Photo: CarPix
Based on the Nissan Navara and related to the Renault Alaskan, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class isn’t your average pickup truck. The three-pointed star made efforts to differentiate the X from the rest of the mid-size segment, and to this effect, the German automaker plans on upping the workhorse’s capability with a longer bed.
Spied testing in sub-zero weather in Sweden, the payload-oriented X-Class Long Bed comes in Double Cab body style. Wrapped in two-tone camouflage from head to toe, the prototype is also gifted with an electrically-operated sliding rear window.
While the standard box of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class measures 1,587 millimeters (62.4 inches) in length, the longer bed could be carried over from the Navara NP300. What that means is 1,788 millimeters in length, working out at 70.3 inches.
Engine options, on the other hand, should be similar to those we already know. One turbocharged gasoline (X 200) and three turbo diesels (X 220 d, X 250 d, X 350 d) are in the offing, with the first offering 166 PS (164 horsepower) and the latter 258 PS (255 horsepower) from 3.0 liters displacement and six cylinders arranged in a V.
Customers will have to choose between a six-speed manual and a seven-speed automatic, with both transmissions calibrated for both work and driving comfort. Manufactured in Spain at Nissan’s plant in Barcelona, the X-Class will cross the pond in 2019 to Latin America, going into production at Renault’s plant in Cordoba, Argentina. For the time being, there’s no news on availability for the U.S. and Canada, with the three-pointed star keeping its lips shut on the subject.
Taking a deeper dive into the inner workings of the North American truck market makes it clear why Mercedes-Benz is reluctant to bring the X-Class to this part of the world. Not only does the full-size pickup reign supreme, but the profitability of the X-Class in such a competitive sector is questionable, Chicken Tax or not. Considering the average transaction price in the mid-size pickup segment is $32,000, the $43,000-ish X-Class doesn’t stand a chance despite its premium promise.
While the standard box of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class measures 1,587 millimeters (62.4 inches) in length, the longer bed could be carried over from the Navara NP300. What that means is 1,788 millimeters in length, working out at 70.3 inches.
Engine options, on the other hand, should be similar to those we already know. One turbocharged gasoline (X 200) and three turbo diesels (X 220 d, X 250 d, X 350 d) are in the offing, with the first offering 166 PS (164 horsepower) and the latter 258 PS (255 horsepower) from 3.0 liters displacement and six cylinders arranged in a V.
Customers will have to choose between a six-speed manual and a seven-speed automatic, with both transmissions calibrated for both work and driving comfort. Manufactured in Spain at Nissan’s plant in Barcelona, the X-Class will cross the pond in 2019 to Latin America, going into production at Renault’s plant in Cordoba, Argentina. For the time being, there’s no news on availability for the U.S. and Canada, with the three-pointed star keeping its lips shut on the subject.
Taking a deeper dive into the inner workings of the North American truck market makes it clear why Mercedes-Benz is reluctant to bring the X-Class to this part of the world. Not only does the full-size pickup reign supreme, but the profitability of the X-Class in such a competitive sector is questionable, Chicken Tax or not. Considering the average transaction price in the mid-size pickup segment is $32,000, the $43,000-ish X-Class doesn’t stand a chance despite its premium promise.
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