Following the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé, it was surely only a matter of time before a Cabriolet version would be announced. Steve Cannon, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, has revealed some new details about the company’s future product lineup.
In a recent interview with American newspaper USA Today, Cannon said that the decision to lift the lid on the C-Class Coupé’s roof is born of a need to draw the next generation of buyers. “We’re a brand [that] we think can absolutely connect with them,” Cannon told the paper. “Gen Y is just coming of age. We get on their radar screen in a big way.”
The most affordable way to get into a drop-top Mercedes-Benz at the moment is with the SLK200 at R569 500. The C-Class Coupé starts at R405 500, so the Cabrio is likely to undercut the SLK’s price by some margin for a C180 version. Mercedes-Benz is also likely to replicate the engine choices available in the C Coupé, meaning petrol and diesel powered C250 models, as well as the C350 and C63 AMG. The new Cabriolet, as well as the wide choice of engines, is likely to unsettle the BMW 3 Series Convertible, which has remained largely unchallenged in its class.
Besides news of the convertible, Cannon also said the company will introduce 19 facelifted or redesigned models, as well as 11 brand-new vehicles, by 2020. Cannon also mentioned that the upcoming S-Class Pullman, the successor to the Maybach, will have a wheelbase that is 254 mm longer than current S-Class and described the car as “an awesome alternative”.
