Rendered Speculation: Baby Mercedes-Benz CLS
Big Merc gender-bending is coming to the small Benzes when the platform underneath the A- and B-Class vehicles is released for consumption. Amongst the van-like MPVs will come a "four door coupe" that Autozeitung predicts will be called the CLA. Picture a shrunken CLS and you get the idea, and that's what Autozeitung's digital artist went with when fashioning a rendering. The "sandwich structure" of the current A/B-Class Benzes allows crash safety with a short nose, as well as passenger cabin benefits, but is costly to build, so something else is being brewed up for the new smallest Mercedes. The front-drive, tall and stubby cars haven't been fawned over, so a platform swap to an FR layout may be in store, though that would seriously chew up space efficiency. A muscled-up Euro scuttled plans to bring the original B-class to the United States, though this new version might just make it onto the boat to do battle in the burgeoning small/flexible/fuel efficient end of the market. [Source: Carscoop]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
why not the LS2LS7? 3:18PM (7/13/2008)
Great idea. Mercedes doesn't have quite enough models yet.
A
B
C
CL
CLC
CLK
CLS
E
G
GL
ML
R
S
SL
SLK
SLR (soon to be replaced with SLA)
Sprinter
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Noidor 4:27PM (7/13/2008)
In part, I do agree with you. I think MB needs to sort out their bottom end line-up. A/B classes have not been hugely successful in Europe, apart from maybe Germany. Fact is there are logical alternatives to A/B, and of course the CLC. They're too expensive, and don't tick all the boxes.
Perhaps it makes sense to follow the BMW, Audi model where each segment has a coupe, sedan (not in bottom segment though because small sedans are always ugly apart from Chinese Focus, Cobalt replacement, and Mazda3), hatch, SUV, and a cabrio. As for MPVs they need something size of Galaxy, or S-Max. R-Class must be attended to as well.
Torrent 4:47PM (7/13/2008)
What are you talking about? Besides the
C300 Sport
C300 Luxury
C350 Sport
E350
E350 Wagon
E320 BLUETEC
E550
S550
S600
CLK350
CLK550
SLK300
SLK350
SL550
SL600
SLR
ML350
ML320
ML500
R320
R350
R350 2WD
GL320
GL450
GL550
G500
GLK
C63
E63
E63 Wagon
S63
S65
CLK63
CLS63
CL63
CL65
SLK55
SL63
SL65
ML65
and
G55, America has hardly any Mercedes cars.
(the sarcasm is busting out of it's seams.)
why not the LS2LS7? 5:17PM (7/13/2008)
Yeah Torrent, can you imagine being an M-B dealer? You'd have to refer customers to other dealers in order to test drive what they want to buy half the time.
Mobius_1 10:26PM (7/13/2008)
In some other parts of the world, there's also
Vito
Viano
Smaller engine cars
Diesels
Imagine being a dealer in Europe, you'll have to refer customers to another country
Matt 11:39AM (7/14/2008)
They originally were going to call this the MLK. Wonder how that would have gone over....
Dave 3:34PM (7/13/2008)
What ever happened to aspiring to own a better car? We all started out with a low priced three and move up to the mid class. Finally achieving our dream car. Now you can own a Merc out of college. Don't dilute a good name so everyone can own one. Mercedes was correct in keeping the Smart as a seperate brand.
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Artie Lange 11:50PM (7/13/2008)
I couldn't agree more. Benz has really tarnished its image, first with its Chrysler partnership, and now its infinite number of models. They've forgot that exclusivity is part and parcel to luxury. There was a time when owning a Merc or a BMW meant something. Now, every cock's got one. If I were in the market for a large sedan, I'd be passing the Merc and BMW dealerships as I headed for Bentley (Flying Spur) or Maserati (Quattroporte).
mk 3:46PM (7/13/2008)
IT ISN'T A COUPE!!! Coupes don't EVER have 4 doors, otherwise they are not coupes! Can you wrap your head around that, MB???????
And what is the fascination with arched belt lines and tapering rear lines? It makes the car look bloated and puckered at the rear end. Read: UGLY.
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Yar 4:23PM (7/13/2008)
Why does a chicken coop have 2 doors?
why not the LS2LS7? 5:20PM (7/13/2008)
English doesn't have language police.
Before the 60s, cars called coupes yet having 4 doors were not uncommon. The language changes over time.
jgp 5:22PM (7/13/2008)
No. Coupe specifically refers to the proportions. It means "cut"; the back is cut down compared to a sedan.
BMW used to be famous for their two-door sedans (2002, E21, E30). Saturn and Mazda both had four-door coupes before the CLS came out.
mk 8:41PM (7/13/2008)
You left out the rest of the french definition.
It referred to a horse-drawn carriage, that was cut down for only two doors, and short length. Coupe meant that the carriage was smaller than normal, with TWO DOORS, and a fixed roof. (not a cabriolet)
That definition applied to horseless carriages (cars) all the way to the present day.
TWO DOORS, and a fixed roof. A two-door sedan is a two door with a "boxier" profile, and more of a full size car. A two door can be a sedan, but a 4 door can not be a coupe.
The Mazda RX8 and Saturn Ion Quad Coupe... I call them pseudo-coupes, and one could make a case that the rear doors are significantly cut down from those of a 4 door sedan.
But cars like CLS, this rumored vehicle, and BMW's HUGE X6, and others ARE NOT CUT DOWN, OR TWO DOORS. In some cases, they are significantly large vehicles, hardly shaved to the minimum space.
A swept rear roofline does not a 4-door coupe make.
And English doesn't have language police, but also is the single most complex language on earth, when it comes to grammar rules, exceptions to those rules, and alternate language-sourced words...
Perhaps there is enough complexity to the English language without further mangling and confusing the definitions of things. People already have enough trouble with the language as it is, without it being manipulated for marketing.
Call something what it is, and this is a sedan that might happen to be sleeker than a C-class. It is NOT a coupe, nor is the CLS, even if it is sleeker than an E-class. The X6 is not a Sport Activity Coupe. it is a freakishly big, tall, and odd sedan with a rakish roof profile.
Torrent 7:07PM (7/13/2008)
The 1932 Ford Tudor Sedan had 2 doors. That goes to show you how far back cars defied the laws of manufacturing.
Tinu 3:42PM (7/13/2008)
Looks a bit like Toyota Corolla from the front. The rest looks like Ford Verve.
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retsel 3:57PM (7/13/2008)
so are they slotting this care between the C Class and the E class... if so... it is a good idea...
The C Class might be to small for some but the E Class might be too expensive for other... but but the current price overlap... i dont know anymore... cars are getting to be like Pokemon... u gotta catch em all...
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Torrent 4:48PM (7/13/2008)
Looks like an R class. It totally lost it's sexiness.
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Pips 4:54PM (7/13/2008)
now days all the MBs are like bras, they all look the same and come in difference sizes.....A, B, C, and so on.........
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BAMF 7:28PM (7/13/2008)
mhmm and the higher the number, the better ;)
BAMF 7:28PM (7/13/2008)
mhmm and the higher the letter, the better ;)