Station wagons, convertibles, and some two-door coupes will be the first to go.
Expect more high-end AMG and Maybach models, and more.
Many automakers set these types of decisions in motion years ago: kill all station wagons and coupes and save only SUVs. In Mercedes-Benz‘s case, they’ve opted to save the sedan but even so, 19 out of 33 current body styles will be cut.
2020 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ Wagon.
Ottawa, Ontario.
Thursday 12 November 2020
World Copyright: Olivier Delorme
Mercedes-Benz’s plans are simple: Move even further upmarket, increase profits, and kill off “lesser” body styles that are not in line with these new goals. Certainly, keeping only 14 shapes will cut costs, but at what cost? By killing shooting brakes, a more stylish estate style, coupes, and convertibles, Benz will basically suck out all enthusiasm and emotion from its product line. Can you imagine a future Mercedes-Benz lineup without an AMG E 63 S wagon? That’s what’s in the work, it seems.
On the subject of AMG, Mercedes-Benz will invest further in the premium sports division by introducing new models, one of which will be a new 2026 SL with more cargo space and a larger rear seat. Some of these vehicles, GT, SL, and others, will also get Maybach iterations.
“At the end of the day, we simply don’t need estate cars [wagons] or underperforming two-door offerings to boost volumes,” a senior member of Mercedes-Benz’s strategy team told Car and Driver. “The most essential elements of sustainable contemporary luxury cars are space and time . . . That’s our number one priority—not another fancy body style, a model that only works in Europe, or one last stab at a dying segment.”
Pour one out for the AMG estate guys. Let’s hope other automakers (Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen) see this as an opportunity to introduce more long-roof models.
