Mercedes-Benz took everyone by surprise when they pulled the wraps off the X-Class Concept in October last year. The X-Class is the German carmaker’s take on a premium pick-up truck and was showcased with two versions of the Concept – a lifestyle hauler and an off-roader. After being spied upon undergoing cold weather test earlier this year, the German pick-up was spotted once again in southern Europe getting its shoes dirty and hauling stuff.
Under all the camouflage, the X-Class prototype wears the familiar Mercedes’ family face. The carmaker’s first pick-up truck is expected to remain true to its concept with big LED-instilled headlamps, large avant-garde grille and massive proportions. The flatbed seems more practical now and the ladder-on-frame chassis lends a raised ride height to the luxury pick-up. The interior will also be in line with all the other Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The Stuttgart-based carmaker is testing the new X-Class for hauling credentials which indicate that the carmaker will emphasise on the pick-up’s practical applications. Since it is based on the underpinnings of the Nissan Navara, the production-spec X-Class won’t have much issue going where the roads end. Mercedes-Benz has boasted of a payload capacity of 1.1 tonnes in the bed and a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes while showcasing the concept.
When launched, the X-Class will be either available with two-wheel or all-wheel drive layout. Engine options could be a turbo-diesel 3.0-litre V6 apart from a range of four-cylinder engines paired with manual and automatic transmissions. The performance oriented AMG-badged X-Class is highly unlikely, however, not completely ruled out.
Expect the X-Class to be showcased in the production spec at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. It will be built at Nissan’s facility in Spain and in Argentina by Renault as a part of Mercedes agreement with Nissan-Renault Alliance. Interestingly, Mercedes-Benz has no plans to introduce their pickup in the American market.
