- In the coming years, Mercedes-Benz will drastically reform its portfolio.
- A number of two-door coupes, wagons and SUV coupes are slated to be discontinued.
- Going forward, expect a greater focus on top-end variants of 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 reforming its massive product portfolio to move even further up the market and become even more profitable. At the time, the automaker didn’t give a full explanation of how it planned to do this, 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 spoke to several top executives in Untertürkheim and Sindelfingen to find out exactly why they believe wagons, coupes and convertibles have an uncertain future—or no future at all. This apparently has to do with the brand’s new understanding of luxury. Mercedes intends to adapt its future products to prepare them for expanded personal mobility services, relieve the pressure on the driver, and redefine creature comforts as a key brand value. The new model mix may increase profits, but it contains less emotional products. Based on what we’ve seen, only 14 of the 33 body styles Mercedes currently offers between Europe and the US will survive.
“At the end of the day, we simply don’t need estate cars [wagons] or underperforming two-door offerings to boost volumes,” said a senior member of Mercedes-Benz’s strategy team Car and Driver. “The most essential elements of sustainable contemporary luxury cars are space and time . . . This is our number one priority—not another fancy body style, a model that only works in Europe, or a last stab at a dying segment not.”
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 are not long for this world either. The CLS-Class will depart in 2024, and the sharper AMG GT 4 Door will follow in 2024 or 2025. New generations of GLE and GLC Coupes will debut in the coming years, but after that their generations will also end.
Goodbye to the Shooting Brake
Things are more dire for fans of carriages and brakes in Europe. The European-market C-Class wagon will be gone after 2028. Later this year, we’ll see the next-generation E-Class, which will see the automaker’s last wagon go bye-bye at the end of its production run in 2030. The next-generation CLA- class, which will ride on the MMA electric platform and debut in 2025, will be the brand’s last shooting brake (in Europe).
However, there are still some interesting vehicles on the horizon. 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 range with a new Maybach offering. In 2026, we’ll 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 lineup 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 speed should also expand to 270 kilowatts, thanks to a greater reliance on 800-volt electrical systems.
AMG gets more attention
As Mercedes-Benz’s more exclusive turns will be prioritized going forward, we can expect to see a greater focus on AMG models, as well as Maybach—there’s even talk of an ultra-ritsy V-Class van. The wildest creations, however, will come from the OEM’s new Mythos line of hyper-expensive collectibles. There are some very interesting proposals here, including a Gullwing reincarnation, a four-door G-Class pickup and a fast sprinter based on the SL.
