“Do we need all the products that we currently have? We also have to play our part in cutting our costs to meet our means.” — Nicholas Speeks, Mercedes-Benz USA CEO
According to a statement from Mercedes-Benz USA at a dealer webinar that took place last month, the German manufacturer is planning to jettison at least 7 models from its lineup from the US market.
We believe the legitimacy of the information shared as the brand already plans on ending the production of C-Class Sedan in the US and the A-Class in Mexico. Although the plan might already be in action, the date or the exact number of models has not been revealed yet. This situation also raises another question: Is it possible that more than seven models could face a premature death?
Anonymous sources reveal that the models likely to be discontinued are the coupe and convertible variants of the S-Class, C-Class, E-Class, CLS coupe, and one from the GT models.
Mercedes-Benz choosing to discontinue several models sure is a heart breaker, but a quick look at the manufacturer’s lineup shows an oversaturation of models. Mercedes currently offers about 15 models, and, when taking into consideration engine variants and body designs, the US market gets to choose from over 100 different versions. The maintenance and continuity of older models besides the introduction of new, improved vehicles obviously put the automaker in a financial slump.
100 variants… Isn’t that a little too much?
“Reducing model proliferation is good. We’ve been asking for that. Whether or not seven models are enough, time will tell,” – Jeff Aiosa, Mercedes-Benz owner, Connecticut, New London.
Although fans of the German manufacturer are not quite enthusiastic about the decision towards the automaker’s portfolio screening, the dealers sure are. Most dealers welcome the decision with open arms as they lean on the fact that the abundant choice of models and variants inevitably brings its own set of drawbacks ranging in every aspect. The decision will surely save lumps of funds for the automaker, which can be utilized towards R&D instead. This will also give room towards higher expertise and better care per product, thus offering a better experience for the automobile owners.
There has been no official confirmation of the plan. Still, sources seem to be reasonably reliable, and looking at Mercedes-Benz’s impressive lineup, slashing a couple of variants could only help.
Source: AutoNews
