Mercedes-Benz to introduce Concept Coupe SUV at Beijing

The Annual Shareholders’ Meeting of Daimler AG held at Berlin on April 09 saw the release of the first pictures of the Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe SUV. The latest entry into the sport utility family of the German manufacturer will debut at the 2014 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition later this month.

The new concept will share the platform and underpinnings from the current M-Class and is expected to be manufactured alongside the M-Class at their Alabama, USA facility. Likely called the MLC-class, the new model will take on BMW’s X6 SUV crossover. The picture shows a sloping roofline, a feature that seems to be the flavour of the year for sedans and crossovers alike. The new concept will have raised ground clearance and skid plates up front, enhancing off-road pedigree. The grille, headlamps and intakes are in sync with Mercedes’ current design language, much like the current A-class, S-class, and C-class.

Though the manufacturer is tight-lipped about the powertrains and other technologies for the Concept Coupe SUV, a production version is likely to have an engine line-up identical to the M-Class. irrespective of variants. A high-performance AMG version might also debut with the new concept, all of which is expected to be ready for production by the second quarter of 2015.