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Customer LoginsMercedes unveils concept of first true premium pickup with X-Class, production to begin by end of 2017
Mercedes-Benz is taking the bold step of entering the pickup market with what it terms the first true premium model in the segment, although it has no plans to enter the world's biggest pickup market, the US, at this time.
IHS Markit Perspective
- Significance: Daimler Mercedes-Benz has revealed two concept vehicles that will form the basis of the X-Class, which will go on sale next year as the world's leading premium car maker's first pickup truck.
- Implications: The new model will be the first of its type in terms of what Daimler's Mercedes-Benz brand refers to as a premium mid-sized pickup, with the company seeing great potential in the segment while eyeing the US market as well as other key regional markets.
- Outlook: The two concepts - the X-Class powerful adventurer and the X-Class stylish explorer - are likely to form two different bodystyles of the production model, which is due to start rolling off the line at Renault's Cordoba plant in Argentina from next year as part of the alliance between Daimler and Renault-Nissan. It is a bold and interesting move by Daimler to be the first premium OEM to offer a premium mid-sized pickup to a market that is traditionally dictated by North American buyers who are notoriously loyal to brands and nameplates.
Mercedes-Benz will become the first volume global light vehicle brand to offer a model in the medium pickup class with the new X-Class, which has made its debut in concept form in two different bodystyles, the X-Class powerful adventurer and the X-Class stylish explorer. The powerful adventurer is the preview concept for a traditional mid-sized crewcab pickup, albeit one designed and built to the exacting standards of the Mercedes-Benz brand. Daimler is investing what it states as a figure in the high hundreds of millions of euros in the model by the time it is launched in late 2017, with the company initially targeting the markets of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Europe, New Zealand, and South Africa with the model. Commenting on this bold new addition to the Mercedes-Benz range, which is being designed, developed, and sold under the auspices of the Mercedes-Benz Vans unit, the head of the business, Volker Mornhinweg, said, "We will open up and change the segment of mid-size pickups - with the world's first true premium pickup for the modern urban lifestyle. Our future X-Class will be a pickup that knows no compromise. Ladder-type frame, high-torque six-cylinder engine, and permanent all-wheel drive are compulsory for us.
As an added value we bring safety, comfort, agility, and expressive design - in other words, everything that distinguishes vehicles bearing the Mercedes star. We will thus appeal to new customers who have not considered owning a pickup before."
As Mornhinweg suggests, the range-topping model at launch will be powered by a V6 diesel in combination with 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive. This system will operate in conjunction with an electronic traction control system and two differential locks that will give the X-Class the scope to be in its element in off-road conditions. The all-wheel drive system and the tough ladder-type frame will make a payload of more than 1.1 tonne and a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes possible. The suspension features wide axles, a five-link rear axle with coil springs, and a precisely calibrated spring/damper set-up will be tuned to provide the best compromise between off-road performance and on-road comfort. Styling wise, both concepts appear to successfully transmit Mercedes-Benz's latest design ideas to the pickup format. The design has a strong and aggressive appearance, with its flared wheel arches combining with the front-end design reminiscent of Mercedes-Benz's SUV design, with a single-louvre grille with a centrally positioned Mercedes logo.
Outlook and implications
There is no doubt that Mercedes-Benz is making a bold move by becoming the first of the big-three German premium OEMs to join the global pickup market, although the company may find it difficult gaining traction in the market in a segment where pricing and value are significant influencers on buying decisions. Its nearest notional rival would be the Volkswagen (VW) Amarok, which has a similar grouping of target markets to the X-Class, and has sold at peak sales volumes of 85,000 in 2013, but in the longer term IHS Automotive expects combined global sales to settle in at the 60,000-65,000 level. The world's largest pickup market is the United States, where the Ford F-150 is the best-selling light vehicle overall with sales of 900,000 units a year.
At this point, US sales are not expected for the Mercedes-Benz truck. Designed for international truck sensibilities, it could take a notable revision to be competitive in that market. GM's Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon began from the joint GM-Isuzu international truck programme, but in the end share more with the GM full-size trucks in the transition to becoming US products. The Mercedes-Benz is likely to also need updating to meet the dynamics that US buyers want. Mercedes-Benz has a stronger commercial presence outside of the US, and this truck programme falls under the purview of Mercedes-Benz Vans; if they did come to the US, it would more likely be through that division. However, it would still compete against trucks optimised for US preferences and that would need to be addressed.
In terms of the idea of luxury private trucks, the Lincoln Blackwood and Mark LT, as well as the Cadillac Escalade EXT, provide cautionary tales. None performed well enough to earn second generations, with the Blackwood particularly derided for wood and carpet in the truck bed. However, GM does very well with high-end versions of its full-size trucks, as do Ram and Ford. There is strong appetite for well-appointed full-size trucks in the US. However, Americans want these to wear the beloved traditional brands. If Ford and GM cannot make luxury versions of their trucks work under their respective luxury arms, it is incredibly unlikely that Mercedes-Benz could do so. GM, Ford, and Ram know and understand the US truck buyer at a very fundamental level. Aside from Toyota's success with the very "Americanised" version of its Tacoma, no one else has come close to cracking the code. International markets are a different story, though, and Mercedes-Benz has potential for a successful product in the markets for which the pickup has been developed. It is likely that Mercedes-Benz is looking to leverage the success it has had with the G-Class, which has gradually gained a strong following as a statement vehicle for celebrities and buyers wanting a vehicle with a unique road presence and rugged, utilitarian looks.
About this article
The above article is from IHS Automotive Same-Day Analysis of automotive news, events and trends, and is a deliverable of the World Markets Automotive Service. The service averages thirty stories per day and also provides competitor and country intelligence. Get a free trial.