Amid the glitz and glamor that typically defines the 2019 New York Auto Show, an announcement by Mercedes towards the end of its press confrence appeared to suggest that Stuttgart still thinks there’s room in its lineup for yet another utility offering, and with the official disclosure of the reveal period for its new GLB CUV, the German luxury car maker has all but revealed its winning hand in the CUV/SUV wars.
While the GLB concept made its debut a few days ago at the Shanghai Auto Show, (and was subsequently absent from the Big Apple as a result,) Mercedes is keen on rapidly promoting this key offering on a global scale and it thus made sense to mention it in NYC too. In the same announcement, Mercedes also confirmed that the electrified version (dubbed the EQB) is indeed happening, but look for that model to emerge sometime in 2021. When it does appear, it will slot under the bigger EQC which is currently being produced in a limited production Edition 1886 variant.
Other than this brief announcement, little is known about the duo, but it is a safe bet to assume that the bulk of the performance hardware, cabin, and technology will be borrowed from Mercedes’s other compact car offerings. This could potentially translate into a very potent source of DNA, with traits from the A-Class, CLA, as well as the B-Class minivan all finding there way into the design in some shape or form. The CLA in particular is very intriguing since it did spawn a Shooting Brake variant, but that model is reserved exclusively for the international market, with the U.S. being left out of the fun due to stricter safety regulations.
As for the EQB, look for it to offer a number of subtle changes to help denote its status as an electrified model, albeit with the same basic design that would define its pure gasoline powered brother. When one looks at the EQC, expect some of the EQ hallmarks that define that bigger offering to filter down into the smaller EQB to help it establish its own unique identity in the EQ lineup.
With the promised summer reveal for the GLB, It’s very likely that Mercedes will organize a satellite event to formally unveil the model in the coming months, versus the traditional method of using the Frankfurt Auto Show in September to show it to the masses like its main rivals BMW and Audi.