Mercedes R-Class gets the axe

When Mercedes Benz first debuted their minivan-shaped sedan thing, there was a certain amount of agreement from the automotive press, insofar as it left the majority of its critics scratching their heads as to what exactly Mercedes was thinking. Fast forward a few years, and that particular train of thought appears to have been mirrored in the car-buying public, as the R-Class' perennially slow sales prove. 

So, it comes as no surprise then that Mercedes has announced the R-Class' immediate US demise. And although the vehicle will continue to be available for Canadian, Mexican, and Chinese consumption until 2015, MB hinted that the R-Class will probably be replaced then with another soft-roader based on the successful M-Class platform.