success of the new model by announcing its biggest ever fleet demonstration programme and making a raft of data available online to fleet managers.

The first level of the site is accessible to the general public, but by registering online, fleet operators will be given password-protected access to much more detailed information, such as SMR and running costs. Mercedes' newly expanded corporate sales team believes the information available to registered users will be particularly useful to the leasing industry in ensuring the C-class has competitive contract hire rates.

In the future, Mercedes will use the site to communicate product updates and spec changes to all registered corporate customers and will ultimately tailor the site to meet the specific needs of individual users.

General manager of corporate sales Nick Ratcliffe said: 'This is a much more effective channel to get information out on what must be the most complicated product range in the market.'

• To access the new Mercedes-Benz corporate site, click on the Buyers' guide menu button (left) and go to the Car manufacturers section.

Click here to read our first drive of the new C-class.