Mercedes Concept Coupé SUV to take on the equally confused BMW X6 and X4.
Mercedes-Benz is following in the footsteps of BMW with a crossover coupé cum sports utility vehicle of its own. The Concept Coupé SUV unveiled at the New York auto show sets out to offer a bizarre mixture of sporty performance and coupe looks atop a lofty, all-terrain platform.
The all-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupé SUV is based on the M-Class platform, but is 131mm longer, 118mm wider and 57mm lower. That makes it nearly 5m long, 2m wide and 1.75m tall. That should mean ample room for the four passengers it can accommodate.
22-inch alloys with 305/45 R 22 tyres, aluminium scuff plates and plenty of ground clearance help the Concept Coupé SUV tackle terrain more difficult than sleeping policeman, high kerbs and muddy roads.
The swooping roof and Mercedes S-Class-inspired derriere are there to ‘accentuate the coupé-like character’. All-LED Multibeam headlamps, a forward-sloping bonnet and indicators that light up from inside to outside to indicate the change of direction complete the look.
Power for the Concept Coupé SUV comes from a 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol, which develops 328bhp and 480Nm of torque from 1,400rpm. Gear changes are taken care of by a 9-speed automatic with start/stop. Five transmission modes – Comfort, Slippery, Sport, Sport+ and Individual – are selectable.
A V6 diesel, AMG turbocharged V8 and plug-in hybrid are likely to make up the rest of the range when it becomes a production model in 2015.
Ugly and unnecessary or a potent mix of utility and performance? We’ll let you decide. Pictures of the concept await.
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