Mercedes-Benz Trimming Down Coupe And Convertible Lineup
Mercedes-Benz is moving to trim down its coupe and convertible models in a bid to streamline its portfolio and increase its profit margins. The move echoes Cadillac’s decision to discontinue its coupe and convertible offerings in the face of dwindling profitability.
In a recent report, Car and Driver states that just 14 of the 33 body styles currently on offer from Mercedes in the U.S. and Europe will be retained over the next few years. According to the report, a senior member of Mercedes-Benz’s strategy team, who was unnamed, indicated that the German automaker did not need “estate cars [wagons] or underperforming two-door offerings to boost volumes.” Rather, Mercedes will prioritize “space and time” as “the most essential elements of sustainable contemporary luxury cars.”
Mercedes has certainly had an extensive portfolio of coupe and convertible models to point to over the last few years. Between 2018, 2019, and 2020, the German automaker has offered:
- C-Class Coupe
- C-Class Convertible
- E-Class Coupe
- E-Class Convertible
- SLC
- S-Class Coupe
- S-Class Convertible
- SL
- Mercedes-AMG GT
- Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster
Now, however, it looks as though the coupe and convertible body style simply isn’t all that profitable for the company. As such, Mercedes-Benz discontinued the SLC after the 2020 model year, while the S-Class Coupe and Convertible were discontinued after the 2021 model year.
Going forward, the automaker will trim its coupe and convertible lineups even further, starting with the C-Class coupe and convertible, and E-Class coupe and convertible, with the two lines replaced by the Mercedes-Benz CLE, which will offer a coupe and convertible body style. Additionally, the next-gen GT will return as a coupe counterpart for the SL with four seats, rather than two, while the GT Roadster should hit the dustbin.
Eventually, the Mercedes-Benz coupe and convertible lineup will be limited to:
- CLE (coupe and convertible)
- GT (coupe)
- SL (convertible)
At the end of the day, the decision at Mercedes-Benz to trim its coupe and convertible offerings would seem to support Cadillac’s decision to discontinue the body styles due to lack of profitability. Indeed, Cadillac was criticized for refocusing on utility models while Mercedes-Benz (as well as BMW and Audi) both still offered coupes and convertibles. That said, the market may very well change sometime in the future, but for now, the move to utility vehicles is crystal clear.
SOURCE: GM AUTHORITY