Mercedes would be killing: coupes, wagons and the CLS will be eliminated

Mercedes is set to kill off an assortment of models, including the CLS, GLC Coupe, GLE Coupe and AMG GT 4-Door

through Michael Gauthier

Last year, Mercedes announced a new strategy to cut costs and focus on cost-effective Top-End Luxury and Core Luxury vehicles. Entry Luxury vehicles would continue to exist, but the company has pledged to cut the lineup by nearly half.

While the automaker didn’t go into specifics, Car & Driver is now filling in the parts. The publication spoke to several “top managers” and reports that “of the 33 body styles Mercedes currently offers between Europe and the US, only 14 will survive”.

It looks like a bloodbath, and it looks like coupes and wagons will be among the hardest hit. It’s not too surprising because Mercedes has already moved in this direction as the S-Class coupe and convertible have gone down the dodo path. Additionally, the CLE is expected to replace the C- and E-class coupes and convertibles.

Also: Mercedes Launches Exclusive Mythos Brand As It Shrinks Entry-Level Lineup To Focus On High-End Luxury

However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg as the post says the CLS will be discontinued in 2024. The AMG GT 4-Door is expected to follow suit soon after, which would mean the model only lasted only one generation.

Even crossover coupes won’t be spared the slaughter. While the next-generation GLC and GLE would offer crossover coupe variants, they are expected to disappear in the future. Exact timing remains unclear, but it looks like they will be phased out as next-gen models reach the end of the road.

Wagons and shooting brakes also face a bleak future, as the C-Class station wagon is said to be “gone after 2028”. Spy photographers have already photographed the next E-Class station wagon, but it would be phased out in 2030. While the next-gen CLA is set to debut in 2025 and feature a Shooting Brake variant, it would be the company’s last. slender wagon.

That’s quite a tally, but a senior official told the publication “At the end of the day, we just don’t need station wagons or underperforming two-door offerings to drive volumes.” They went on to say that “space and time” are the most important elements of contemporary luxury, so body styles and “fancy” models that only work in Europe don’t make sense.

The news is sure to disappoint fans, but the post says there are a handful of interesting models on the horizon, including a new four-door coupe that will arrive in 2026. Maybach also teased an ultra-luxury version of the last SL.

The post also says there will be a rugged GLG SUV in 2026 and possibly even a Maybach V-Class. More interestingly, the recently announced Mythos brand could offer a pickup based on the G-Class and a modern Gullwing.

Many future models will be electric and Car & Driver says they will take a big leap forward with more robust batteries with a capacity of up to 150kWh. They could offer up to 805km of range in the WLTP cycle as well as faster recharge times thanks to a 270kW DC fast-charging capability.