Things are going well in the engine area, but the cooperation between Mercedes and Renault in the area of complete vehicles is bad in the true sense of the word. After the Mercedes X-Class, derived from Renault's Alaskan, failed, it now seems that the end is also coming for the Citan and the T-Class. This is reported by our colleagues at Automobilwoche.
The Citan has been available since 2012, initially based on the second-generation Renault Kangoo. The current Citan, also a Kangoo, was launched in 2021. An upgraded version of the passenger car, called the T-Class, followed in 2022. However, sales figures fell sharply in 2024: While the Citan remained fairly stable, the T-Class and the electric EQT fell by 31 percent.
The cheapest T 160 with 102 hp currently costs around 27.000 euros as a new car. However, the VW Caddy is significantly more expensive. This is not due to the price, of course, but because, among other things, the taxi industry, which was supposed to switch to the T-class according to Mercedes' ideas, was holding back. It is also possible that the Citan and the T-class do not fit into Mercedes' luxury vehicle strategy, which focuses on maximizing profit.
The Citan commercial and T-Class private models and their electric derivatives will be phased out in the middle of next year, according to SID. Dealers were informed of the early end in a letter that we were able to see in the editorial office. Mercedes confirmed the move: “In line with the growth strategy in profitable segments that we announced in May 2023, we are targeting our investments and further optimizing our product portfolio,” a spokeswoman told the trade magazine.
The cooperation in the small van segment will end in 2026. In the future, it will focus on the medium-sized and large van segments. These include the Vito (commercial) and V-Class (private) models as well as the large Sprinter van, which promise significantly higher returns. Speaking of the V-Class: the near-series study will soon present the next generation.
