Photo: CarPix
Surprisingly for some, Mercedes-Benz has somewhat recently admitted that it is working on its first ever pickup truck, set to bear the X-Class name.
It all started in 2016, when the three-pointed star showed two different concept trucks in Stockholm, both previewing the upcoming production model.
We are now less than a year away from the official unveiling of the 2018 Mercedes-Benz X-Class, and the Germans are already testing a pre-production version in the coldest areas of Northern Sweden.
As you can see from the photos sent by our trusty spy photographers, the heavily camouflaged prototype is using most of its production body parts, including the large engine grille and headlights.
Speaking of headlights, they seem to have suffered a couple of design modifications compared to the aforementioned X-Class concept cars, alas the differences don't stop there. The exhaust tips don't seem to be integrated into the rear bumper, and while the front bumper will probably look a bit less dramatic.
Platform-wise, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz X-Class will not share its underpinnings with one of the carmaker's SUVs, but with the Renault Alaskan and the Nissan NP300 Navara. In fact, apart from the front- and the rear-end, the three pickup trucks will be nearly identical from the outside.
On the other hand, the X-Class will have its own interior, engines, and transmissions. The latest generation of the tried and true OM642 diesel mill will most likely be the top of the range version.
The turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 provides up to 265 hp and 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) of torque depending on the application in the current Mercedes-Benz lineup, but the carmaker's first one-tonne pickup may get a different version.
The somewhat new 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the E-Class W213 should also make an appearance under the hood of the base version, in which case it should deliver around 195 hp and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. The 9G-Tronic nine-speed transmission should handle the power delivery exclusively on all engine and trim versions. A hybrid version could also be introduced later on in the product cycle.
Expect the new Mercedes-Benz X-Class to be launched in the second half of 2017, but the United States aren't among the markets it will be sold on, at least in the beginning.
We are now less than a year away from the official unveiling of the 2018 Mercedes-Benz X-Class, and the Germans are already testing a pre-production version in the coldest areas of Northern Sweden.
As you can see from the photos sent by our trusty spy photographers, the heavily camouflaged prototype is using most of its production body parts, including the large engine grille and headlights.
Speaking of headlights, they seem to have suffered a couple of design modifications compared to the aforementioned X-Class concept cars, alas the differences don't stop there. The exhaust tips don't seem to be integrated into the rear bumper, and while the front bumper will probably look a bit less dramatic.
Platform-wise, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz X-Class will not share its underpinnings with one of the carmaker's SUVs, but with the Renault Alaskan and the Nissan NP300 Navara. In fact, apart from the front- and the rear-end, the three pickup trucks will be nearly identical from the outside.
On the other hand, the X-Class will have its own interior, engines, and transmissions. The latest generation of the tried and true OM642 diesel mill will most likely be the top of the range version.
The turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 provides up to 265 hp and 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) of torque depending on the application in the current Mercedes-Benz lineup, but the carmaker's first one-tonne pickup may get a different version.
The somewhat new 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the E-Class W213 should also make an appearance under the hood of the base version, in which case it should deliver around 195 hp and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. The 9G-Tronic nine-speed transmission should handle the power delivery exclusively on all engine and trim versions. A hybrid version could also be introduced later on in the product cycle.
Expect the new Mercedes-Benz X-Class to be launched in the second half of 2017, but the United States aren't among the markets it will be sold on, at least in the beginning.
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