Mercedes-Benz boss Dieter Zetsche has gone public on an ambitious programme that will launch 10 new and 22 heavily upgraded and/or facelifted models into the five market segments the German manufacturer operates in before the end of 2015.
Read our full Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 review here
The expansion strategy is aimed at matching the projected growth rates of homeland rivals Audi and BMW through to the middle of the decade.
Mercedes will retain its traditional core models, such as the C, E and S-classes, and all their current variants, but will significantly extend its reach at the lower end of its line-up. It will also build on its luxury car portfolio to replace the Maybach models that are due to be phased out within the next two years.
Chief among the additional new models Mercedes is exploring is a new Porsche 911 rival, called the SLC. The new sports car is scheduled for launch in 2014 and has a projected price of £75,000. The evocatively styled two-door has been conceived as a joint exercise between Mercedesí regular passenger car department and its performance car division, AMG.
Zetsche indicated that the front-engined sports car will be an addition to the companyís mid-size line-up. This will also include the new fourth-generation C-class due out in 2014 and future incarnations of the C-class estate and C-class coupÈ. A new open-top C-class cabriolet is set to appear in 2015, along with a facelifted version of todayís SLK in 2014.
At the more affordable end of the Mercedes range, the recently introduced B-class MPV and soon-to-be-revealed five-door A-class hatchback will be joined by at least three new models the manufacturer is banking on to attract a younger generation of buyers. They include a four-door saloon replacement for the CLC and a five-door CLC Shooting Brake due to be launched next year. A junior SUV, likely to be called the GLC, is scheduled for introduction in 2014. All of these vehicles will be based on the companyís highly flexible MFA (modular front architecture) platform.
Greg Kable
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Re: SLC leads Merc expansion
I think this SLC can only compete with 911 in price only as 911 is a very niche model that commands huge loyalty from existing owners. And to compete with Audi for lower models is a lost cause as there is already brands like VW, Seat, Skoda etc to absorb those buyers and with common platform sharing across those brands, Merc has no hope to invest every single model with its own platform, maybe stretching a platform into different sizes but still they're on handicap already.
Re: SLC leads Merc expansion
How about a revised Vaneo aimed at the Motability charity called the DLA?
Re: SLC leads Merc expansion
Reminds me of my old Peugeot 205 STDT - a great little diesel turbo hatch in dark green with the GTi bodykit as standard. On numerous occasions, I was asked "is that a GTi?". But whenever I replied, "no, it's an STDT", I was usually met with a slightly bemused expression...!