Some vehicles will not make it to 2022. Surprisingly, there are a couple of familiar names from Mercedes-Benz on the list. One elimination comes down to supply-chain issues. The other just never managed to carve out a place for itself in a shifting lineup. Which Mercedes-Benz models will be missing for the 2022 model year?

Mercedes-Benz origins

A luxury brand from Germany, Mercedes-Benz produces commercial and consumer cars, SUVs, trucks, and vans. The Stüttgart-based multinational corporation is a subsidiary of Daimler AG.

It all started with German automobile engineer and engine designer Carl Benz. Benz invented the single-cylinder Motorwagen in 1886, which was the first gas-powered car. His wife Bertha put the Motorwagen on the world stage when she took it for a long drive. Later in 1926, Mercedes-Benz would form as a company.

The 300SL Gullwing was the first Mercedes-Benz sold in the U.S. in the early 1950s. In 1995, the automaker opened a production plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. While most Mercedes-Benz vehicles are made in Germany, the Alabama plant is a one-of-a-kind large-scale facility that produces vehicles here in the states.

Mercedes-Benz remains one of the most popular luxury vehicle brands worldwide. Its subsidiaries are well-known, with Mercedes-AMG and the Mercedes Petronas F1 racing team.

Discontinued for 2022

According to J.D. Power, Mercedes-Benz discontinues the S-Class and the AMG GT R for 2022. 

Mercedes-Benz has been restructuring, and the shift in its lineup means more efficient, high-tech vehicles and fewer high-powered fun rides. The S-Class, featuring the S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet, follows the SLC-Class that went out of production last year. Both full-size luxury sedans had twin-turbo V8 engines under their hoods.

There is speculation on whether the S-Class would be discontinued anyway or if the line fell victim to supply-chain issues.  Mercedes had already announced they were discontinuing the production of vehicles with V8s in all 2022 models because of the supply chain impacting as many as 17 models in the U.S. 

If the supply-chain issues get resolved in 2022, which is possible, we still won’t see the C63, GLC63, GLE63, GLS580, or GLS63 return this year, according to RoadShow. 

The Mercedes-AMG GT lineup added the track-tuned Black series, which means it no longer really needs the GT R, so it concluded at the end of 2021.

An electrified future and other goals

According to RoadShow, Mercedes plans to have a totally electric lineup by 2030. And yes, that includes AMG. The automaker announced its plans last summer for a solid shift to EVs by the end of this decade. Their plans include three new all-electric vehicle architectures, new partnerships, boosts in development and research, and more.

The automaker plans to offer EVs in every vehicle segment it’s competitive in by 2022. From 2025 forward, Mercedes says every new product it produces will be all-electric only. Consumers will have a battery-powered option for every Mercedes-Benz vehicle in their lineup.

Mercedes-Benz is shelling out $48 billion to make these ambitious goals happen between 2022 and 2030. The increased investment will significantly boost the automaker’s development and research divisions. In a video presentation, the CEO of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, Ola Källenius, explained that it’s the “most significant reallocation of capital in decades.” 

As the automaker moves from an EV-first to EV-only model, the change in their strategy isn’t expected to make big changes to the bottom line. Mercedes-Benz will be pursuing increased sales of high-end EVs like AMG and Maybach to boost per-unit net revenue. Källenius explained the company is focused on profitable growth.