Sport Utility Coupes (SUCs – sure, let’s go with that acronym) are proliferating in the automotive marketplace, applying four-door-coupe design templates – chopped roofline, smaller windows, faster back rear – to the sport utility category, and nowhere is this truer than in the Mercedes-Benz lineup, which has just introduced the new GLE 53 and GLE 63S AMG. And while, at first, it may seem counterintuitive for a rational, Teutonic manufacturer like Mercedes to offer a vehicle with diminished cargo and back seat space within a competitive set that privileges go-anywhere utility, there are actually several good reasons why the number of SUC offerings keep expanding.
First, according to automotive research and consulting firm Strategic Vision – which collects hundreds of thousands of in-depth surveys from buyers of new vehicles every year – there are compelling demographic and psychographic considerations. Buyers of Mercedes-Benz SUCs are four-to-five years younger than buyers of similar SUVs, which can help bring down a marque’s average age, a key factor in measuring overall brand desirability. They’re highly image conscious and seek novel shapes that may not be available elsewhere, and creating unique brand opportunities. And, perhaps most importantly, they’re significantly less price sensitive than typical SUV buyers, meaning that car companies can charge a premium for these vehicles in comparison to their more traditional counterparts.
“More than anything, buyers of these Mercedes SUCs want to look good while in their vehicle, and have it stand out from others,” says Alexander Edwards, the president of Strategic Vision. “They even see the vehicle as an extension of themselves, sort of like a gamer who sees their online avatar as an extension of who they are. So, in addition to representing themselves, they want the vehicle to represent their success.”