Mercedes-Benz will bring to market a rival to the BMW X6 sports SUV. Mercedes will preview this Concept Coupe SUV at the Beijing auto show later this month. The concept is a coupe version of the ML SUV and is set to go on sale as a production model next year badged as the MLC. It likely to be built at Mercedes’ U.S. factory in Vance, Alabama.
Daimler is unveiling the concept in China, a market crucial for Mercedes to pass BMW and Audi in global deliveries by the end of the decade. China is Mercedes’ second-largest single market after the United States. First-quarter sales of Mercedes and Smart cars in China were up by 48% to 67,058 vehicles, compared with the same period in 2013, according to the company. Sales in the United States rose 5% to 72,614.
Daimler and joint-venture partner Beijing Automotive Group are investing 1 billion EUROS (USD1.37 billion) to more than double Mercedes-Benz production capacity at their Beijing plant to keep pace with rising demand. The factory, which builds the C-class and E-class sedans and GLK SUV, will be able to produce more than 200,000 autos in 2015 and may be expanded further if sales continue to surge. The plant will add assembly of the GLA compact SUV next year.
