New Mercedes CLC Sports Coupe

Mercedes-Benz says the CLC Sports Coupe is the new youngster, the new entry level model in their Coupe family range. The new models go on sale in the UK from 12 June with prices ranging from £19,920 to £27,240. The CLC-Class replaces the C-Class Sports Coupe range.

Mercedes-Benz has been very active this year in introducing new and revised models. They said this week at the International Press launch in Austria. Since January they have presented more new and updated cars than ever before in such a short period.

Following on from the new C-Class Saloon and Estate models introduced last year, the Mercedes range has been refreshed with the introduction of the SLK Roadsters, revised SL-Class, updated M-Class, a show premiere of the new A and B Class and GLK compact SUV models, the revised CLS-Class four-door Coupes and now the CLC three-door compact Coupe.

With a downturn in the overall new car markets in the UK, Europe and the USA due to the economic climate, Mercedes-Benz product offensive is well timed and in keeping with similar new and revised model programmes from BMW and Audi.

C-Class Sports Coupe and new CLC

Mercedes-Benz says the rear-wheel drive CLC-Class is a new car but in fact it uses the architecture and is a heavily revised version of the old C-Class Sports Coupe it replaces.

The CLC is in reality a re-skin but Mercedes say there are 1,100 detailed changes between the new models and the old. They have borrowed heavily from the styling, if not the size, of latest C-Class Saloons and Estates to try and establish a link between the two ranges.

New or not-so-new, the CLC is a very important car for Mercedes-Benz. The C-Class Sports Coupe achieved 340,000 sales worldwide, including 46,750 in the UK since its launch in 2001. Mercedes never forecast sales of new models so it is reasonable to suggest around 7,000 sales on average each year might be a target in the UK for the new range.

The CLC-Class range for the UK will have four petrol and two diesel engine options. Historic UK sales show the C180 Kompressor petrol unit is the most popular with 47 per cent followed by the C220 CDI diesel with 27 per cent, C200 CDI with 14 per cent, C200 Kompressor with nine per cent, C230 two per cent and C350 one per cent.

However the UK market place is changing rapidly especially in the fleet and business sector which will account for 60 per cent of sales. Increases in Benefit in Kind company car tax, road tax and higher fuel prices are combining to slow ‘real’ sales.

Company car users and retail buyers faced with ever escalating family budget financial pressures are looking to cut their motoring costs, either by down-sizing to smaller cars, opting for smaller engines or not buying a ‘new’ car at this time.

The good news for CLC-Class customers is the retail prices are the same as the outgoing models. Mercedes-Benz UK say residual values will be three per cent better, the equipment levels are higher, the engines offer an average eight per cent better fuel economy and seven per cent lower emissions.

Wilfried Steffen, Chief Executive Officer, Mercedes-Benz UK said, “The CLC-Class arrives in the UK at an opportune time. There is concern about higher personal tax charges company car drivers have to pay and Mercedes-Benz recognises this.”

“Down-sizing is taking place and if a company car driver can save a £100 a month on Benefit in Kind tax that is the cost of a family holiday,” he added.

“In the UK we also have the issue of diesel costing up to 12 pence a litre more than petrol so the CLC is a more tax and cost friendly way for new customers to enter the Mercedes-Benz brand model line-up. It is important for us to have a car of this size as an entry level to our model range. It will compete against the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series in that respect.”

The outgoing C-Class Sports Coupe holds the distinction of achieving the highest conquest rate attained by any model in the Mercedes-Benz range, around 70 per cent. And nearly 50 per cent of customers, once they have entered the brand, stay with it with many moving up in size to other Mercedes models.

The new CLC is expected to improve on this conquest figure.

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