USA - Mercedes-Benz to Build Porsche 911 Fighter

During the Geneva Motor Show, Automobile Magazine sat down with Tobias Moers, AMG chief, to talk about the future of the brand. Although the automaker was mainly interested in speaking about the Apple iOS integration in its vehicles, the magazine was able to get some information about the new models that will replace the SLS AMG.

Mercedes-Benz is looking to expand its lineup, and not only may the automaker lower the price on the upcoming model, it will also offer more variants. "If we did go in at a different price level, then we'll have more opportunities for a big portfolio out of the sports car than we had with the SLS…There will be more lifetime movement, there will be more lifecycle variants," said Moers.

Spy shots of the all-new model have already surfaced, and while it looks to be a coupe, a convertible variant is still under consideration. Mercedes-Benz wants to create a vehicle that will sell better than the SLS, which never sold more than 1,000 units annually here in the U.S.

Taking a look at the other end of the spectrum, the CLA-Class has created quite the buzz, and already Mercedes-Benz has sold 20,000 units in its first six months. While this model has been a huge success, the automaker is questioning whether or not to build more compact vehicles. The GLA-Class compact crossover is expected to launch later this year, but future vehicles may be placed on hold.

Currently, Mercedes-Benz has a manufacturing capacity of 500,000 for its small cars, and with 370,000 sold in 2013, it will need another facility if it hopes to expand its small car portfolio even further.

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