The mysterious core segment vehicle is set to go into production in 2027 and could be the GLC
Mercedes has a massive U.S. plant, but the company imports a majority of vehicles sold in the country. The Trump administration’s trade war makes this a big problem, so they’re addressing it by announcing plans to build an all-new vehicle in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
The automaker isn’t saying much at this point, but described the mystery model as a “core segment vehicle.” They also said production would begin in 2027 and the “new car” would be tailored to U.S. customer preferences.
That’s pretty vague, but the automaker later suggested this will be a “localization” effort. This implies the company is talking about an existing model.
There’s no word on which one, but the Tuscaloosa plant specializes in crossovers as it builds the GLE, GLE Coupe, GLS, EQE SUV, and EQS SUV. Given this, it seems possible that Mercedes could bring the GLC to the plant. This remains to be seen, but the crossover is Mercedes’ second best-selling vehicle in the United States and is part of their so-called “Core segment.” Currently, Mercedes builds the GLC in Germany and China, and it’s also assembled in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
While the company is playing coy, they said the move further enhances their commitment to the North American market and is part of a “local-for-local approach.” They went on to note the Tuscaloosa plant has built over 4.5 million vehicles since 1997 and made around 260,000 vehicles last year.
The automaker also dropped rhetoric seemingly designed for the Trump administration as they said they’ve “exported roughly two-thirds of annual output, making it one of the largest exporters of automobiles from the U.S., contributing to the U.S. trade balance.”
Speaking of statements, Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius said “Tuscaloosa has been a key hub for Mercedes-Benz vehicles for almost 30 years. It’s a natural step to bring a further model to Alabama as part of a strategy to deepen our commitment to the United States, a market, which has been our home for more than a century.”
