Mercedes-Benz MLC spotted testing

Just days after the official unveiling of the Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe SUV at the Beijing Motor Show, the production version of the car has been spotted undergoing trials. Speculated to be called MLC-Class, the crossover will be pitted directly against the BMW X6.

The heavily camouflaged test mule can be easily identified as a Mercedes-Benz, courtesy the S-Class coupe concept inspired front fascia. The silhouette looks very similar to the BMW X6 while the design cues have been borrowed from other Mercedes-Benz cars like the CLA and the GLA. The car featured a short front overhang, a high beltline and a sharply raked coupe-like roofline, though the bumpers have been toned down from the concept. During the unveiling, Mercedes-Benz stated clearly that this car would be more of a sporty highway runner than an off-road car.

The car will be based on the M-Class architecture and will also borrow the engine lineup, including a 3.5-litre V6, twin-turbo 4.6-litre V8, and a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6. A high-performance AMG version is also expected to show up a while after its launch.

While the BMW X6 might not be one of BMW’s best looking cars, it has managed to sell in quite impressive numbers in many markets around the world. Looking at how fast the mule was spotted after the concept’s unveiling at Beijing, it seems that Mercedes-Benz has been working on this car for quite a while now. By the looks of it, the MLC will surely appeal to the buyer looking for a big luxurious crossover, though beating the popular X6, which is set for a major revamp next year, won’t be an easy task. The MLC will be ready by the end of this year and is expected to hit the production line in 2015, as a 2016 model. Expect it to be launched here sometime in 2015, a few months after its international launch.