New Cars for 2017: Mercedes-Benz

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AMG GT: The ends of the AMG sports-car lineup get filled out, with a new 456-hp base-model GT and the 577-horse GT R joining the already-on-sale 503-hp S. All are powered by versions of the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8. The base AMG GT arrives presently, while the 2018 AMG GT R won’t be here until next summer. See official photos and info ››

 

C-class: An all-new coupe and convertible join the sedan, with the same three flavors of AMG to choose from including the C43 and the rear-drive, 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8–powered C63 and C63 S, with 469 and 503 horsepower, respectively. Base C300 cars get 241-hp, 2.0-liter turbo fours, nine-speed automatics, and optional all-wheel drive. Sedan pricing starts at $43,575. The C wagon remains stuck in Germany, unfortunately.

E-class: Completely redesigned for 2017, the midline Benz leads with the sedan; the coupes and convertibles carry over on the old platform for another model year. The E300 gets the same four-cylinder and nine-speed from the C-class, plus M-B’s most advanced semi-autonomous driving tech. An E43 AMG sedan with a 396-hp twin-turbo V-6 and an E400 wagon that uses the same V-6 in 329-hp tune go on sale early in 2017, with other versions to follow next year, including an AMG E63. See test ››

 

G-class: Portal axles won’t make the archaic Geländewagen SUV any more refined, but they will give the new G550 4x4^2 (yes, 4x4 squared) a towering 17.2 inches of ground clearance and assist it in fording more than three feet of water. The same 416-hp twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 that powers the standard G will also serve here when the 4x42 goes on sale early next year.

GLC-class: Last year’s all-new compact crossover gets a coupe variant in early 2017, because, well, because BMW did the same thing with its compact ute. Thus, Mercedes’ X4 clone will be available in two models: a 2.0-liter turbo four GLC300 coupe with 241 horses, or an AMG GLC43 coupe with 362 horsepower from a twin-turbo V-6. All-wheel drive is standard, as is a nine-speed automatic. See official photos and info ››

S-class (shown above): Non-AMG sedans get the nine-speed transmission, and there’s a new “entry-level” Maybach S550. More significant is the 2017 arrival of a long-awaited S-class convertible. The four-place cabriolet has an acoustically insulated softtop that retracts or deploys at speeds up to 37 mph. Models are similar to the coupe’s, with $132,325 netting a rear-drive S550 and $177,325 an all-wheel-drive AMG S63. At the top of the range is the rear-drive AMG S65, one of the most powerful convertibles with a back seat ever produced, thanks to its 621-hp twin-turbo 6.0-liter V-12.

SL-class: The posh two-seater gets refreshed with a new front fascia. Four Botoxed models are available, each with twin turbos: the SL450 with a 362-hp 3.0-liter V-6, the SL550 with a 449-hp 4.7-liter V-8, the AMG SL63 with a 5.5-liter V-8, and the AMG SL65 with a 6.0-liter V-12.

SLC-class: Don’t forget Mercedes’ other retractable-hardtop roadster. The car formerly known as SLK gets a new name and a new AMG SLC43 model with the ubiquitous twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 and nine-speed-automatic combo. New front and rear fascias and interior upgrades probably won’t alter the SLC’s position near the bottom of the company’s sales chart. See first drive ››