BMW has the X6, Acura has the ZDX, heck, even Honda has the new Crosstour. Now, Mercedes-Benz is about to join the fray with its own coupe-crossover dubbed the GLC. Reports coming out of Germany claim Mercedes-Benz is working on the new model, which will slot into its ever-growing lineup sometime in 2014.

The GLC won’t be a high-end model but rather a stylish and relatively affordable coupe-crossover based on the same compact car platform that will underpin the next-generation B-Class. This means that the GLC will likely employ a transversely-mounted four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels in standard form. All-wheel drive capability should remain as an option.

Possible engines include a 1.8-liter four-cylinder unit with 204 horsepower on tap, as well as a 2.2-liter turbodiesel with as much as 250 horsepower available. These should serve the GLC well considering how small it will be, with an overall length expected to be less than 15 feet.

By building a smaller class of vehicle than the current BMW X6 and Acura ZDX, Mercedes-Benz won’t have to worry too much about the current field of competitors. However, BMW is thought to be working on a similar vehicle called the X4 and just today we saw spy shots for the upcoming 2012 Range Rover LRX that’s due for launch early next year.

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