- In the coming years, Mercedes-Benz will drastically reshape its portfolio.
- A number of two-door coupes, wagons, and SUV coupes are destined for discontinuation.
- Going forward, expect a greater focus on top-end variants from AMG and Maybach, as well as super-exclusive Mythos models.
In May 2022, Mercedes-Benz outlined its latest long-term strategic plan, which involves drastically resizing and reshaping its massive product portfolio to move even further upmarket and become even more profitable. At the time, the automaker did not give a full explanation of how it plans to do so, but now we have a much clearer idea of what’s destined for the guillotine and what new models we can expect.
Only 14 of 33 Body Styles Will Survive
We talked to several top managers in Untertürkheim and Sindelfingen to find out exactly why they believe that wagons, coupes, and convertibles have an uncertain future—or no future at all. Apparently, it has to do with the brand’s new understanding of luxury. Mercedes intends to tailor its future products to prepare them for extended personalized mobility services, ease the pressure on the driver, and redefine creature comfort as a key brand value. The new model mix may boost profits, but it contains fewer emotional products. Based on what we’ve seen, of the 33 body styles Mercedes currently offers between Europe and the U.S., only 14 will survive.
“At the end of the day, we simply don’t need estate cars [wagons] or underperforming two-door offerings to boost volumes,” a senior member of Mercedes-Benz’s strategy team told Car and Driver. “The most essential elements of sustainable contemporary luxury cars are space and time . . . That’s our number one priority—not another fancy body style, a model that only works in Europe, or one last stab at a dying segment.”
The C-class and E-class coupes and convertibles will cease to exist sometime between 2023 and 2024, to be replaced by a pair of two-door CLE-class models. Current coupe-like SUVs and sedans aren’t long for this world, either. The CLS-class will depart in 2024, and the sharper AMG GT 4 Door will follow along in 2024 or 2025. New generations of GLE and GLC Coupes will debut in the coming years, but after that, their lineages will also end.
Goodbye to the Shooting Brake
Things are more dire for fans of wagons and shooting brakes in Europe. The Europe-market C-class wagon will be gone after 2028. Later this year, we’ll see the next-generation E-class, which will spawn the automaker’s last wagon, bidding farewell at the end of its production run in 2030. The next-gen CLA-class, which will ride on the MMA electric platform and is due to debut in 2025, will be the brand’s last shooting brake (in Europe).
There are still some interesting vehicles on the horizon, though. Later this year, Mercedes-AMG will launch the new GT coupe; it will be based on the current SL roadster, which will also expand its lineup with a new Maybach offering. In 2026, we will see a new four-door coupe, as well as a next-generation SL with more cargo and rear-seat space, and a new AMG GT coupe, all of which will be electric. And speaking of EVs, the MMA platform will also serve as the backbone for a chunky GLG-class SUV in 2026.
As this new group steps into the spotlight, we can expect to see more capacious batteries (up to 150.0 kWh), power outputs approaching quadruple digits, and maximum ranges pushing toward the 500-mile mark on the European WLTP cycle. Maximum charging speeds should expand to 270 kilowatts, too, thanks to a greater reliance on 800-volt electrical systems.
AMG Getting More Attention
Since Mercedes-Benz’s more exclusive corners will be prioritized going forward, we can expect to see a greater focus on AMG models, as well as Maybach—in fact, there is even talk of an ultra-ritzy V-class van. The wildest creations, though, will come from the OEM’s new Mythos series of hyper-expensive collectibles. There are some very intriguing propositions here, including a Gullwing reincarnation, a four-door G-class pickup truck, and a racy speedster based on the SL.