Mercedes-Benz To Build M-Class Coupe In Alabama: Report

Kurt Ernst

Contributor BIO

Kurt has been fascinated by anything with wheels and a motor for a long time. Growing up, he spent his spare time turning wrenches and pumping gas in... More

LATEST ARTICLE
New Cherokee, Cheap Cars, Auto Loan Delinquencies: Car News Headlines
Today at The Car Connection, we tell you about the debut of Jeep’s controversially-styled... Read More

N/ALEADERBOARD RANK
2940ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
152COMMENTS POSTED

961 views Jul 25, 2011

2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class

Enlarge Photo

Mercedes-Benz will add a fifth model to the production line in its Tuscaloosa, Ala., plant, according to Automotive News.

The new model will be a version of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class crossover, but will sport a swooping, coupe-like roofline similar to the 2011 BMW X6 crossover.

Although the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class has already started production, the M-Class coupe (likely to be called either the MLC or the GLS) won’t be built before 2015. The new vehicle is part of a $2 billion investment in the Alabama facility announced by Daimler AG last week.

In addition to the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class, the Alabama plant will be used to produce C-Class, R-Class and GL-Class vehicles in the coming years.

Expansion of the M-Class product line is part of Mercedes’ long term-plans for both its vehicle catalog and its Alabama facility. Even before the first M-Class crossover came off the assembly line, Mercedes’ executives had plans to expand the M-Class from a single vehicle to an entire product line.

While BMW's X6 isn't the best-selling vehicle in the company's lineup, annual sales of some 46,000 units are enough to convince Mercedes-Benz that a rival vehicle is warranted.

[Automotive News (subscription required) via Motor Authority]