The new X-class, Mercedes’ first pickup truck, will be unveiled in production form on July 18, 2017. The carmaker had earlier previewed the model in the form of two concepts – the Powerful Adventurer and the Stylish Explorer. The new Mercedes X-class pickup has been developed in a three-way joint venture with parent company Daimler’s alliance partner Renault-Nissan. The X-class is based on the same ladder-frame platform as the Nissan Navara and Renault Alaskan and will be produced alongside its sister models at plants in Spain and Argentina.
The carmaker has released a new teaser video showing the production version’s design which unmistakably features Mercedes-Benz styling touches, including the traditional grille treatment with a prominent centrally mounted three-point star emblem. It also gets the company’s latest headlamp lineage.
Inside, the X-class’ dashboard borrows cues from other Mercedes models, such as the free-standing infotainment display, circular air con vents and a rotary and touch-pad controls for the infotainment system. The model also shares some commonalties with its sister models such as the lever-style handbrake, air-con controls and switch gear for some driver assistance systems on the centre console.
Behind its cabin, the X-class features a pickup bed similar to those featured on the Nissan Navara and Renault Alaskan, but gets unique LED tail-lamp design. Mercedes is claiming a load-bearing capacity between 1,100kg and 3,500kg, depending on variants.
The X-class will be powered by a range of four-cylinder and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, with both concepts using petrol V6 motors. Rear-wheel drive will be standard on the four-cylinder offerings with 4Matic four-wheel drive available as an option. The range-topping V6 though will get all-wheel drive as standard.
The key markets targeted by Mercedes-Benz with the new X-class include Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and South Africa. Production of models for Europe and Australia are expected to start in 2017 at Nissan’s facility in Spain, with the model for South American countries to enter production at the Argentina facility in 2018.