- Sales of the S-Class are down 22% through the first half of the year.
- The German carmaker has also reported a significant decline in EQS sales, particularly in the U.S.
- Mercedes has blamed “geopolitical, micro, and macroeconomic” conditions.
Mercedes-Benz will cut production of the S-Class and EQS due to a drop-off in demand for the automaker’s two most luxurious sedans.
News of the change to production initially surfaced as a rumor, but before long, Mercedes confirmed the change to be true. Both the S-Class and EQS are manufactured at the firm’s ‘Factory 56’ in Sindelfingen which usually operates two shifts. This will be reduced to a single shift in October.
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“We continuously optimize our production network and use its high flexibility to react to fluctuations and changing framework conditions in relation to geopolitical, micro, and macroeconomic developments and to remain competitive,” Mercedes said in a German statement issued to Handelsblatt and translated by us. “Accordingly, we are planning adjustments to the cars in some areas of the Sindelfingen plant.”
Sales of the S-Class have dropped 22% through the first half of the year, and between January and June, 28,100 were delivered to new homes. It’s unknown if or how Mercedes plans to compensate workers at the factory when it makes the change.
As Mercedes said in its statement, the site responsible for building the S-Class and EQS is flexible, and should the brand need to switch back to two shifts in the future, it should be able to do so with little drama.
Some potential S-Class buyers may also be holding out for the facelifted 2026 model. This model will be unveiled sometime next year and will sport revised styling that includes newly designed headlights, complete with star-shaped LED daytime running lights.
