World Premiere for Mercedes-Benz Concept GLC Coupé - China Premiere for GLE and GLE Coupé
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SHANGHAI -- April 22, 2015: Mercedes-Benz is steadily
continuing its product offensive in the year of the SUV. With the
close-to-production GLC Coupé concept, the inventor of the automobile is
providing a glimpse in Shanghai of forthcoming new models for the booming
global off-road segment. The exceptionally sporty show car carries the idea
of the GLE Coupé over into a more compact segment. In parallel, the brand
with the three-pointed star is also celebrating the market premiere of the
new GLE and GLE Coupé in China, where Mercedes-Benz is enjoying continued
dynamic growth. After another record year in 2014, with a sales increase of
28 percent, Mercedes-Benz is expanding both its model range and its local
production in the Middle Kingdom. At the Beijing plant, the GLA compact SUV
is now the fourth Mercedes-Benz model to roll off the production line. The
presence of Daimler in China will soon also be reinforced by the new smart
fortwo, which is also celebrating its market premiere in
Shanghai.
“We have good reason to
pay close attention to SUVs. They are fascinating automobiles in a growing
segment. We are expecting double-digit growth rates in China over the next
few years,” says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of
Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, speaking at Auto
Shanghai. “The GLE Coupé shows just how convinced we are by the
success of this vehicle concept, which is why we will bring further models
to market that combine the look of a coupé with the versatility and
off-road capabilities of a Mercedes SUV. The GLC Coupé concept provides a
very clear indication of how they might look.”
The show car combines coupé styling elements with the
sensual purity of the design language applied to forthcoming generations of
Mercedes-Benz SUVs. This emotional tension is further enriched with
characteristic details, including the twin blade radiator grille, a bonnet
with power domes and a four-pipe exhaust system. References from the
off-road world such as the 21-inch tyres, the underguards front and rear,
the increased ground clearance and the running boards along the side
emphasise the performance potential of the GLC Coupé concept. The drive
technology fulfils the promise of performance. The V6 biturbo with
270 kW (367 hp) and 520 Nm familiar from the AMG Sport
models delivers incredibly athletic propulsion. Power is transmitted by the
9G-TRONIC 9-speed automatic and 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive.
Mercedes-Benz SUV family expands
The Mercedes-Benz SUV family is
definitely growing. “We will build a production version of the GLC
Coupé concept,” says Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management
of Daimler AG responsible for Marketing & Sales of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
“That means we will have seven models on offer here in future, with
the spectrum ranging from the compact GLA all the way to the G-Class, the
founding father of the Mercedes-Benz SUV family.”
Mercedes-Benz goes full-steam ahead in
China
“Great products –
produced locally. That’s our recipe for the long-term success of
Mercedes-Benz in China,” says Hubertus Troska, Member of the Board of
Management of Daimler AG, Greater China. Troska continues, “China has
our full attention, and this is paying dividends. 2014 was another record
year for Mercedes-Benz, with an increase in sales of 28 percent and more
than 270,000 units sold. We are planning further double-digit growth in
China for 2015 and well in excess of 300,000 cars sold.”
Among the new models for China, the world’s largest
car market, is the new S 500 e with innovative plug-in hybrid technology,
delivering fuel consumption of just 2.8 litres per 100 kilometres and 67
grams of CO2. The S 500 e therefore already undercuts the
exhaust standards applicable in China as of 2020 by around 45 percent. The
new C 200 4MATIC also marks the first C-Class model with all-wheel drive to
come to China.
Emotional, efficient and
low in emissions – the new GLE
Alongside fresh looks, the extensively revised bestselling
Mercedes-Benz SUV, which will soon be launched in China, offers a
wide-ranging package of measures that deliver best-in-class figures for
emissions and drive. One example is the new GLE 500 e 4MATIC, the first
Mercedes SUV with plug-in hybrid technology. The high system output of
325 kW (442 hp) contrasts with low CO2
emissions of 78 g/km, equating to an average fuel consumption of 3.3 l/100
km (NEDC).
Elegance paired with off-road
talent – the new GLE Coupé
Celebrating its premiere in Shanghai is the GLE Coupé, with
an output of up to 270 kW (367 hp). The top model of the
production version is the GLE 450 AMG Coupé 4MATIC, representing the new
AMG Sport model product line. Its extensive standard equipment includes the
DYNAMIC SELECT handling system, the Sports Direct-Steer system and the
brand’s familiar driver assistance systems, as well as the 9G-TRONIC
9-speed automatic transmission and 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive.
China launch - smart
The ultimate city car, the new smart fortwo, is entering
the world’s largest car market. “The new smart fortwo is quite
simply the perfect city car, particularly for China’s many urban
areas. And I’m convinced that, following its great start in Europe
and its premiere on the US market in New York, it will also find plenty of
friends in the great cities of China,” says smart boss Dr. Annette
Winkler, speaking at the launch event against the backdrop of Auto Shanghai
in China. “China has influenced the design and development of our new
two-seater more than any other country, which is why this car fulfils all
the customer requirements in this important market,” continues Dr.
Winkler.