Here’s what won’t change. Sedans such as the C, E, and S-Class will continue to use a single-letter system. The SL prefix will also remain untouched for all sports cars including the SL, SLK, and SLS AMG. The upcoming smaller version of the SLS AMG should reuse the SLR nomenclature.
Now, here’s where things get interesting. Automobile reports a CL will denote coupes and convertibles — for example, the upcoming front-drive four-door coupe using the new A-Class platform should carry a CLA badge, not CLC. And the E-Class coupe and cabriolet could use CLE badges in the future while the S-Class coupe — the CLS — could be renamed SLC.
G will distinguish SUVs and crossovers from the rest of the lineup, though it’s unclear where that leaves the M-Class SUV. The remaining SUVs are a bit tricky since they don’t share platforms with the sedans save the C-Class-based GLK, which should become the GLC.
Future products should also adopt the new naming system, starting with Benz’s front-drive MFA architecture that will usher in a number of new models in addition to the A and B-Class. The MFA-based crossover, for example, should be called the GLA. The rumored MFA-based coupe, cabriolet, and shooting brake are a big question mark, especially since the four-door coupe will likely be called the CLA. Automobile predicts these variants and their naming systems should become clearer once the new MFA-based concept car is unveiled at the 2012 Beijing auto show in a few weeks.
