Mercedes to kill CLK, planning E-Class coupe as Audi A5 rival

Mercedes-Benz US CEO Ernst Lied has confirmed that the CLK will die after the 2010 model year and will be replaced with a large coupe and convertible based on the next-generation E-Class. As we’ve reported before the E-Class coupe will be influenced by the CONCEPT FASCINATION that was shown at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. Executives have said that the concept’s front-end is a major hint at the next-generation E-Class lineup

Lieb told Automotive News that the coupe will debut when the new 2010 E-Class sedan is launched in the middle of 2009. The convertible version will follow in 2010. He said that Mercedes-Benz was looking for a larger coupe to better compete with the likes of the Audi A5.

The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe will cost more than the current CLK, which is based on the C-Class. It is also rumored that Mercedes-Benz will replace the CLC with a true Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe in 2010. The C-Class is Mercedes-Benz’s best seller in the U.S.

Mercedes-Benz CONCEPT FASCINATION: