Mercedes-Benz Responds to BMW's X6 with Concept Coupe SUV

HAVERHILL, 05/02/2014 / SubmitMyPR /

According to IHS Automotive, global sales of premium SUVs are expected to rise 32 percent by 2020, and to attract a larger share of those purchases, Mercedes-Benz will be launching a new crossover SUV next year that will take direct aim at the BMW X6. Previewed through the Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe SUV that debuted late last month in Beijing, the new production model will be positioned as a sleeker, coupe-like version of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and is intended to provide similar on-road driving dynamics to a sports sedan but in a more versatile package.

Borrowing style elements from the luxury automaker's S-Class Coupe concept, the Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe SUV sports a large upright grille with a prominent three-pointed-star logo, while a broad air intake spans the width of the lower front fascia. A pair of design lines along the sides help to emphasize the model's high beltline, while a raked roofline smoothly flows into the fastback rear window. At night, the Concept Coupe SUV can make a clear statement with all-LED Multibeam front headlights and a wraparound tail lamp that stretches from one rear fender to the other. Meanwhile, all four of the vehicle's bold 22-inch wheels are put in motion by 4MATIC all-wheel drive.

"The luxury-SUV market is expanding to meet the needs and desires of a wider range of buyers, and the real appeal of the Concept Coupe SUV is that it completely blurs the line between a crossover and the four-door coupe style that Mercedes-Benz has made popular," said James Buckley, general manager of Smith Motor Sales, a Haverhill, MA Mercedes-Benz dealer. "The eventual production version will allow drivers to make a grander style statement than they could with a sports sedan while still gripping each turn tightly on the road."

In addition to targeting upmarket buyers with its new X6-challenging model, Mercedes-Benz will also be courting first-time luxury shoppers when the new entry-level GLA-Class compact crossover SUV arrives at dealerships this fall. On sale initially as the all-wheel-drive 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA250 4MATIC before the front-wheel-drive GLA250 joins it early next year, the GLA-Class will house a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, an impressive output that will be put to good use thanks to the model's class-leading aerodynamics. Inside, the new Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class will offer standard in-car technology to appeal to younger buyers, including the mbrace2 infotainment system and active-safety systems like Collision Prevention Assist and Attention Assist.

About Smith Motor Sales:
For more than 75 years, Smith Motor Sales has brought Mercedes-Benz ownership to customers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Smith Motor Sales has remained an elite Mercedes-Benz dealer throughout the years through its commitment to customer service and its wide selection of new and used Mercedes-Benz vehicles, as well as its expert service and parts staff. Browse their inventory online at www.smithmercedesdealer.com, stop by their showroom at 420 River Street in Haverhill, Massachusetts, like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SmithMercedes, or reach them by phone at 978-372-2552.