We are highly awaiting the successor for the well-loved Mercedes-Benz CLS sedan. Rumors suggested the car could adopt the CLE moniker to align with its E-Class underpinnings, but new rumors suggest that the CLS name will stick around. Like the previous generation, the new CLS will share drivetrains and overall structure with the E-Class, but the recent Mercedes-AMG GT Concept that was revealed at Geneva might throw a wrench in the CLS. Autocar reports that the new CLS might not be offered as a high-performance AMG CLS 63.

Instead of receiving the new E63's 4.0-liter V8, the top-of-the range CLS will likely be powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six shared with the rumored E50 Coupe. This six-cylinder engine is said to produce a healthy 450 horsepower, which isn't nearly what we have come to expect from the recent crop of AMG models. Not building a V8-powered CLS would open up space in the lineup for a production version of the four-door AMG GT, which will likely use the engine from the standard GT or E63, or even a hybrid twin-turbo V8 with 805 hp. When Mercedes first showed the AMG GT Concept, we were a bit confused as to how it would stack up against the new CLS. This piece of news could help explain things.

The CLS is expected to be made longer in order to make it more of a luxury model, while the production version of the GT Concept, called the GT 4, would be a sporty rival to the new Porsche Panamera. Another interesting bit of CLS speculation is that it will drop the shooting brake body style, due to low demand. The shooting brake was never sold in the US anyway, but we can't help but mourn for its likely loss. The new CLS should be a very pretty car, but we're more interested in seeing the production version of that mad sexy AMG GT 4.