Mercedes X-Class Makes It Rain In The Pickup Truck Game
If you build it, they will come. Or in the case of Mercedes Benz’s new X-Class pickup truck, if you invest one billion euros, analyze and identify potential future growth for vehicles of this type in key markets, put a three-pointed star on the hood — and then build it — they will come.
By the numbers, it was obvious to the top executives at Daimler AG, parent company of Mercedes-Benz, that the initial investment to design and produce the X-Class made financial sense. But more interesting is Mercedes’s unique take on the pickup, a vehicle type recognized as the blue-collar working man’s best friend — how would they create an upmarket image for something as pedestrian as a truck?
To solve that unique question, Mercedes called on their head of design, Gorden Wagener. He’s a self-proclaimed pickup truck fan who previously lived in America, and appears to be the ringleader behind the entire X-Class operation. “I love pick-ups, I have horses and stuff, so that actually is a car that I almost designed for myself,” said Waegner.
Waegner also states that the basic design of the X-Class is inspired by two iconic American trucks, the F-150 and the Silverado. “The most beautiful pickups are always the old-school [Ford] F-150 and [Chevrolet] Silverado, the US pick-ups, that’s the home ground[…]I like them very much and it’s a great source of inspiration.”
Mercedes have been showcasing two different X-Class concepts, a rugged, off-road inspired design called “powerful adventurer,” and a more refined, urban counterpart known as “stylish explorer.” We now know that the production X-Class will be based upon the “stylish explorer,” although Wagener personally likes the concept he nicknamed “the Beast,” the off-road focused design.
The production X-Class will look similar to the concept “stylish explorer,” minus the massive wheels and other subtle touches that were only for show. We’re unsure if the striking wrap-around LED taillight, which follows the outer edges of the tailgate, will make it to production.
The X-Class will be built around a traditional ladder-frame and feature a five-link rear axle suspension with coil springs. Mercedes have confirmed that the range-topping model will be powered by a diesel V6 engine, working in tandem with the manufacturer’s 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive system. The X-Class’s drivetrain will also have an electronic traction system, a transfer case with reduction gear, and two differential locks.
As the world’s first “premium pickup,” expect an inviting and luxurious interior typical of the German brand. Waegner goes on to explain: “You’ve never seen a pickup with this kind of value and quality inside. We basically treat it like our passenger cars. It’s above everything in the competition, aiming to deliver ambience far above everything else out there.”
The X-Class will launch in late 2017, targeted specifically at customers in South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Interestingly enough, the pickup which draws heavily from Detroit is not yet planned to be released in the U.S., presumably due to stiff market competition from Ford and General Motors.
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