GOODBYE STEP – In a car market where niche models are slowly disappearing, the Mercedes CLS. After three popular generations, the German brand will end production of its own 4 door coupe. The CLS is built on the same platform as the E-Class: but if we have already seen the new generation (Who to find out more), a fourth CLS it’s not in the plans of the Mercedes. From the very beginning of its history, which began at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show, the CLS has amazed with its impactful style. It has inspired models from both its competitors and from Mercedes itself, the smallest CLA, resulting in yet another niche model such as the CLS Shooting Brake (pictured below).
> In the photo above, the current CLS, codenamed C219, introduced in 2018. Above, the second generation, the C218 produced from 2010 to 2018, which also had a station wagon variant.
READY ALTERNATIVES – There is also already a date to be engraved on the tombstone: 31 August 2023. This is the date on which Mercedes will start production of the E-Class of the W214 series and on which the Mercedes CLS will no longer be produced. This was confirmed by a US spokesman for Mercedes. According to the Stuttgart company, those looking for the 4-door coupe style of the CLS will be able to turn to the brand’s new electric sedans, in particular the Mercedes EQE and EQS. Or, if you are fond of the combustion engine, the AMG GT Coupé 4, which will continue to be part of the Mercedes model range, although it is not yet clear for how long. It therefore seems that Mercedes is aiming to direct customers towards the top of the range, abandoning a model which by its nature is not inclined to have large sales volumes.
> Pictured above is the first generation CLS, which dates back to 2004. Its project code is C257.
THE FIRST OF A LONG LIST – It seems that the Mercedes CLS is only the first of the branches that the German company will cut in the near future. In fact, the manufacturer should stop production of the coupé and convertible variants of the C and E Class, both replaced by the new CLE (here to find out more), and also the GLC Coupé and GLE Coupé SUVs should still survive for the current generation. The station wagon variants of the C and E-Class as well as the CLA Shooting Brake could also be short-lived.
