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Mercedes-Benz teased the Internet with images of its upcoming pickup truck just last week, and now the real deal is finally here. The German automaker collaborated with Renault-Nissan to develop the truck in an effort to save some cash on R&D. As a result we expected the pickup to share similar dimensions and design cues with the current Nissan Navara, but obviously with things leaning towards the current Mercedes-Benz styling. We were hoping the front-end would be typically Mercedes.
We were also hoping the video introducing the car would be typically Mercedes. We were not disappointed.
As you can see from the latest shots out the of Artipelag art gallery in Stockholm, Sweden, we were pretty much spot on. Granted, most pickups looks similar from the back and sides, so it was up to the front-end design to make the car fall in line with the rest of the offerings from Mercedes, but that tailgate is just brilliant with that surround taillight. This new pickup fills the only empty spot in the Mercedes-Benz lineup. Details are thin on the technical front for now, but it was mentioned that the X-Class would use a strong V6 diesel with permanent all-wheel drive, a five-link rear axle and precise damping. It will be offered with large 22-inch wheels to ensure a smooth ride
While the pickup shares DNA with Nissan, there's absolutely no trace of the Japanese automaker here, other than the borrowed body of course. With that being said it's important to remember that the two trucks shown off via livestream are still concept models. That means certain features will change between now and when they see production. We expect to see both the rugged off-road model and the sleek city cruiser lose those unique tailgate designs. We'd also be shocked, utterly shocked, if Mercedes actually put a fire extinguisher into one of its trucks. But overall these concepts don't look all that crazy, which means that they're probably very, very close to being finished products. If that's indeed the case then we say job well done.
There's no word on if the X-Class will make it to the US. Mercedes did say that it wasn't interested in making a fat cowboy truck, so don't hold your breath. But it was mentioned that the pickup will be a global model and will be seen in top markets, namely Australia, South Africa, Brazil and Great Britain, all pickup-loving countries. The interior doesn't look much like a pickup, it's more like a luxury car, and that's by no means a bad thing. The X-Class will also be packed with tech and is set to be a fully connected car, like most of the new offerings from top brands. Series production models are set to roll into showrooms at the end of the year in some markets, and early 2018 in others.
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