Previewed by the Concept Coupe SUV at this year’s edition of the Beijing Auto Show, the upcoming Mercedes-Benz MLC will have one of the fastest transitions from concept to production vehicle if we are to look at the recent history of the three-pointed star.
Designated to snatch some bits of the BMW X6 pie, the first “five-door coupe-SUV” from Stuttgart is an important pillar in the Mercedes-Benz 2020 strategy, which is based on a drastic increase in the number of crossovers and SUVs in the current lineup.
From what is known so far, the Mercedes-Benz MLC (C292) is expected to be unveiled in production form in early 2015, with the North American International Auto show being a good guess as the venue of choice.
Not long from the purported January unveil date, the mid-cycle refresh for the current Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W166) should also come into the spotlight, with both models being based on the exact same platform.
Speaking of which, you can check out a number of pre-production prototypes of the facelifted M-Class following a camouflaged MLC in the following short video, and the identical suspension arms in the rear can be easily seen.
Unfortunately, the family ties between the M-Class and MLC (or M-Class Coupe as some sources say it will be called) will continue in the interior, with both models sharing the same center console.
By Alex Oagana