Mercedes C 400 e 4MATIC Saloon W206 vs Xpeng P7: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the C 400 e 4MATIC Saloon hits 100 km/h in 5.29 s versus 6.58 s for the P7. At this point, the C 400 e 4MATIC Saloon leads by 1.29 s and sits roughly 17 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the C 400 e 4MATIC Saloon is doing 135 km/h against 127 km/h for the P7. The gap is 0.91 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the C 400 e 4MATIC Saloon crosses the line in 13.55 s versus 14.81 s. The 1.26 s gap represents roughly 54 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the C 400 e 4MATIC Saloon continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 191 km/h versus 170 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the C 400 e 4MATIC Saloon finishes in 24.53 s versus 27.64 s, with a 3.11 s lead.

The C 400 e 4MATIC Saloon features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the P7’s RWD. At low speeds (0-30, 0-50, 0-80 km/h), AWD doubles the driven contact area: all four wheels transmit torque to the road, virtually eliminating wheelspin at launch. This traction advantage is decisive in the range where the motor delivers peak torque, before power and aerodynamics take over.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the C 400 e 4MATIC Saloon is capped at 240 km/h, the P7 at 170 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

With two plug-in hybrid powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (5.59 kg/hp vs 7.59 kg/hp) and transmission (Unknown vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 10.18 seconds. The 1.29 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.