If the current rate at which Mercedes-Benz updates its models with new, face-lifted versions is anything to go by, a new Mercedes CLS should be introduced sometime close to 2017. That is still a long way in the future, but RM Car Design believes they already know what that car will look like.

They have come up with these renderings to share their vision of the third-generation Mercedes CLS with you. If you know your Mercedes, a quick glance is enough for you to realize they have borrowed some feature from the current range and applied them to the existing CLS in order to create the new model. That may sound like cheating, but in truth that’s pretty much how Mercedes themselves update their cars.

So the 2017 Mercedes CLS RM is proposing here feature the AMG GT’s headlights and a 3D grille from its sportier GT3 version, and it benefits from the AMG sport bumpers found on many Mercs these days. The taillights are completely new though, and very interesting to look at. Crucially, the signature curved roof of the four-door coupe remains unchanged. That is what defines the CLS. Without that roof the car would be a slightly fatter E-Class.

Renderings by RMCarDesign