Autokonzern: Wie die neuen Modelle von Mercedes anlaufen – und welche noch folgen

Mercedes-Benz regularly invites its dealers to the Sindelfingen Design Center to preview future models and provide feedback. At this facility, dealers are prohibited from bringing smartphones, laptops, and smartwatches, as well as taking photos outside the premises. According to sources who spoke to the Handelsblatt, the electric version of the E-Class is set to be showcased at the IAA Motor Show in Munich in September 2027.

The business limousine is a key volume model, and Mercedes will be the first to offer it with an electric powertrain. In 2028, the A-Class is planned to be released, initially with the same name as the current entry-level model. The A-Class has been described as a hit by a dealer. The legendary G-Class will likely receive a convertible variant in the autumn of 2027, while a smaller version, the g-Class, will join the market in 2028.

The tuning subsidiary AMG will also present new variants of its models next year. These vehicles are part of the largest model offensive in the company's history, aimed at overcoming the current crisis. Mercedes has introduced dozens of new and updated models since 2025, significantly expanding its electric vehicle lineup. Outside of China, sales have not exceeded those of 2019.

The first generation of electric cars from Mercedes had attractive electric ranges, but they struggled to win over many customers due to their plastic bodywork and unattractive front fascia. A dealer lamented that they almost had to be ashamed of these vehicles. With the new models, Mercedes has successfully balanced the design between traditional combustion engines and electric powertrains and is returning to classic elements like the Wagen grill.

The MB.OS operating system provides these vehicles with competitive software. The new generation of batteries offers high ranges and fast charging capabilities. Test drives have shown that the new models perform well. Dealers are also pleased: "The new cars look like a Mercedes again," says one. Initial registration figures and statements from dealers and managers about pre-orders indicate that the model offensive is taking off in Europe.

In the domestic market, Mercedes typically launches new vehicles first. Managing director Mathias Geisen expects the company to sell more vehicles this year than in any year since 2019, except for China. The CLA and GLC models are performing very well. The first model of the offensive, the Coupé limousine CLA, has been on European roads since September 2025 and has been sold over 71,000 times, averaging 5,400 units per month.

This has far exceeded management's expectations. The CLA, which only existed as a gasoline model until now, saw monthly registrations of around 3,500 in 2021-2024. The SUV model GLC is also doing well in Europe. It was the best-selling model as a gasoline car, and the SUV is more marginally profitable than the CLA. After issues with missing batteries and onboard networks slowed the launch in the spring, registration numbers have risen sharply since July.

In September, the GLC was almost 7,400 times registered. If the electric version can maintain this level, it will sell better than the gasoline GLC. In its best-selling year in 2025, the GLC reached 6,500 units per month. Mercedes also aims to outperform its arch-rival BMW. The GLC's electric competitor, the iX3, which entered the market simultaneously, sold about 45,100 units between January and the end of September, twice as many as the GLC, which reached 23,600 units in its best-selling year in 2025.

By September, the GLC was almost only slightly behind the iX3. The dealer confirms that Mercedes hopes to overtake BMW by the end of the year. The success of the entry-level SUV GLB is noteworthy. The first electric vehicles have been on European roads since March, with about 5,000 sold in September. The electric predecessor EQB never sold as many units in a month during its previous years.

The gasoline predecessor GLB reached 3,200 units in its best-selling year in 2021. In the third quarter, Mercedes sold 68,400 electric cars, the highest number ever in a single quarter. The company aims to have 40% of its vehicles being fully electric or hybrid by 2028/29, far behind its previous ambitions but considered realistic.

So far, 25% of Mercedes' new registrations in the current quarter are electric. The S-Class has also undergone a significant overhaul, including the Maybach luxury version, which entered Europe in September and saw 1,300 registrations, compared to less than 400 in January. SUV models GLS and GLE have also been refreshed, with the smaller GLA introduced as a new model.

Mercedes has launched the electric C-Class for the first time in the volume segment, and a new luxury van, the VLE, is also set to arrive. These models are still relatively new on the roads, so there are no reliable registration figures yet. All new models are yet to provide reliable registration numbers.