The slow selling vans will go out of production next year as the company focuses on larger and more profitable models
- Mercedes is killing off the Citan and T-Class as well as their electric counterparts.
- The models will die next year and mark the end of a van partnership with Renault.
- Successors aren’t planned as Mercedes wants to focus on medium and large vans.
Mercedes has been revamping their lineup and that extends to the van segment. As part of this effort, the company is axing the Citan and T-Class. The compact vans are set to be phased out by the middle of next year.
When this occurs, the last Mercedes-branded vans will roll off the assembly line at Renault’s Maubeuge plant in France. The facility also builds the Kangoo, which is largely identical.
More: Mercedes T-Class Debuts As A Small, Premium Van Designed For Families
A spokesperson confirmed the move as they told Automobilwoche, “In line with the strategy for growth in profitable segments communicated in May 2023, we are making targeted investments and further optimizing our product portfolio.” This means abandoning small vans to focus on medium and large models going forward.
It’s hard to argue with that decision after looking at the sales chart. According to the publication, Citan sales dropped to 23,351 units last year while the T-Class was off 31% at 5,117 units.
The Citan was designed to appeal to businesses and it offers panel and passenger van configurations. The former starts at €24,198 ($27,355) in Germany and features a 101 hp (75 kW / 102 PS) engine that is paired to a six-speed manual transmission.
The T-Class is similar, but starts at €26,795 ($30,291) and is geared towards families. As such, it features body color bumpers, rear windows, and a five-seat interior. It can also be equipped with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and more powerful engines.
#Mercedes #Killing #Small #Van #Lineup
