2016 Mercedes-Benz X-Class Pickup Concept

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Still a Concept but getting there....SA mentioned as a key market a couple of times."X-Class"...sounds good.

With the Mercedes-Benz X-Class Pickup Concept, Mercedes-Benz Vans gave a concrete outlook on its new pickup, the X-Class, in Stockholm. The first premium pickup will combine the best of two worlds. This is demonstrated impressively by Mercedes-Benz 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 Concept X-Class stylish explorer goes a step further and shows what will distinguish the pickup bearing the Mercedes star. The X-Class will be a true Mercedes from the hallmark brand design and comfort to the driving dynamics and safety. This will make Mercedes-Benz the first premium manufacturer to account for the changing customer requirements in the global segment of mid-size pickups, and it will make the tough one-ton pickup with seating for up to five persons the first to be attractive as an urban lifestyle and family vehicle.

With the pickup, Mercedes-Benz Vans will expand its product range with a fourth model series. At the same time, the brand bearing the three-pointed star will become the first premium manufacturer to occupy the promising segment of mid-size pickups. Daimler AG will make investments in the high nine figures (euro) in the new model series by the time of the market launch. It will be launched in late 2017 under the name Mercedes-Benz X-Class. The key markets will be Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Australia with New Zealand, and Europe.

Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars: "With the Mercedes-Benz pickup, we will close one of the last gaps in our portfolio. Our target: we want to offer customers vehicles matching their specific needs. The X-Class will set new standards in a growing segment."

"We will open up and change the segment of mid-size pickups - with the world's first true premium pickup for the modern urban lifestyle", says Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. "Our future X-Class will be a pickup that knows no compromise. Ladder-type frame, high-torque six-cylinder engine, and permanent all-wheel drive are compulsory for us. As an added value we bring safety, comfort, agility, and expressive design - in other words, everything that distinguishes vehicles bearing the Mercedes star. We will thus appeal to new customers who have not considered owning a pickup before."

Changing segment: Mercedes-Benz first premium manufacturer of a pickup

Worldwide the market for mid-size pickups is undergoing a radical change. Gone are the days when they were bought as mere "workhorses". Instead, they are becoming increasingly popular as versatile vehicles for a simultaneous private and commercial use and as vehicles for a strictly private use. The percentage of privately used pickups has been growing steadily for years. Accordingly, the double cab has emerged as the dominating body style, because it offers room for up to five persons. More and more private and commercial customers ask for vehicles with the characteristics and comfort features of a passenger car. A similar development took place in the segment of off-road vehicles some 20 years ago. Back then, Mercedes-Benz was the first premium manufacturer to launch a sport utility vehicle (SUV), the M-Class, and completely redefined the off-road segment - with lasting success.

"The Concept X-Class design variants interpret the hallmark brand design idiom of our SUVs in a most expressive form, and embody the dichotomy of our design philosophy: they are hot and cool", says Gorden Wagener, Head of Design at Daimler AG. "With its progressive design the powerful adventurer expresses cool modernity and thirst for adventure, while the stylish explorer on the other hand uses pure emotion to provide a tangible experience of modern beauty."

https://www.netcarshow.com/mercedes-benz/2016-x-class_pickup_concept/

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After plenty of spy shots and a handful of teasers, Mercedes-Benz has finally whipped the covers off the pickup concept that serves to preview its upcoming bakkie, which will take it into a whole new segment.

The mid-size pickup concept – dubbed the Concept X-Class – was revealed at a special event at the Artipelag art gallery in Stockholm, Sweden, with Dr. Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management Daimler AG, in attendance.

Confirming that the production version will indeed be called the X-Class, Mercedes-Benz revealed two versions of the concept, saying they both provide “a concrete outlook” on the upcoming bakkie.

The first concept, dubbed the “powerful adventurer” is meant to show that the X-Class will “possess all the strengths of a classic pickup – tough, functional, strong, and with off-road capability”.

The Stuttgart automaker says the “stylish explorer” version, meanwhile, “shows what will distinguish the pickup bearing the Mercedes star”.

“The X-Class will be a true Mercedes from the hallmark brand design and comfort to the driving dynamics and safety. This will make Mercedes-Benz the first premium manufacturer to account for the changing customer requirements in the global segment of mid-size pickups, and it will make the tough one-ton pickup with seating for up to five persons the first to be attractive as an urban lifestyle and family vehicle,” Mercedes said.

Zetsche, meanwhile, promised that the bakkie would be “best in class, in many disciplines”. Zetsche added that the production version would be a “highly competitive and a reasonable package for our customers”.

Mercedes-Benz also confirmed that its own V6 diesel engine would be available in the production bakkie, linked to its permanent all-wheel drive system.

The production version of the bakkie will share its underpinnings with the Nissan Navara. It is scheduled to be added to Mercedes-Benz’s range as early as the second half of 2017, with South Africa identified as a key market.

The Mercedes bakkie will be built alongside the Navara and Renault Alaskan in Argentina and Spain.

http://www.carmag.co.za/news_post/mercedes-benz-bakkie-concept-officially-revealed

http://www.wheels24.co.za/OffRoad_a...new-sa-bound-bakkie-meet-the-x-class-20161025

http://www.cars.co.za/motoring_news/mercedes-benz-x-class-concept-finally-revealed/42815/

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/mercedes-benz-x-class-concept-previews-first-pick
 
The "adventurer" model - minus the olive green paint - is a winner. Great-looking bakkie.
 
Not too keen about those rear lights
 
Nice to see a top notch interior in a bakkie, Americans have been having it all to themselves for too long.
 
The housewives get the SUVs and the douchebags many of them have married will get these 'Premium Bakkies'. Can't wait to be tailgated by one of these, the okes in the Ford Ranger Wildtraks tend to lose power in the upper end so they are easy to leave behind after 2nd gear, but these won't be built for pulling stuff around. God help us all when AMG and Brabus get hold of these!

BMW and Audi right now:
ae8c1bf278ac36f25c8fdc96a38abf17.jpg
 
The housewives get the SUVs and the douchebags many of them have married will get these 'Premium Bakkies'. Can't wait to be tailgated by one of these, the okes in the Ford Ranger Wildtraks tend to lose power in the upper end so they are easy to leave behind after 2nd gear, but these won't be built for pulling stuff around. God help us all when AMG and Brabus get hold of these!

BMW and Audi right now:
ae8c1bf278ac36f25c8fdc96a38abf17.jpg
Just imagine it. X63 AMG.
 
As far as a concept goes, these are pretty decent.

The front half of the vehicle works pretty damn well and I would expect the production model to look very similar.
I would expect the back to be considerably different.

The back just screams concept though, and not something that would ever be put into production. Neither seem to be all that practical in my opinion.

And that damnable iPad on the dash again.. FFS Merc, do better!
 
It is nice to see the premium touch on a bakkie for the South African market. The V6 Diesel engine will hopefully bring the performance in line with Mercedes' SUVs. However, this does indeed look expensive and would most likely become a fashion statement or a urban explorer instead of a workhorse in South Africa. Like the premium SUV's in the market it will probably just do the regular school run and tailgating in traffic, Oh and obviously the "I'M COMING FOR YOU" scream in the right lane on the N1.
 
It is nice to see the premium touch on a bakkie for the South African market. The V6 Diesel engine will hopefully bring the performance in line with Mercedes' SUVs. However, this does indeed look expensive and would most likely become a fashion statement or a urban explorer instead of a workhorse in South Africa. Like the premium SUV's in the market it will probably just do the regular school run and tailgating in traffic, Oh and obviously the "I'M COMING FOR YOU" scream in the right lane on the N1.

Of course that's what it's built for. Expect to see dogs, surfboards or camping equipment in the load bin. This bakkie was designed for lifestyle users.
 
I suspect that the worst thing you might see in the load bin will be dirty children
 
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