Mercedes-Benz is committed to offering coupe and cabriolet models in the future, according to chief operating officer Markus Schafer, but will trim back and refocus its line-up of such machines.
The firm has launched the new C-Class in saloon and estate form, which in the past have been followed by Coupe and Cabriolet variants. But with Mercedes currently expanding its line-up of EQ-branded electric models, Schafer said the firm needed to rationalise and focus on higher-volume machines.
“We reached a portfolio of close to 50 vehicles last year, and there’s more to come on the electric side with our EQ line-up,” said Schafer. “We have some limitations in terms of what we can do in research and development.
“Some of [our models] got quite narrow [in terms of market] so we want to really focus on a portfolio that’s more precise and consumer-oriented. So we’re doing some significant shifts in our line-up, portfolio and shape of vehicles.
“We have a very high density on the coupe and cabriolet side with the C-Class, E-Class and SLC. It’s a wide offering and the market is going in a different direction. That’s why we’re shifting: we’re going to continue with coupes and cabriolets in the future, but in a different form and shape.
“We will not give up the segment because it’s very important to use as a brand-shaper, but maybe in a more limited offering.”
James Attwood