Mercedes really knows how to keep us waiting.
The X class will go on sale in Europe in November, in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand early next year and in Argentina and Brazil in 2019. Mercedes-Benz said pickups are moving upmarket, just like SUVs have done.
“SUVs are elegant lifestyle products with a high-quality finish to them. Not every customer takes them into the wilderness anymore. We believe pickups could go in a similar direction,” Vans boss Volker Mornhinweg told Automotive News Europe.
Daimler hopes the new Mercedes-Benz X class will be a game-changer for its light commercial vehicles division, giving the business a more diversified sales footprint by entering the booming global segment of midsize pickups.
The pickup aims to tap into surging demand for vehicles capable of transporting one-ton payloads and towing an additional 3.5 tons. Mercedes forecasts volumes for this type of truck will grow by nearly half to 3 million vehicles worldwide in the next 10 years.
For now, Mercedes says it has no plans to sell the X class in the U.S. where demand is mainly for full-size pickups. So, unfortunately, if you want a Mercedes truck, you're going to have to travel abroad a little bit to pick up your prize.
PICK-UP FACTS
- Engines: Two Nissan four-cylinder, 2.3-liter diesel with 163 hp or 190 hp. A high-torque Mercedes 255-hp 3.0-liter V-6 diesel will be released mid-2018.
- Safety equipment: Active brake and lane-keeping assistance systems, along with cruise control and trailer stability assistance.
- Personalization: Customers who don't like an open flatbed can order an aluminum roll cover or stainless steel Style Bars, or a removable hardtop canopy that gives the pickup a more SUV-like silhouette.
- Base price: 37,294 euros (Germany
- Where built: Barcelona, Spain (for Europe); Cordoba, Argentina (for South America)
- Main rivals: VW Amarok, Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Nissan Navara
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