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Mercedes C-Class Coupe caught

The Mercedes C-Class Coupe is getting ready for a launch later this year and that means it has to come out and test its long, wide shoulders. Spy photographers caught it in camo around Stuttgart, and there's a bolt-on piece that makes it appear to have a BMW 6 Series-like trunk, but you can ignore that. Genuine changes include it being lower, wider, and "noticeably sportier" as we've been told, and the side mirrors are mounted on the doors instead of in the triangle between the A-pillar and beltline, where they are on the sedan. As with the new sedan, this coupe looks much more mature than the current model, and even under the camo you can see how the sculpting has been emphasized. Notice how the upper swage maintains its punch as it runs through the door handle and over the rear wheel, instead of dipping below the door handle and softening as it does on the sedan. It could get an intro at the Paris Motor Show, maybe even with the convertible by its side, and it's expected to go on sale in Europe later this year. Let your eyes have a taste in the spy shots above.

2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris First Drive

We're sitting 8,700 feet above sea level in the idyllic old mining town of Dunton Hot Springs, nestled deep in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. We've come to drive the newest and cheapest Mercedes-Benz, a midsize work van called the Metris. As the day begins, Mercedes van boss Bernhard Glaser states the obvious, "We're setting up camp in the US." It's a good line, perhaps a little too fitting given our surroundings, but it's accurate. Though the US commercial van market is dominated by Ford and General Motors, Mercedes has staked out a competitive position and is digging for more. The tall, capable Sprinter relaunched with a Mercedes badge in the United States in 2010 and has grown into a $1-billion enterprise in America. Now comes Phase 2, dubbed "Mission Metris," starring a tweener van that's smaller than the towering Sprinter yet larger the Ford Transit Connect and Nissan NV200. The 2016 Metris enters a crowded and evolving segment that also includes the Ram ProMaster City and GM's super-old Chevy Express and GMC Savana. Mercedes will sell the Metris in cargo and passenger forms, meaning it will be outfitted for a range of roles, including taxi and limousine companies, delivery duties, service, and maintenance. Yes, your cable guy might show up in a Mercedes. That's part of the plan, actually. Though the Metris was engineered to be a pack-mule of a van, if the shine of the star on its grille helps attract new buyers – like a chain of upscale hotels that needs a fleet of shuttles – all the better. Our short test drive begins outside the small canyon town of Dolores, CO, as we haul four people and some luggage to the airport in a pre-production Metris. Normally test programs staged by automakers are a little contrived – many feature an off-road course or track time for even the most mundane vehicles – but our stint behind the wheel of the Metris is almost exactly how the van could be used in real life. We make our way along Colorado's winding highways, cruising around 60 miles per hour for much of it. The Metris offers an excellent view of the road and the snow-capped mountains that rise in the distance. It's an easy van to drive. We don't feel like we're piloting a U-Haul or something else cumbersome. Mercedes is billing this as the 'right-sized' option, and our initial impressions support that sentiment as we navigate the curves flanked by steep drop-offs.

Mercedes GLE-Class shows a new face for the luxury crossover in NYC

Segments don't get much hotter than luxury crossovers at the moment, and that makes for some perfect timing for Mercedes-Benz to unveil the GLE-Class at the 2015 New York Auto Show. As a replacement for the M-Class, the new model offers a more traditional looking alternative to the styling of its swoopy sibling, the GLE-Class Coupe. Mercedes' designers crafted a nose for the GLE that gives it a strong family resemblance to the Coupe, but the rest of the shape bears a chunky, more utilitarian appearance. Elsewhere, the new model sticks with the thick C-pillar and wraparound rear glass of the outgoing M-Class but with sharper edges for a slightly more muscular look. Stepping inside, occupants find all of the German luxury brand's latest styling cues. Mercedes is making a major commitment to adding more plug-in hybrids to its vehicles in the coming years, and the GLE is one step in that process. The lineup includes the GLE550e 4Matic that pairs a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V6 with electric assistance to produce a total of 436 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. The German brand isn't going entirely green, though, and the range also includes the Mercedes-AMG GLE63 and GLE63 S, powered by a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 that produces 550 hp or 577 hp, respectively. Check out the photos above from the show floor to get a full look at this upscale crossover before it arrives at dealers later this year.