At the 2025 Guangzhou International Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz showcased its comprehensive strategy for technological innovation and product launch through a series of events including a Technology Day and a brand launch event.
At Hall 5.1 of the Canton Fair Complex, the Mercedes-Benz booth departed from its previous dark, luxurious, and discreet narrative style, opting instead for a warm and highly saturated color scheme. This allowed consumers who were initially intimidated by the powerful aura of the Mercedes-Benz booth to step into this stage adorned with the three-pointed star without any psychological burden.
This is an effective way for ordinary people to directly experience the brand's essence before they understand its specific business and strategy.
It is worth noting that the technological prowess showcased at the previous day's Technology Day was concretely presented at the product launch the following day.
During the Technology Day, Mercedes-Benz not only unveiled the AMG GT XX in China, but also showcased its new high-performance all-electric platform and 25 world records. These achievements are not merely conceptual technological visions, but core technologies poised for mass production. This seamless transition from technology demonstration to product launch reflects Mercedes-Benz's technological confidence and execution capabilities in its electrification transformation.
This product upgrade covers a wide range, from the 2026 Mercedes-Benz long-wheelbase C-Class (retail price of RMB 338,300-384,100) targeting young elites, to the 2025 long-wheelbase E-Class family (retail price of RMB 459,200-559,800) defining luxury executive sedans, to the flagship benchmark 2026 Mercedes-Benz S-Class (retail price of RMB 898,800-1,288,300), and SUV models such as the 2026 GLB (retail price of RMB 311,900-349,900), 2026 GLC (retail price of RMB 399,800-525,300), and 2026 GLS (retail price of RMB 1,060,000-1,398,200) meeting diverse needs, forming a complete product upgrade matrix.
Among them, the long-wheelbase C-segment car, as the main sales driver, has attracted particular attention with its upgrade strategy. The entire model range not only returns to the 2.0T engine paired with a 48V ISG intelligent motor, but also achieves significant improvements in intelligent features. The upgrade package, valued at approximately 45,000 yuan, covers core features such as navigation-assisted driving, 360-degree intelligent parking, and a Burmester sound system, enabling this already popular model to achieve a qualitative leap in product competitiveness.
Zhang Yan, Senior Executive Vice President of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co., Ltd., stated when explaining the brand philosophy: "We firmly believe that the Mercedes-Benz standard of 'intelligent hybrid' should not be differentiated by the type of drive, and the 'intelligent hybrid' driving experience is by no means exclusive to electric vehicles, but rather a standard feature of luxury." This philosophy is fully reflected in this product upgrade.
From the Qualcomm 8295 smart cockpit chip in the C-Class to the third-generation MBUX intelligent human-machine interaction system as standard across the E-Class, and the air suspension and navigation-assisted driving system as standard in the S-Class, Mercedes-Benz is systematically applying its technological accumulation in the field of electrification to its gasoline-powered models, realizing the widespread application of intelligent technology.
In the realm of electrification performance, Mercedes-AMG responds to industry challenges with technological innovation. Duan Jianjun, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co., Ltd. in Beijing, previously pointed out: "In the world of electric vehicles, making an electric car fast is easy, but making it fast and consistently fast becomes an 'impossible mission.'" This insight directly addresses the current technological bottleneck in electric vehicle development, and the AMG GT XX's sustained high performance under extreme testing conditions not only breaks through this technological bottleneck but also demonstrates Mercedes-Benz's profound technological reserves in the field of electric performance.
It's worth noting that this product upgrade reflects Mercedes-Benz's profound understanding of the Chinese market. The long-wheelbase E-Class features over ten China-exclusive rear-seat comfort features, intelligent driving assistance systems optimized for Chinese road conditions across the entire model range, and a smart cockpit interactive experience more suited to local usage habits—all demonstrating the deepening development of Mercedes-Benz's "In China, for China" localization strategy. This precise product definition based on market demand allows Mercedes-Benz to maintain its unique brand appeal in the face of fierce market competition.
From a market perspective, Mercedes-Benz's large-scale product refresh holds significant strategic importance. At this crucial juncture of electrification, strengthening the competitiveness of its gasoline-powered models not only ensures the brand's stable performance during the market transition but also allows it to accumulate the necessary resources and time for the electrification transformation. This "dual-track" strategic approach reflects both respect for market realities and a rational consideration of technological pathways.
At this Guangzhou Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz, while maintaining its brand DNA, continues to break through its own limitations through ongoing technological innovation and explores a sustainable development path that balances the present and the future through precise localized storytelling.
