Mercedes-Benz tells dealers it will reduce ever-growing lineup in the US, report says
Potential dead men walking include the S-Class and C-Class coupes and convertibles.
Between the badges, engines and trim levels, Mercedes-Benz offers a hell of a lot of model variety in the US. Now, the automaker might have realized that it's gone a bit too far.
Mercedes-Benz will pare back its voluminous offerings in the near future, Automotive News reports, citing knowledge of comments made at a dealer meeting earlier this month in Las Vegas. The automaker declined to comment to Roadshow, mentioning the meeting's closed-door nature.
AN's report points out that, between various body styles and engine variants, Mercedes-Benz sells "nearly 90" different models in the US. That's set to rise in the future, as well, considering the introduction of the A-Class sedan is imminent, and the GLB-Class crossover is slated for a dealer debut later this year, too. That's a lot of variety, so it makes sense why the automaker might want to scale back -- trying to stock all those models on a dealer lot can get complicated.
It'd be a real shame if the S-Class Coupe left. It's a good coupe, even though its two-door layout requires some sacrifices.
While the automaker apparently did not tell dealers what models will be culled, AN's report points to a few solid contenders. The SLC-Class roadster will disappear next year after dwindling sales, that much has already been confirmed, but AN also mentions the S-Class and C-Class coupe and convertible variants, both of which have low take rates. The growing complement of crossovers continues to pull buyers in, even from more niche models like those mentioned.
The shift isn't limited to cars, either. AN's report claims that options and equipment packages will be reorganized. While there aren't many specifics available, the report cites dealers who attended the meeting -- they said that some low-demand packages might get cut while more popular ones might get integrated into other packages or made standard.
For those of you still intent on picking up a SLC-Class, you're in luck. Mercedes-Benz will roll out the SLC300 Final Edition in 2020, just ahead of the car's disappearance. In more global news, we already knew that Mercedes-AMG would ditch its -65 trims and their twin-turbocharged V12 engines. And yep, there's a Final Edition for that car, too.
