A high-ranking executive at Mercedes-Benz has confirmed the firm plans to “streamline” its vehicle range, engine line-up and platform mix.

Speaking to Autocar, Markus Schäfer, head of research and development at the Stuttgart-based firm, suggested the Daimler-backed brand was eager to reduce complexity.

“We are reviewing our product portfolio, especially as we announced so many pure EVs [electric vehicles],” he said.

“Knowing the complexity after the growth in the last couple of years, means we are definitely reviewing our current lie-up. The idea is to streamline – taking car variants out, but also platforms, powertrains and components,” Schäfer explained.

A report from February 2020 suggested Daimler’s cost-cutting drive would include the axing of the S-Class coupé and cabriolet body styles, adding the future of the B-Class was “uncertain” and claiming the CLS and Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé would be consolidated into a single electric coupé. This came after Mercedes earlier in 2020 confirmed the end of the line for the X-Class double-cab bakkie.

Schäfer added there were “many single platforms right now and the idea is to reduce this”.

“In the future, we will have the same underpinnings with various cars and you will see the results pretty soon,” he told the publication.

Interestingly, he suggested there was no plan to “kick out the V8 and V12, for example, so long as there is customer demand”, but conceded the powertrain line-up would indeed be trimmed.

“Probably, yes, [powertrain] variants will reduce. Of course, four-cylinder engines will make more sense than a V12. Let’s see what Euro 7 requirements are and go from there.”

Original article from Car