Could the Mercedes MLC actually be the Mercedes MLS?

Is the ML Coupe the Mercedes MLS and not the MLC?

Last year we revealed the Mercedes MLC – a coupe M Class – was in the pipeline to rival the BMW X6. But could it actually be the Mercedes MLS?

Mercedes are on a mission to out-niche BMW and Audi with plans to create a seemingly endless range of variants on every platform they have. And one we know is on the way is a four-door coupe version of the new M Class – a car we referred to as the Mercedes MLC when we reported it last summer.

But it seems like it may not actually be called the MLC when it arrives after the ever vigilant boys at the Czech Auto Forum discovered a filing for the name ‘MLS’ by Mercedes at the European patent office.

Filing a name at patent offices is common practice for car makers and may mean nothing. Many monikers are registered just to protect others from using variant names on their offerings, so the filing of the MLS moniker doesn’t, in itself, mean that much.

But it appears that Mercedes hasn’t filed a patent for MLC, which leads to the reasonable conclusion that the new Coupe M Class will be the Mercedes MLS. Which sort of makes sense.

The CLS is a four-door coupe, but the new A Class Coupe is going to be the Mercedes CLA, so it seems we can’t read too much logic in to Mercedes nomenclature.

But Mercedes MLS certainly looks a strong possibility.