(November 11, 2014) The Mercedes-Benz model portfolio has expanded rapidly in recent years and continues to grow and for that reason the company has decided to restructure its model nomenclature to avoid confusion as it prepares to bring more than 30 new models to the worldwide market by 2020.

Mercedes says at least 11 of the new models have no precursor in the current product portfolio.

On top of this come the different body variants with different drive systems. This results in an increasingly complex situation when it comes to naming the various models.

"After more than 20 years of continuity involving some of the most recognized and successful product names in the world, we are now making our system of vehicle nomenclature even more understandable. Bearing in mind the international appeal of our brand, our plan has been to devise an even simpler, more transparent and more logical system for the designations of our model series, with the aim of providing clear orientation for our customers", said Dr Jens Thiemer during the launch of the new nomenclature.

"Now is the ideal time to do this, for in 2015 we will be updating virtually our whole SUV model range, providing us with the perfect starting point for renaming the whole family of vehicles."

The system behind the new nomenclature is simple, clear and transparent. The model designation is always an acronym made up of between one and three upper-case letters. The different types of engine are indicated by a lower-case letter. The system centers around the five core model series, A, B, C, E and S, which will continue to be used to provide orientation for our customers.

In the case of the model designations for the SUVs, in a tribute to the legendary G Class, all SUV models will in the future have the first two letters "GL" in their name. The "G" here denotes the car's lineage. The "L" is a letter that appears time and time again over the history of Mercedes-Benz.

It is a linking letter that Mercedes says makes the model designations easier to remember and easier to pronounce; one that is familiar from the legendary SL, for example, or from the more recent CLS and CLA. It is followed by the third letter, which indicates the relationship to the relevant core model series. In specific terms:

Mercedes-Benz will have five core models: A, B, C, E and S.

• The compact GLA becomes GL A-class

• The compact GLK will be renamed GL C-class

• The midsize M-class becomes the GL E-class

• The all-new midsize coupe based on the current ML becomes the GL E-class coupe

• The full-sized GL becomes the GL S-class

• The G will remain the same

The company's four-door passenger cars with coupe-like styling will all have CL as the first two letters in their names. The third letter will refer to the size related to the core models.

The cars include the compact CLA and the larger CLS sedans. Wagon or Shooting Brake versions of the cars are not sold in the United States.

Beginning in 2016, Mercedes said the SL designation will be used on two-door roadsters and the third letter will also indicate the size. The SLK will be remained SLC. The SL name won’t change, “in recognition of its iconic status,” the company said.

Engines, other than gasoline-powered, will also get new designations with a single lower case letter on the trunk lid:

• c for compressed natural gas -- it is currently called National Gas Drive

• d for diesel, replacing BlueTEC and CDI

• e for electric, replacing Plug-in Hybrid BlueTEC Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Drive

• f for fuel cell, currently F-Cell

• h for hybrid, currently Hybrid and BlueTEC Hybrid.

Mercedes will continue to call its all-wheel drive models 4Matic.

In addition, two sub-brands are being added.

High-performance AMG models will be called Mercedes-AMG and the range-topping S-class variant has been named Mercedes-Maybach.