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Mercedes-Benz X-Class
Overview
Manufacturer	Daimler AG Nissan
Model code	W470
Production	November 2017 – May 2020
Assembly	Spain: Barcelona (Nissan Motor Ibérica)
Designer	Wini Camacho
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size pickup truck
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive Front-engine, four-wheel-drive
Platform	Nissan F-Alpha platform
Related	Nissan Navara Renault Alaskan
Powertrain
Engine	Diesel: 2.3 L OM699 I4 turbo (X220d) 2.3 L OM699 I4 twin-turbo (X250d) 3.0 L OM642 V6 turbo (X350d)
Transmission	6-speed manual (X220d and X250d) 7-speed automatic (X250d and X350d)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	3,150 mm (124.0 in)
Length	5,340 mm (210.2 in)
Width	1,920 mm (75.6 in)
Height	1,819 mm (71.6 in)
Chronology
Predecessor	Mercedes-Benz Musso Sports

The Mercedes-Benz X-Class (W470) is a pickup truck that was sold by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz, a division of German multinational company Daimler AG. Unveiled at a world premiere in Cape Town, South Africa in July 2017, the pickup took its chassis from the Nissan Navara and employed many Mercedes-specific features and technologies, including some engines not shared with the Navara. It first went on sale in late 2017.

Development

In 2015, Mercedes-Benz announced that development of a pickup truck was in the works. The new vehicle, developed in conjunction with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, was to be assembled at Nissan and Renault plants in Europe and South America.

On 25 October 2016, Mercedes-Benz announced a concept class called the X-Class Concept. Dieter Zetsche, Daimler Chairman and head of Mercedes-Benz cars, said it would help a growing segment. It was slated to be only available in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Latin America, and Africa. The top-of-the-range engine is a turbocharged diesel V6 paired with a 4Matic permanent all-wheel-drive system.

Production started in 2017 at the Nissan factory in Spain. Plans to produce the pickup at the Renault plant in Santa Isabel, Argentina were cancelled due to alleged contractual disputes between executives from both marques.

According to Mercedes, the X-Class would be the world's first true "premium" pick-up truck, although it followed the failed Lincoln Blackwood and Lincoln Mark LT, two upmarket versions of the Ford F-150, along with the also-failed Cadillac Escalade EXT, a pickup variant of the full-size luxury SUV and an upmarket version of the Chevrolet Avalanche. Of these, the X-Class only managed to last longer on the market than the Lincoln Blackwood.

Global sales of the X-Class in 2018, its first full year on the market, were just 16,700 in Europe, New Zealand, Australia, South America, and South Africa. It further decreased to around 15,300 in 2019, with 2,186 sold in Australia alone. Production of the X-Class was halted in May 2020 due to slow sales. The slow sales are primarily attributed to a negative perception of the vehicle's platform. It was argued that many customers expected an entirely new vehicle designed and built by Mercedes and were disappointed when it was instead presented as a joint-venture with Nissan/Renault. This issue was further compounded with the use of Nissan/Renault engines in lower end trim levels. Despite the X350 sharing the same V6 diesel engine platform as the G-Class and other Mercedes models, public perception was that the X-Class was an expensive rebrand of a Nissan Navara, an image it struggled to shake throughout its short production run. Following this, Mercedes-Benz wouldn't make anymore pickups with their badge.

Promotion

On 19 July 2017, the promotional video/advertising spot "Mercedes-Benz X-Class: Pickup Meets Lifestyle – Trailer" was released, with "We Are Young" song by Blues Saraceno as soundtrack.

Models

The X-class launched with three trim levels: Pure, Progressive and Power.

Engines

References

1. "Goodbye, X-Class - You saved me in Albania, but couldn't save yourself". Wheels. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
2. Pornelos, Vince (15 November 2016). "7 questions with Filipino Mercedes-Benz designer Wini Camacho". Autoindustriya. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
3. "Terrible cars you should not buy. Volume 1: SsangYong Musso". 3 February 2018.
4. "2018 Mercedes-Benz X-Class First Ride". Autoblog. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
5. Padeanu, Adrian (31 January 2020). "Mercedes X-Class Production To End In May: Official". Motor1.com. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
6. "Mercedes Pickup Truck Concept: Here it Is". Road & Track. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
7. "The Mercedes-Benz pickup truck is here — and it's called the X-Class". Business Insider. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
8. "It is over: Mercedes-Benz confirms end of X-Class by May this year". The Citizen. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
9. "Mercedes to end production of X-class pickup". Automotive News Europe. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
10. "Mercedes-Benz releases global sales figures for X-Class for 2019…". CAR Magazine. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
11. "CONFIRMED: Mercedes-Benz axes the X-Class dual-cab as premium ute experiment fails". CarsGuide. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
12. Mercedes-Benz's Nissan-Based X-Class Pickup Truck Dies a Predictable Death - Motor Trend (02/16/2021)
13. "Mercedes-Benz X-Class Pickup Truck Discontinued After Slow Sales". MotorTrend. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
14. "Mercedes-Benz X-Class 2018 pricing and spec confirmed". CarsGuide. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
15. "Mercedes-Benz X-Class". Top Gear. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
16. "Engine and transmission: High-torque, enjoyable performance with four and six cylinders". Daimler Global Media Site (Press release). 18 July 2017. Archived from the original on 21 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
17. "Mercedes X-Class Technical Data". Daimler Global Media Site (Press release). 18 July 2017. Archived from the original on 21 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.

External links

• Mercedes-Benz vehicles
• Off-road vehicles
• All-wheel-drive vehicles
• Pickup trucks
• Cars introduced in 2017
• Cars discontinued in 2020
• Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
• 2020s cars