Report: Mercedes-Benz to switch up its naming scheme

In their ever-evolving quest to outdo and more recently, out-niche rival automakers, Mercedes has announced that they will shift their naming scheme to suit an ever-growing range of vehicles on this sunny bicycle day. The system will no longer only make sense to the Merc-inclined. (As opposed to their convoluting/non-chronological chassis-numbering system).

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How does it work? Well, all SUVs are now labeled with a G, sports cars with SL and C is for coupes and convertibles. The new batch of MFA-platformed cars (think A-Class and B-Class) will be dubbed CLA in coupe form. Naturally there will be a GLA too. Look for the CLA at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show. The CLE (coupe E class) will show up soon as well.

There are some conflicts. The new CL, based on the S-Class will not be dubbed the CLS, for the moment, it will retain the more recent SLC designation. Further off, there may be a scaled down SLS AMG coupe given the SLR designation.

The most unclear thought process certainly lies with the marque’s current line of SUVS: the GLK, R, GL and G class. Though the GLK is based off the current C-class and will likely get the moniker GLC, what about the rest? The others do not have specific ties to existing trim levels, the GLK has mere mechanical connections and has never really been marketed as the C class of Mercedes-Benz SUVs.

– By: Sawyer Sutton

Source: Automobile