Not content to let their Bavarian rivals corner the market on grossly unnecessary and conspicuous giganto-coupe/SUV things, Mercedes just unveiled the Coupé SUV concept at the Beijing Auto Show.
I not-so-secretly adore the BMW X6 and the X6M in particular because no other verhicle on the road quite captures the spirit of conspicuous consumption like it. After all, you're supposed to buy an SUV for the space and the off-road capability, but the X6 dispensed with all the room and throws away any dirt-track pretensions with giant wheels and smooth tires.
There's no good reason to buy one, other than to show the world that you have the money to buy a needlessly large, expensive vehicle. It's the ultimate coupe, in a certain light.
That's probably why Mercedes debuted their X6 rival in China, because these cars sell best in emerging markets, as CarNewsChina reports.
CarNewsChina also reports that no official information on this vehicle was given, but they heard a few rumors whispered around the show floor.
Mercedes didn't say anything officially about the engines but around-around we heard 3.5 liter V6, twin-turbo 4.2 liter V8, and something diesel for Europe. The production version is expected to hit international markets in about two years from today.
CarScoops also reports that the production version will be on the ML platform, not that anyone buying the thing will care.
Here are some more Mercedes press pics. For live shots, check out CarNewsChina.