Starting this March, Mercedes-Benz’s first pickup truck will make repeated appearances at mountain biking events across the world, as part of an agreement signed between the carmaker and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
Mercedes-Benz announced on Tuesday it has become presenting sponsor of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships and title sponsor of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. And to support this decision, the Germans have already started rolling out marketing stunts, like the video you can see below.
To better promote itself, Mercedes-Benz will provide promotion packs and VIP tickets for those attending mountain biking events, but the luckiest of them all will get to test drive the X-Class along the competition route.
The partnership between the carmaker and the sports organization is expected to last for at least three years.
“Mountain biking enjoys tremendous popularity around the world – both as a hobby and a professional sport,” said Sonja Schneemann, Mercedes-Benz vans head of marketing.
“The X-Class is aimed at sports enthusiasts and those who live an active lifestyle. The core markets are not only Europe but also Australia, South Africa, and South America.”
The first outing of an X-Class to such an event took place on March 10, in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The Mountain Bike World Cup will continue until September 9 in Europe and Canada, giving the Americans a shot at seeing the pickup truck that may never make it there.
The U.S. is the biggest and most profitable pick-up truck market in the world, but Mercedes has steered clear of it with the new X-Class. The main reason is the fact that the European pickup truck is smaller than the trucks usually enjoyed by Americans, like the Ford F-150 or the Chevrolet Silverado.
For Europe, it does remain a valid choice. Presented at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show with a new 3.0-liter diesel, the Nissan Navara-based Merc sells for over 50,000 euros ($61,000).
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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