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【Introduction】
A major event in the automotive industry, the suspension of Mercedes-Benz CLS caused an uproar. This high-end performance coupe, once known as the most beautiful Mercedes-Benz, suffered a continuous decline in sales after the 2023 facelift, and finally had to announce the discontinuation. The fall of Mercedes-Benz CLS has triggered people's deep thinking about the high-end coupe market. At the same time, similar news came from BMW and Audi, and the outlook for high-end coupe models seems to be much bleaker.
So, what caused the reversal of fortune of this series of coupe models? Is it market change or increased product competition? Let's dive into it together.
【Chapter 1】
Riders were looking forward to the facelift, and CLS was directly discontinued
Mercedes-Benz CLS, once the proud son of Mercedes-Benz, has won the love of many riders with its slender body and low-lying sporty shape. In particular, the 2016 CLS is known as the most beautiful Mercedes-Benz and is worthy of being the representative of Mercedes-Benz's high-end performance coupe. However, the 2023 facelift has sparked a wave of dissatisfaction. Riders have complained that the Mercedes-Benz CLS has changed its ugliness, and the front face has changed from the original large aerodynamic design to a unified shark nose, which is aggressive but somewhat incongruous.
The originally smooth and dynamic rear window design has also become a bit bloated, and the beauty of the willow-leaf taillights has been replaced by an inverted trapezoidal design. Originally expected that the next facelift of Mercedes-Benz could reproduce the classic, but Mercedes-Benz chose to stop production. So, what exactly is the reason for the discontinuation of the Mercedes-Benz CLS?
【Chapter 2】
Sales continued to decline, and the most beautiful coupe was forced to stop
Although the appearance of the Mercedes-Benz CLS is elegant and attractive, its sales performance in the Mercedes-Benz product line has been relatively awkward. The CLS was never a Mercedes-Benz bestseller, and sales have actually been declining. Taking the Chinese market as an example, CLS sales in 2022 were only 3,929 units, and GLS sales continued to decline this year, with only 764 units sold in the past six months.
In the international market, CLS has not performed satisfactorily, for example, in Australia, CLS sold only 55 units this year. One of the reasons is that the CLS is relatively low-configuration, all models are only equipped with 2.0T engines, even the top-of-the-line CLS 350 4MATIC, which accelerates to 100 km/h in just 6.2 seconds. At this price point, competitors such as the A7 top-of-the-line 55 TFSI quattro Premium perform better and at a similar price. In addition, the rise of electric coupe models has also put competitive pressure on fuel coupe models such as Mercedes-Benz CLS, with lower prices and stronger acceleration performance, making traditional coupe models gradually lose their attractiveness.
For various reasons, Mercedes-Benz had to make the difficult decision to stop production, ending a generation of classic coupes.
【Chapter 3】
BBA chops coupe models, electric vehicles squeeze the high-end coupe market
Mercedes-Benz's decision seems to have been contagiated to BMW and Audi, and BMW also intends to cut the high-end coupe model 8 Series and merge it with the 4 Series to form the 6 Series. Audi has also stopped the development of RS series fuel models, and the traditional V8 engine accelerates 3.6 seconds per 100 kilometers to RS7, which is likely to become a swan song. Behind this series of decisions, BBA Group has to tighten its belts in the context of the global economic downturn.
In addition to CLS, Mercedes-Benz has also cut many CL series coupe models, such as CLC and CLE convertibles and two-door models, which will be merged into CLE models. The coupe model has always been a popular product, people praise its beauty, but few buyers have bought it. They are between sports cars and cars, the performance is not as good as the sports car, the comfort is not as good as the sedan, and the market positioning is very embarrassing. In the era of electrification, electric coupe models are more competitively priced, power performance is far better than fuel coupes, and the sense of luxury is not inferior. In contrast, BBA's traditional coupe models are even more irresistible.
However, different brands of electric coupes can provide performance and household functions at a more affordable price, which makes the prospects of traditional coupes even bleaker. Perhaps, we don't have to be too sad, because new products in the new era may lead to a better driving experience.
【Summary】
The discontinuation of the Mercedes-Benz CLS has triggered a market for high-end coupes
【Summary】
The discontinuation of Mercedes-Benz CLS has triggered a deep reflection on the high-end coupe market. Its fate is not only the backstory of a model, but also a turning point in the automotive industry. We see that not only Mercedes-Benz, but also BMW and Audi face similar challenges, and the future of high-end coupe models seems increasingly uncertain.
With the rise of electric vehicles, the market is undergoing a huge transformation. Traditional fuel coupe models have been double-squeezed from electric vehicles, which are not only more attractive, but also more powerful, which poses a great threat to traditional luxury coupe models. High prices, inefficient fuel economy, and outdated technology compared to new energy models make these traditional coupe models seem inadequate.
However, for consumers, this new era of change also brings more choices. Now, you can buy a high-performance, eco-friendly electric coupe for relatively little money.
This diversity and competition in the market is bound to inspire more innovation and progress to provide consumers with better products.
Although we have to say goodbye to the classic Mercedes-Benz CLS, it is also part of the continuous evolution of the automotive industry. Automotive is an ever-changing field, and as technology and the market advance, we will see more exciting new models emerge. Therefore, although we miss CLS, we can also look forward to the future and look forward to more smart, environmentally friendly, high-performance cars.
In this fast-changing automotive world, keeping an open mind and embracing new products for the new era may lead to a richer driving experience.