Beijing Benz Automotive, the Beijing branch of Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG), is putting three new car types on the Chinese market to celebrate its 10th anniversary this year -- the all-new C-Class Long Wheelbase, the Benz CLA and the Benz GLA.
China is surpassing the US and Germany to become Benz's largest market, hence the three new models produced by Beijing Benz, in Beijing's Economic Technological Development Area, or E-town, according to E-Times, an E-town weekly. The new cars will have the same appearance and engine with the company's cars in foreign markets, except for the wheelbase.
The C-Class is expected to hit the market by the first quarter of this year, while the GLA is expected to be available in May, and will keep the design of the overseas model, to be young and sporty and comes with two types of engine -- 1.6T and 2.0T.
The CLA is expected to be an extended edition, with a wheelbase that is 130mm longer than the common edition and a larger back seat area, similar to the A-Class.
The German company says it wants to increase its productivity in China and annual sales in China to 300,000 this year and the Beijing branch says it is ready to everything it can to reach this goal.