Mercedes-Benz has given the world the first glimpse of its latest addition to the commercial vehicle line-up with the Concept X-Class pickup.
With the Concept X-Class, Mercedes-Benz gives a concrete outlook on its new pickup, the X-Class. The first premium pickup, accrding to Mercedes, will combine the best of two worlds, demonstrated with two design variants of the concept car.
The Concept X-Class ‘powerful adventurer’ illustrates that the future X-Class will possess all the strengths of a classic pickup – tough, functional, strong, and with off-road capability. The ‘stylish explorer’ sibling goes a step further and shows what will distinguish the pickup bearing the Mercedes star.
The X-Class will borrow a chassis from the Nissan Navara, but Mercedes-Benz will be making a number of significant modifications to ensure it retains the brand’s qualities, from design and comfort to the driving dynamics and safety. This will, accordinf to the brand, make Mercedes-Benz the first premium manufacturer to account for the changing customer requirements of mid-size pickups, creating the first to be attractive as an urban lifestyle and family vehicle.
The contrast technical and organic surface details creates an expressive and dynamic appearance. The front shows an evolution of the SUV face of Mercedes, with a larger powerdome on the bonnet and headlamps extending far into the wings. The classic SUV front apron and the flared wheel arches put even more emphasis on the sense of width, and give the vehicle an even more solid stance.
The flared front and rear wings make room for a wide track and large tyre/wheel combinations for tough off-road use, although the 22-inch light-alloy wheels might put customers off venturing anywhere too demanding.
Brown is a bold colour choice for the interior, but Mercedes insists that the “sensual touch and feel of the brown, very natural nubuck leather” provides a cosy feel. This warm colour, which is also found on the dashboard, is combined with cool white nappa leather, while trim made of open-pore smoked oak contrasts with the brushed and polished aluminium trim elements.
“With the Mercedes-Benz pickup, we will close one of the last gaps in our portfolio,” expained Dr Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of Daimler and head of Mercedes-Benz cars. “Our target: we want to offer customers vehicles matching their specific needs. The X-Class will set new standards in a growing segment.”
With a market launch in late 2017, Mercedes intend to sell the pickup in key markets across Europe, Latin America, South Africa, and Australia.
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