The Mercedes Metris Van Is Leaving the US As a result of No one Needed It

The Mercedes-Benz Metris work van will probably be leaving the U.S. market in late 2023 resulting from poor gross sales, in accordance with Automotive Information. Citing a Mercedes supplier memo from Thursday, the two.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine for the Metris in addition to the larger Sprinter van is being discontinued. This successfully eliminates the Metris and gas-powered variations of the Sprinter after the third quarter of 2023.

The diesel Sprinter will nonetheless be round, although, and reportedly accounts for 75 % of that van’s gross sales.

Out there as a windowless cargo or windowed passenger van, the medium-sized Mercedes van did not promote very nicely within the U.S., reportedly solely transferring about 60,000 items since 2015. It was outsold by its larger Sprinter sibling by greater than 4 instances. A good portion of these Metris gross sales was to the federal authorities, with the U.S. Postal Service reportedly placing in a multi-year order for 30,000 vans again in 2020. Mercedes says it should make good on that deal earlier than it shuts down the Metris present right here for good.

The Metris’ failure got here all the way down to its awkward, in-between measurement. It is a nation that prefers both large vans or small vans however not one thing that is neither just like the Metris. The Mercedes—recognized abroad because the V-Class or the Vito—was smaller than the Ford Transit correct, larger than the Transit Join, and did not actually compete immediately with both, inserting itself in a little bit of a no man’s land.

It follows the A-Class as the most recent Mercedes product to get the boot after not likely working for the model within the U.S. As for future Benz discontinuations, Mercedes has apparently already knowledgeable sellers that it’ll quickly exchange each the C- and E-Class Coupes with a brand new two-door referred to as the CLE.

Curiously, it would not sound like Mercedes sellers are all that bummed out concerning the Metris’ U.S. departure. Talking to Automotive Information, an nameless Mercedes dealership exec went so far as saying the van didn’t deserve the Mercedes badge. “There’s nothing luxurious about it,” he stated. “It drives louder than a Toyota.” Type of an pointless dig at Toyotas, which are literally fairly quiet inside nowadays, however you get the thought.

The anonymous exec additionally stated the Metris did not supply the revenue margins Mercedes sellers are used to. “We might give all of the supplier efficiency bonuses, all of the revenue to the shopper,” to eliminate the issues, he informed AN. We have reached out to Mercedes for remark and can replace this story once we hear again.

Obtained a tip or query for the writer concerning the Metris? You possibly can attain him right here: chris.tsui@thedrive.com