Mercedez Benz News Rumorpile: Mercedes-Benz To Change Up Nomenclature On SUVs and Crossovers

[William Maley]

Car and Driver reports that Mercedes-Benz is planning some major changes for its nomenclature on SUV and crossovers. Sources tell the magazine that Mercedes is trying to make their SUV and crossovers fall more in line with the C, E, and S-Class models. The first model to receive a name change is the ML-Class. When the model gets refreshed next year, it will be named the GLE-Class. Then when the Concept Coupe SUV heads into production, it will wear the GLE Coupe nameplate.

The GLK-Class will become the GLC-Class, and the GL-Class becomes the GLS-Class. The only model that will not see a name change is the G-Class.

Source: Car and Driver

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[Drew Dowdell]

Are we really this dumb that we need to be coached along in such a kindergarten way?

[A Horse With No Name]

Are we really this dumb that we need to be coached along in such a kindergarten way?

Yes indeed!

[G. David Felt]

WOW, MB just ReBooted Dumb and Dumber without any actual humor. What a waste of time and money just to probably justify some over hyped Marketing dweeb who really is clueless about the SUV/CUV market.

[smk4565]

I hope they don't do this and it is an idea they are considering to they put it out there to see if there is backlash or not.  The naming scheme makes no sense because the M class and GL share a platform, neither of them are based on an E-class or S-class platform, and that is continuing as the GLK, C, E, CLS will all be built on the new MRA platform, while the SL and SLK share a platform, and the S-class get's it own.

 

K on any Mercedes stands for kompaktklasse in German, compact class to us.    The G stands for Geländewagen, which translates to SUV or cross country wagon or what ever you want to call it.  The names mean something, no reason to change them.    Using a G for all SUVs makes sense, but the M-class is the only one that doesn't match, it is dumb to change the names of other products just because one doesn't match.

[A Horse With No Name]

In another thread I said no one did stupid like the Germans. I feel like a prophet!

[balthazar]

I hope they don't do this and it is an idea they are considering to they put it out there to see if there is backlash or not.  The naming scheme makes no sense because the M class and GL share a platform, neither of them are based on an E-class or S-class platform, and that is continuing as the GLK, C, E, CLS will all be built on the new MRA platform, while the SL and SLK share a platform, and the S-class get's it own.

 

K on any Mercedes stands for kompaktklasse in German, compact class to us.    The G stands for Geländewagen, which translates to SUV or cross country wagon or what ever you want to call it.  The names mean something, no reason to change them.    Using a G for all SUVs makes sense, but the M-class is the only one that doesn't match, it is dumb to change the names of other products just because one doesn't match.

It's all marketing- no one has any Earthy idea what platforms are under what models and no one cares.

If 'K' means 'compact', why was the old C230 hatchback a 'C'?? If the numbers are engine size, why is the S550 not the 'S470'?

Daimler is just farting around with alpha-numerics with little direction.

[smk4565]

As bad as it sounds, why not rename the ML to GML or GLM, the M being for mid size if they want every SUV to have a "G" in it.   GLE sounds like a trim package on a Camry.  Keep GLA, GLK and GL the same.  This isn't broken so it doesn't need fixed.  They already went from M to ML to appease BMW why change it again.

[smk4565]

The numbers used to mean engine size, but the engine sizes change a lot and now that engine sizes are going down, they probably don't want to go down in numbers.  BMW does it too, the 328i has a 2.0 liter engine.

 

I think what Mercedes could do to make the numbers simple is 300 for 4 cylinder, 400 for 6 cylinder, 500 for 8 cylinder and 600 for 12 cylinder.  When the day comes they have a 3 cylinder they could use 200.  Then as engine sizes change you keep the same number, easier for marketing.  The S500 in Europe is S550 here, no reason for them to be different.  Diesels could be 250, and 350 for 4 and 6 cylinder.  450 if they have an 8 cylinder diesel, but I don't think they do anymore.

 

On the AMG names, they should have named the CLA45 AMG the CLA35, since it is 4 cylinder, if AMG does a 6 cylinder in the future it could be 45 AMG, make the V8 55, so you'd have an S55 AMG like they used to, then S65 is V12.  And it fits in like with an S500 would be a V8, an S55 would be an AMG V8, S600 is V12, S65 is AMG V12.  Much more cohesive.

Edited August 29, 2014 by smk4565