Like any car manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz didn’t always hold back before launching a new model on the market. Though the success of Class and Class E, roadsters SL and SLK, SUV ML or even the unsurpassed 4X4 Class G, the brand with a star also had to experience failures in business. Here are some of those “unloved Mercedes” that didn’t quite make the cut…

Mercedes-Benz A-Class (1997)

The first generation of A-class, released in 1997 was something in between a compact and a small city minivan. Its failure in the famous “impulse test”, in which the car overturned during the maneuverability test, led to a massive recall of the first demo examples and production delays. Mercedes-Benz was quick to address the safety concerns, but the reputation of the A-class was ruined.

Mercedes-Benz CL203 SportCoupe (2000)

THE C230 Kompressor Sports Coupederived from the C-Class (W203) family sedan, had an attractive design but suffered early on from reliability issues, associated with high repair costs. Its interior is also rated as inappropriate quality according to Mercedes-Benz standardsalso did not help her compete with competitors of the time.

Mercedes-Benz Vaneo (2001)

Built on a Class A platform, The Vaneo was Mercedes’ first compact MPV, launched a few years after the Renault Kangoo, Citroën Berlingo and Peugeot Partner (to name just the generic brands). Weird, ambiguous and, above all, too expensive, it will not really have the expected success: Barely 55,000 copies by 2005. It will have to wait the arrival of the Citan in 2012 see Mercedes return to the MPV.

Mercedes-Benz R-Class (2006)

The R-Class was a luxury minivanthe first Mercedes-Benz offering in this category, which flourished in the mid-2000s. Mainly devoted to the American market, it was a commercial failure because it didn’t really meet customer expectations. The Americans actually preferred it larger, more powerful SUVswhich resulted in low demand for the model.

Mercedes-Benz GLK (2008)

Arrived in 2008, The GLK was Mercedes’ smallest SUV at the time of its launch, which offered a more compact and affordable alternative to the large ML and GL. But its too typical minivan look with that geometric and unattractive bodyaccelerated its decline compared to competitors BMW X3 and Audi Q5 : SUV or minivan? Customers had a hard time understanding this complex positioning…

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