Spy photographers have snapped a mysterious Mercedes CLS undergoing cold weather testing.
Caught undisguised, the model immediately raises eyebrows due to its black fender flares which suggest this could be a mule for the next-generation four-door coupe.
That remains to be seen, but Mercedes has already begun testing the next-generation E-Class so it’s natural to assume a redesigned CLS would follow shortly thereafter. However, previous reports have suggested the four-door coupe had a date with the undertaker as cars are declining in popularity and Mercedes already offers a similar GT 4-Door Coupe.
Also Read: 2022 Mercedes CLS Debuts With Updated Looks And New Options
Between changing consumer preferences and the addition of the GT, CLS sales have fallen significantly. According to CarSalesBase, the brand sold 14,835 units in the United States in 2005 but those numbers have dropped to around 1,000 units annually. The situation is also bleak in Europe, where sales fell from 9,113 units in 2018 to 2,155 units last year.
Given those numbers, some people thought the CLS was going the way of the dodo. However, that might not be the case if this mystery model is indeed a mule for the next-generation four-door coupe. Of course, those rumors might not necessarily be wrong as spy photographers speculate the model could join the new CLE lineup.
Nothing is official, but that’s a logical guess as the CLE family is expected to be a merger of today’s C- and E-Class derivatives. In particular, spy photographers have already snapped the CLE Convertible which is slated to replace both the C- and E-Class Cabrios.
While the CLE Coupe and Convertible are expected to be based on the redesigned C-Class, it’s possible the rumored CLE four-door coupe could stick to the CLS formula and share its underpinnings with the next-generation E-Class. Of course, it’s too early to say anything definitive.
