Mercedes Delays U.S. GLC Production, Leaving the Model Vulnerable to Tariffs

• Mercedes-Benz is reportedly pushing back its United States production of the GLC-class crossover, according to the trade paper Automotive News.
• Production of the GLC had been originally scheduled to start in Vance, Alabama, in late 2027 but has now been pushed back to 2030.
• Continuing to import the GLC-class from Germany will keep the GLC vulnerable to import tariffs further into the future. Car and Driver reached out to Mercedes for comment but has not received a response.

Mercedes-Benz is delaying the start of its U.S. production of the GLC-class crossover, according to Automotive News. The automaker had originally planned for production of the GLC to begin in late 2027, but the paper reports that it has now been delayed to 2030. When the U.S. production does begin, it will take place at the automaker’s Vance, Alabama, plant.

Andi Hedrick|Car and Driver

According to the AN report, Mercedes is delaying the move in production to wait for the arrival of the next-generation GLC-class. “Investing in the plant for about half a life cycle and then having to retool for the next-generation GLC doesn’t make a lot of sense financially,” Sam Fiorani, the vice president of AutoForecast, told the outlet. The Alabama plant, in its current configuration, is home to the GLS-class and GLE-class SUVs, along with their electric counterparts.

The updated timeline lines up with the expected arrival of the next-generation GLC-class; the current model received its most recent refresh in 2023. Unfortunately, the delay leaves the GLC-class, which is one of the most important models for the brand in the United States, exposed to increased costs related to import tariffs. Mercedes has previously committed to spending some $4 billion at its Alabama plant to localize the production of its high-volume vehicles, which are currently subject to 15 percent import tariffs.

On the flip side, some reports suggest that the Trump administration is considering lowering its tariff on European cars to 10 percent in an attempt to sway Audi into building a planned $4 billion Georgia plant. Car and Driver reached out to Mercedes-Benz for confirmation of the AN report but has not heard back at the time of this article’s publication. We will update this story when we learn more.

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Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.

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