Beijing Auto Show 2014: Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe SUV unveiled
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its Coupe SUV Concept. The SUV is based on the ML-Class platform and will compete with the BMW X6. "Sensual as a coup - visionary as an SUV," are the words Gorden Wagener, head of design at Mercedes-Benz uses to describe the car.
The Concept Coupe's front takes some getting used to because of the excessive use of chrome. The three pointed star takes quite a prominent place in the front and is surrounded by two large chrome mesh grills. The sides of the car flow in an elegant fashion which is unique to sports coupes and has been cleverly incorporated in its SUV body. From the rear-three quarters, there appears to be only various curves and glass, all cleverly put together.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC2HkCWx3MM&w=586&h=340]
This niche section as of now was catered to only by BMW when they launched the X6. The Mercedes Concept Coupe SUV is 4935mm long, 2044mm wide and measures 1739mm in height with a wheelbase of 2916mm. It comes with 22-inch wheels
The concept  uses a bi-turbo 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine which makes 337PS of power and 480Nm of torque. It is mated to a 9G-Tronic automatic gearbox that sends power to all four wheels. Mercedes-Benz has stated that they intend to put this concept into production, but there is no word on when the manufacturing process will start.
| With the Concept Coup SUV, Mercedes-Benz is raising the standard to a new, higher level in literally multiple respects. This extremely sporty study impresses as a typical representative of the long-standing coup tradition at Mercedes-Benz, with a flowing sideline, stretched cabin and striking radiator grille with central chrome louvre. At the same time, the Concept Coup SUV stands out with its muscular wings, large wheel arches, imposing 22-inch wheels, high beltline and generous ground clearance. Its dynamic handling on the road is also of a superior level. The variable dynamic control system "Dynamic Select Control" provides four fundamentally different transmission modes and an individually programmable setup. "Sensual as a coup - visionary as an SUV," is the succinct choice of words used by Gorden Wagener, Head of Design at Mercedes-Benz, to describe the physiognomy of the Concept Coup SUV. The four-door, all-wheel drive Coup has a length of almost five metres, and an imposing width of a good two metres thanks to its broad shoulders and flared wheel arches. At the same time, it has a modest height of around 1.75 metres, exhibiting the flat, extended roofline that is typical of a sports coup. "The Concept Coup SUV stands out thanks to its extreme proportions and in doing so interprets our hallmark Mercedes coup design idiom perfectly. With its superior sportiness it conveys a sense of modern luxury and aesthetic aspirations of sensual clarity," continues Gorden Wagener. Like the recessed door handles, frameless side windows blend perfectly into the vehicle flanks to accentuate the coup-like character even further. In line with a tradition and like all recent study vehicles, the Concept Coup SUV is painted in the "Alu Beam" paint finish, which is also reminiscent of the technically ground-breaking Silver Arrows of the 1930s and 1950s. The upright sports grille with single louvre, framed by the three-dimensionally designed modern, all-LED Multibeam headlamps, is the major feature of the front end with its short, stylish overhang. Soft cubes dominate the grille insert, and the forward-sloping bonnet with its typical Mercedes power domes underlines the membership of the Concept Coup SUV in the line-up of particularly sporty Mercedes-Benz models. A discreet reference to the SUV genes of this study is provided by the harmoniously integrated, illuminated side sills, which are reminiscent of the running boards found on classic SUVs or off-roaders. Indicators have always pointed the way in the best sense of the word, however in the Concept Coup SUV they take on a new form. The direction indicators operate with a moving digital light band whose lighting elements light up sequentially from inside to outside, indicating the change in direction in two ways. Elegant rear end: in the style of the S-Class Coup The coup-like nature of the Concept Coup SUV is also emphasised by the design of the rear end with its obvious elements of the design line first presented with the S-Class Coup, which will be followed by all coup models from Mercedes-Benz in future. The styling characteristics of this include the slim band of rear lights with their ruby-like, three-dimensional look and the registration plate now incorporated into the rear bumper. Another feature that has for generations distinguished the large coup models from Mercedes-Benz is the typical shape of the rear window, which is rounded off at the top. The simulated underguard into which the tailpipes of the dual-flow exhaust system are integrated makes a discreet SUV reference. Polished aluminium dominates here, as on the integral door handles, the side sills, the front air intakes and the edging of the cabin. Wide, flush-fitted 22-inch wheels with tyres in size 305/45 R 22 make the vehicle sit squarely on the road, and leave no doubt about the passion of the Concept Coup SUV: at very first glance, this trailblazing study signals its sporty, dynamic ambitions. Haute Couture: the Mercedes-Benz coup range Developing and creating new model families and vehicle classes has traditionally been one of the strengths of Mercedes-Benz, the inventor of the automobile. This is particularly obvious in the history of its coups, and most especially in the very recent past. Models such as the four-door Coups or the Shooting Brakes in the CLS-Class have not only created completely new vehicle classes, but have also had a lasting influence on the model policies of different manufacturers, found numerous imitators and proved to be an outstanding sales success. The same can be said of the CLA-Class, which has been able to transfer the success of the CLS into the compact class and is extraordinarily popular with customers. With the Concept Coup SUV, Mercedes-Benz is now taking a similar approach. The study follows this coup theme within the SUV sector consistently and demonstrates how a four-door, all-wheel drive series production coup might look. Technical data Body type/construction Four-door, four-seater coup study, frameless side windows Engine V6, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement 2996 cc Rated output 245 kW (333 hp) at 5500 rpm Rated torque 480 Nm at 1400- 4000 rpm Mixture formation Electronic direct petrol injection, piezo injectors, 2 turbochargers Transmission 9G-TRONIC PLUS nine-speed automatic transmission with torque converter lock-up, twin-turbine damper with centrifugal pendulum and DIRECT SELECT gearshift, ECO start/stop Drive 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive, ASR, ESP®, 4ETS, Chassis and suspension Double wishbone at the front, multi-link at the rear, special air suspension with selective damping, ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM active roll stabilisation Braking system High-performance ceramic composite brake system, electric (parking brake, ABS, BAS PLUS PRE-SAFE© Brake Steering Electromechanical power steering Transmission modes COMFORT, SLIPPERY, SPORT, SPORT+, INDIVIDUAL Wheelbase 2916 mm Track, front/rear 1683 / 1768 mm Wheel/tyre size front/rear 10J x 22 305/45 R 22 / 11J x 22 305/45 R 22 length 4935 mm Width with/without mirrors 2208 / 2044 mm Height 1739 mm ENDS | |