German Car Forum

Over the weekend while browsing our tremendously over-populated inbox, a faithful reader by the name of John sent us some spy shots of a Mercedes we've never mentioned - the MLK.

The MLK is the newest Mercedes SUV in development, a compact 4x4 that's rumored to be released sometime in 2008. As evidenced from the photos, the MLK will share similar attributes of the soon-to-be released redesigned C-Class, and will likely compete with both the BMW X3 as well as the Audi Q5.

Of course, we'll keep you posted as more details of the MLK come to fruition, but in the meantime, keep scrolling to see the spy photos in their entirety (click any to enlarge). Enjoy.

Isnt that a "higher" C-Class???

lol that was what i thought..looks like it to me..looks to low for a MLK..

They're just testing the chassis of the new offroader under the body of the upcoming C-Class. Makes sense because the "MLK" is based on the next C-Class chassis to start with. This way they can test the chassis without giving away the what the body will look like. Same thing BMW did with that boxy thing running laps arond the 'ring.

M

-BINGO- And the winner is Merc1

Mercedes, PLEASE DON'T! I dont know if I've ever seen so much stupidity in one brand before. The reason they're in the Sh*t hole right now is because of them overflowing their own market. Basically they have too many cross over vehicles and not enough money and time is going into their core models. This is just another car their spending money on that wont sell and certainly isnt going to take any market share from the already baren segment. Uhh, hey Mercedes, how well do you think BMW is doing with their X3? Not good.

(stupid symbol times a thousand!)

I don't know if I agree with this. I mean everyone else is going to enter this segment, why shouldn't Mercedes? A smaller, German-made SUV should sell like hotcakes if it has the right interior and the German build that its Bama made cousins don't. I think this will easily outsell the ML once on the market.

I don't think MB is neglecting any of its core models anymore, look at the new S. Neglect was the W220, W210 and early build of the current E-Class. I don't think the new CLS, SLK, or even the Bama made Benzes have been starved of develpment cash. I would agree with you if this new S had come out with a cheap interior like the previous one did when it first debuted.

M

Thats exactly my point!

I don't understand your point then? The MLK as it is being called will be cheaper so naturally it will outsell the ML. That doesn't mean the ML won't continue to sell well to families who need more space.

If BMW can manage this with their X3 and X5, why not Mercedes?

M

Who said anything about BMW managing it??? Do you think the X3 would sell well if they werent given away with incentives??? No, of course not. BMW didnt make any money with the X3 venture, why does mercedes think they can? Mercedes thinks they have to appeal to every niche, even if there are very few buyers and no money to be made.

Well I'm not so sure that BMW didn't make any money on the X3, but I think Mercedes can. If anything it will let Mercedes know they'll have to up the game of the ML come FL time in order to keep it ahead of its little brother.

M

This MLK will simply drop sales of the more profitable ML. I guess we'll see how the actual product turns out but I'm a little turned off by MB's stupidity up at headquerters. They feel if they can make it, they will even without researching the market and realizing the negative effects of introducing a car.

(I dont think A guy considering a liberty and a RAV 4 will consider this car, do you?)

No, but a guy considering a X3, Acura RDX and others due on the market at that time might. A whole new segment is about to be opened up as people turn away from the larger SUVs for smaller ones and if those smaller ones can be had for cheaper or as cheap as some high-end "regular" SUVs they'll sell IMO of course.

M

I suppose only time will tell, however I do see your point of moving to smaller SUV's. Nevertheless Mercedes also built the GL. Now why did they do that if they thought the market was going to smaller SUVs? I just think its a bit silly for Mercedes to build a car for every market (even the ones that do not exist ie 4 door coupe)

I see what you're saying but I don't think they can afford to surrender any sales/market to BMW/Audi now. Once they sold their sold for volume with the 1998 ML there was no going back and now that they sell over a million cars a year quite easily I don't see them going back to the old days when 800K was a lot. I think the only downsizing we'll see will be he merging of the A/B-Classes into one car when the time comes for them to be re-designed.

GM's new full-size SUVs are selling like hotcakes so the large, expensive, thirsty SUV market isn't dead just yet. I think the GL will be a hit for sure. If anything it was the R-Class that wasn't needed. The market is sort of proving that out. The ML doesn't need nearly as many special deals/leases to move it like the R does. I predict the GL won't need that much "help" either. The new little SUV certainly won't if priced right with more standard equipment and less dizzying option$$ like the ML/R/GL. What gives me the most confidence about the little MLK is that it will be built in Germany, not Bama. That means a SLK/next generation C-Class interior (i.e. quality).

Just my lil ole theories.

M

It seems to me like their shooting themselves in the foot but Im a little relieved to hear that they're combining the A and the B. The R was definitely unnecesary. However if the R turns out to be a flop and they drop that, and they made the difference between the ML and the MLK great enough to not compete with one another, only then will the car be a success. I have a feeling a lot Merc customers would purchase the car just because of the brand not necessarily the nitch, which means that they would purchase the other MB's as well, so it seems to me that they're giving the customers more options within their own company, which financially doesnt make that much sence. In essence they (mercedes) are their own worst enemy.

But MB wouldn't really be doing anything different than anyone else.

M

Yes they are! Count the number of models they have compared to most cars. I'll do it for you.
SL, CL, SLK, CLK, A, B, C, E, S, CLS, ML, G, GL, MLK, R (breath)+ almost all of these comes with several different engines and an AMG version. How could you say that isnt too many. Also the CLS competes with both the S and the E class.

BMW has the 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, X5, X3, and the Z4.

Audi has A3, A4, A6, A8, TT, Q7.

Matt I can't help but think you're getting all worked up over nothing at this point. Mercedes only has really 3 models that stand out compared to what BMW has, those being the GL, R, and CLS. The original G-Class is antique and isn't hurting anyone the CL (which is really an S-Class Coupe) has been around forever the only thing different is that now it has its own designation, CL.

The A/B-Classes I'll give you there is some redundancy there. One of them should compete with the BMW 1-Series, not both of them. Pointless, I'll agree there.

Now are the GL, R and CLS really hurting MB as much as you think they are? I doubt it. Beyond those three models MB's lineup is no different from BMW's and BMW has something on the drawing board in which to compete with the R-Class and they have an Z8 replacement in the works too if BMW fanatics are correct in reading the rumors.

The 3/C, 5/E, 7/S, Z4/SLK, X3/MLK, X5/ML, CLK/3-Series Coupe, all match up nicely and BMW builds nearly as many variants of each also.

The prehistoric original G-Class isn't a Johnny-come-lately model by any means, it was concieved during another era and isn't hurting MB one bit. Most buyers wouldn't go near it hence the more modern GL.

The only MB models that seem truly uneccesary are the R and either the A or B-Class.

If calling the CLK a C-Class coupe and the CL and S-Class coupe helps cut down on the number of models then thats I'd do, but they really aren't "new" cars, just new designations because the CLK replaced the old E-Class Coupe and like I said before the CL is nothing but a modern day 560SEC or 600SEC from the W126/W140 days.

Now the CLS is just a fancier E-Class that hardly costs much to develop and sells for a lot more money, brilliant IMO. BMW wish the could do that as does everyone else hence all the CLS competitors coming from VW,Porsche, Aston and others.

M

I'm right with Merc1 in his thinking here.
I owned an X5 and it was the perfect max size (length/width/ht) for driving in the UK at least - now the new X5 will be bigger, the Q7 bigger and the new ML is bigger. An X3 / Q5 size will be perfect as long as it does not have hideous looks like an X3. So an MLK makes perfect sense both for dimensions and economy in this high fuel price era. I think the huge 4x4's are a big mistake and out of step with current environmental feelings.

Sorry if i meddle in your bussiness...
I think that Mercedes is trying to maximize their profit. They invested in the platform of the new C-Class and now, they're making any model that can be made on the respective platform because the investemnts won't be so significant. This will help reduce the cost of production and thus maximize the profit. The investments beeing low, the MLK won't need to be a hot seller and will soon make profit.
I think it's all about economics

Exactly, its the same thing with the E/CLS. A new body and some spiffy interior pieces and poof you have a new model that costs minimally more to build but you can charge a lot more for it.

Why do you think everyone else is jumping to come up with a CLS-like product that is in most cases (except Porsche) based on an existing platform.

M

I worry that BMW is doing the same thing as mercedes however I hope they dont.

I think it is already clear BMW is attempting to put a BMW in every garage, the only difference is that they may not build as many variants of each model as Mercedes does, but they'll soon have nearly as many different models as Mercedes if the X6 and all those 1-Series variants are for real. Then comes the crossover like the R-Class, I forget what its being called this week. V5 maybe??

M

Headlights look more GL than ML.