SHANGHAI MOTOR SHOW: Benz GLC Coupe

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed its intention to produce a direct competitor for BMW's X4 by revealing this design sketch of the Concept GLC Coupe.

The rendering was revealed by Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche at the company's annual shareholders' meeting in Berlin today, ahead of the all-new mid-size coupe-crossover concept's world debut at Auto Shanghai in China on April 20.

Just as Benz revealed the GLE Coupe at the Detroit motor show in January ahead of the debut of the standard GLE (facelifted M-Class) at the New York motor show tonight, it appears Mercedes will also reveal the GLC Coupe before the model upon which it's based – the redesigned GLC mid-size SUV.

However, while the GLE and GLE Coupe are expected on sale in Australia simultaneously – in both mainstream and AMG forms -- around September, the smaller GLK-replacing GLC should arrive Down Under later this year – before next year's all-new GLC Coupe.

"The Concept GLC Coupé is a near-production-standard study which transforms the successful GLE Coupé formula into a more compact segment," says Benz.

"The dynamically expressive show car combines typical coupé stylistic features with the sensual and pure design idiom of forthcoming Mercedes SUVs."