With pickup-truck market being in its expanding stage it was only a matter of time when will a car manufacturing giant like Mercedes-Benz enter the fray. This just happened, and Germans finally introduced its pickup. The concept is named X-Class and Benz presented us with not one but two version of its long-awaited truck. First one is Powerful Adventurer that is aimed at true truck lovers who are in for a towing and off-road action with the second one being Stylish Explorer intended for people who will use X-Class as a family car and not primary for its off-road performance and capabilities.
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Being first Mercedes-Benz pickup since unsuccessful 220D “La Pick-up” which was sold only in Argentina, everybody was asking just how will it look. We have to say, this truck is Benz-like just as any other model in their lineup. Headlights and front grill on both models look like they were borrowed from any other Mercedes model. What is new are the taillights. They differ from each other with Stylish Explorer having its made from one-piece while the Powerful Adventurer has two separated taillights. They also have a difference on their tailgate. Explorer looks like it doesn’t want for it to be used for heavy work signalizing that this truck is intended for those who want the pickup to represent their lifestyle, not their actual needs.
On the inside, everything once again screams Mercedes-Benz. The layout of the dashboard together with gauges and air vents it’s all Mercedes-like. The only difference will be the shifter that is on X-Class in stick shape, and it stands out from other models in the lineup. Powerful Adventurer, unlike Stylish Explorer, features a small fire extinguisher on the dashboard with a clear intention to show its truck-like orientation.
When it comes to the powertrain, Mercedes-Benz didn’t share all that much. One of the options that will most likely be on the X-Class is a Diesel V6 that will transfer power to all four wheels. At this point, not much is known about transmission. Whatever the engine, Mercedes is guaranteeing that its truck will be able to tow 7,716 pounds and will feature 2,425 pounds for payload rating. These figures stand above petrol model of V6 Chevy Colorado and are almost equal to its diesel version.
Despite being much like any other Mercedes, it’s not entirely German-made. Manufacturing of X-Class will be done in cooperation between Nissan, Renault, and Mercedes-Benz. It will be built on Nissan Navara’s chassis, a model that is not available in the US. Despite this, US are familiar with this platform trough Navara’s North American counterpart Nissan Frontier.
Mercedes-Benz X-Class will be part of Mercedes’s Van lineup, and according to various sources, it will be available in the markets by the end of 2017. At this moment it’s not known whether will this model be sold in the States because it is primarily intended for European, Australian, South African and Latin American markets.
