New Mercedes C-Class Coupe
- New C-Class Coupé likely to further augment the company’s already very successful W205 C-Class range and increase sales momentum in fight v BMW and Audi.
- In the premium coupé segment, styling is by definition a deciding factor. Mercedes’ design team has taken the modern and fresh styling of the C-Class and made a highly attractive and contemporary coupé. Likely to carry on the strong sales trend established by the previous C-Class Coupé.
- The new C-Class Coupé looks likely to be a high-volume halo model, much in the same way that the original Audi A5 had when it was launched in 2007, in being highly desirable in and of itself and attracting a high share of conquest sales due to its strong styling.
THE new Mercedes C-Class Coupe takes the company head to head with the Audi A5 and BMW 4 Series when it makes its debut at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show.
It continues the Mercedes-Benz impressive recent model launch salvo that effectively began in 2011 with the new Mercedes-Benz B-Class.
Since then the company has launched the new:
- A-Class,
- CLA-Class,
- GLA-Class,
- GLC-Class,
- GLE-Class
- S-Class and
- S-Class Coupé.
It has almost completely overhauled its mainstream model range and raised its game massively in a strategy that has seen it close on traditional rivals BMW and Audi.
The Mercedes brand is forecast to almost catch Audi this year for second place in the global premium passenger car brand race, with 1.81 to the latter’s forecast figure of 1.82 million units, according to IHS Automotive’s current forecast.
This product line-up rejuvenation has been led by the design team of Gorden Wagener who took over as Mercedes-Benz cars head of design in 2008 and was given the task of making a brand with conservative connotations appeal to a new generation of younger buyers while retaining the traditional strengths and identity of the brand. The new C-Class Coupé is further evidence that he has carried out this task successfully.
The C-Class Coupé will compete head to head with the BMW 4 Series and the Audi A5. Mercedes will hope the new C-Class Coupé has a similar impact as the A5 when it was launched in 2007.
The A5 acted as a volume halo model that created a buzz around the Audi brand and which did a good job of generating conquest sales from its rivals. The new C-Class will provide very strong competition for the new A5 which is set to debut next year.
In terms of sales volumes the 4 Series is the market leader, and is forecast to sell 66,000 units this year according to our data in comparison to 23,000 C-Class and 24,000 units of the outgoing A5.
In 2016, sales of the new model will rise to 43,000 units to the 4-Series 59,000 units and the A5’s 23,000 units.
A5 sales will match the C-Class’s when the new model is launched in 2017 to 44,000 units, although the 4 Series is still set to maintain its lead with sales of 54,000 units.
