X6-Rivalling Mercedes-Benz SUV Teased, 2015 Launch Scheduled

The first teaser image for a new Mercedes-Benz SUV has surfaced online this week, snapped by a US journalist and posted to her Twitter page.

The photo was taken during an event at the company's Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama, where the new model is expected to be built in a new $350 million facility. It will be built alongside the M-Class, R-Class and GL-Class.

Dubbed MLC in the press, the new coupe-like SUV will enter as a rival for the popular X6, which has proved a strong seller for BMW. Production is expected to begin in 2015.

Technical details for the MLC have not been revealed, although it is likely that the sports-styled SUV will share its platform with the new M-Class SUV. 

On the design front, the MLC is expected to take inspiration from the sleek CLS four-door coupe, featuring the same bold character lines, sloping rear deck and upright face. 

Watch for more details to surface in the coming months. 

Image via @Dawn_Kent on twitter.