Mercedes-Benz doesn’t play around when it comes to choices in terms of body styles. And while there was a slight culling of the herd here recently, fresh new models are already on the horizon — and they could even take on some new forms.
“We run about 40 body variants,” Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius told Auto Express, describing the wide range of Mercedes products on sale today. “Could there be more niches still? I’m not going to exclude that.”
Mercedes did some serious spring cleaning with its coupes and convertibles over the past few years. We said goodbye to models like the S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet, and saw the C-Class and E-Class two-door models condensed into a single CLE-Class that splits the difference. That said, the EV transition has been the cause for just as many new models to enter the portfolio as those exiting, as Mercedes marches on with its EQ lineup.
What new models could Källenius be foreshadowing? He wouldn’t give details to Auto Express, but he did provide a few thoughts.
“If we believe there is a market need, we will go for it," Källenius says. “[At Mercedes] we eat, sleep and drink cars... we also run a business. There needs to be a business case.”
The expanding lineup of EVs is one area Mercedes is staking out new ground already, with the AMG GT XX Concept being a strong preview of what’s to come.
“With AMG, if you want a credible performance car in the electric car era, on powertrain you have to go significantly beyond,” Källenius said. “It has to be dedicated if you want it to be a real performance car.”
We already know Mercedes is coming out with a four-door electric sports car that should closely mirror the AMG GT XX Concept, and an SUV built on the same AMG.EA platform will follow. Automotive News reports that its less performance-oriented future EVs are going to more closely resemble the gas-powered products in the future, though. Like the CLA-Class, expect those upcoming models to offer gasoline, hybrid and electric powertrains, all with similar looks.
As for what the face of this future will be, on Monday, Mercedes revealed the new grille design for its upcoming electric GLC-Class (just above). It’s described as a “chrome frame, smoked-glass-look lattice structure” and features integrated contour lighting. Expect this pixelated-look grille to make its way onto cars beyond just the electric GLC. The standard version won’t have lighting, but Mercedes says you can option it, giving you 942 backlit dots capable of animating into a pixel graphic and bringing it “to life.”
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