Mercedes Will Expand Alabama Factory With ML-Coupe Production

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Good news for the people of Alabama: Mercedes-Benz is hiring. Bad news for car enthusiast. This abomination is going into production.

Mercedes will expand capacity at their Alabama plant, from about 185,000 cars, to an undisclosed level. Automotive News Europe reports that BMW is expanding American production to 450,000 units, though there’s no indication if Mercedes-Benz will follow suit, though the expansion will apparently be a “significant number” above current levels. With the addition of the C-Class and the new ML Coupe (shown in concept form above), Mercedes will likely expand in a big way, since these models offer the potential for big volume and big profit. Mercedes once built the R-Class in Alabama, but the new models should have no trouble absorbing that capacity.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • FreedMike FreedMike on Jun 20, 2014

    OK, to sum up: AWD...check. "Coupe"...check. High seating position...check. Horrifically ugly...check. Maybe they should just call it the X-90. Suzuki would probably give them the name in trade for a six pack of Fat Tire.

  • Krhodes1 Krhodes1 on Jun 20, 2014

    Kids, for the nine millionth time, "coupe" has nothing to do with the number of doors. A coupe is a vehicle with lowered roofline, and typically a less commodious back seat. By that definition, this is a coupe, just like all the other 4dr coupes on the market. Just because Americans started calling all 2drs coupes 50 years ago does not make it right, and many of what we have referred to as coupes were actually 2dr sedans anyway. That said, this thing is hideous, and I think it is stupid, but it will sell and make them tons of money. Since the goal of a car company is, in fact, to make money, I am all for it. As far as I am concerned the profits that BMW makes on the X6 will let me buy my shiny new Track Package 228i that little bit cheaper in 2016.

    • See 5 previous
    • Tjh8402 Tjh8402 on Jun 20, 2014

      @krhodes1 - I remember a time when "two door sedan" was a common use. Car and Driver used to use the phrase to distinguish two door versions of 4 door cars that kept a useable back seat and a trunk (like the Accord, Solara, and 3 series) from dedicated coupes with a backseat that was more for show than anything (like a Prelude, Eclipse, Mustang, or Celica). Funny how phraseology can change.

  • Matador Matador on Jun 20, 2014

    I still think that it looks like my computer mouse. It's illegal to drive a mouse, and cruel to even try.

  • Superdessucke Superdessucke on Jun 20, 2014

    I never had any doubt.

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