Mercedes has launched the new X-class pick-up, which it claims is the first such vehicle from a premium manufacturer.

The company says the new model carries forward the previously shown Concept X-CLASS largely unchanged to standard production.

There are three design and equipment variants to choose from as well as four or six-cylinder engines, rear-wheel drive and engageable or permanent all-wheel drive, a six-speed manual transmission and a seven-speed automatic transmission. In addition there are six different seat covers, including two leather variants, three sets of cockpit trim parts and a diverse range of accessories developed by Mercedes-Benz.

These allow the X-Class to be modified to suit personal tastes and requirements both visually and in terms of functionality. The market launch in Europe is scheduled for November 2017. At the beginning of 2018 South Africa, Australia and New Zealand will follow, beginning of 2019 Argentina and Brazil.

Mercedes says the X-Class is aimed at very different customer groups: land owners and farmers in Argentina, business owners and building contractors in Australia, families with an affinity for premium products in Brazil, trend-conscious individualists in South Africa and Great Britain as well as sporty adventurers in New Zealand and Germany.

The X-Class has a ladder-type frame, rear multi-link solid axle, front independent wheel suspension and coil springs on both axles.

Built on this platform, the X-Class is available in three model variants to suit different lifestyles and work environments:

• The X-Class PURE basic variant is intended for rugged, functional use.
• The X-Class PROGRESSIVE is aimed at people seeking a rugged pickup with extra styling and comfort functions – as a calling card for their own business, while also being intended for private use.
• The X-Class POWER is the high-end design and equipment line. It is aimed at customers for whom styling, performance and comfort are paramount.

The X-Class can haul a payload of up to 1.1 tonnes, which Mercedes says is enough to transport 17 full 50-litre barrels of beer in the cargo area. Able to tow up to 3.5 tonnes, it can also pull a trailer containing three horses or an eight-metre yacht.

The front apron emphasises width and has its own distinct character depending on the chosen design and equipment line. On the PURE basic variant it is unpainted and with the PROGRESSIVE design and equipment line it is painted in the vehicle colour. The POWER high-end model variant likewise has a bumper painted in the vehicle colour and also comes with a chromed underbody panelling. There are nine exterior colours and a variety of 17, 18 or 19-inch rims to choose from across the three design and equipment lines.

Like the front apron, the rear bumper also varies depending on the selected design and equipment line: it is painted black for the PURE line and in the vehicle colour for the PROGRESSIVE line. The POWER line has a chromed bumper. For access to the cargo area for loading and unloading, the bumper has an integral step. If the standard 90-degree tailgate opening is not adequate, as an option the X-Class can be ordered without the rear bumper. Then the tailgate opens to 180 degrees.

In terms of width, the load bed is designed in such a way that a Euro-pallet can be loaded straight between the wheel arches. The third brake light contains LED lights which illuminate the whole load bed. Operation is by a switch in the centre console. As soon as the ignition is switched on, those lights turn off automatically. A 12-volt socket to power additional equipment such as compressors, for example, is also part of the standard equipment in the load bed.

There are three trim variants to choose from for the X-Class POWER: a pixelated look in matt black, an aluminium effect with longitudinal grain and a brown matt woodgrain effect. The upper section of the cockpit is available with ARTICO man-made leather in either black or nut brown. With the PROGRESSIVE and POWER design and equipment lines, the centre console is also prominently framed by a decorative trim in silver shadow. The large door handles are also finished in silver shadow. In conjunction with the COMAND Online multimedia system it has a screen diagonal of 8.4 inches, making it the biggest display in the segment. With a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels and the high-contrast IPS technology (In-Plane Switching), it offers a display that increases the image quality of the 360-Degree Camera and the navigation maps.

The instrument cluster consists of the large, analogue round dials from the C-Class and V-Class. In the X-Class PROGRESSIVE and POWER they are tubular. A 5.4-inch colour multimedia display is nestled between the round dials. In the X-Class PROGRESSIVE and POWER, the steering wheel, shift lever knob and handbrake lever are also covered in leather.

As well as various trim elements, there are six seat covers to choose from, including two leather variants with contrasting topstitching, and there are two colours for the roof liner as well.

The seats in the X-Class PURE are fitted with black Tunja fabric as standard. Black man-made leather is available as an option. The comfort seats in the PROGRESSIVE variant are covered in black posadas fabric. As standard, the X-Class POWER comes with ARTICO man-made leather/DINAMICA microfibre.

As from its market launch, there are two four-cylinder engines. Thecommon-rail diesel drive system with a displacement of 2.3 litres is available with a choice of two power outputs. In the X 220 d with single turbocharger it generates 120 kW/161 bhp and in the biturbo X 250 d no less than 140 kW/187 bhp. Both diesel models are available as left- or right-hand drive vehicles with purely rear wheel drive or with engageable all-wheel drive. A seven-speed automatic transmission is available on request for the 140 kW/187 bhp X 250 d and X 250 d 4MATIC models.

A high-torque V6 diesel engine will be released mid-2018. It will generate 190 kW/255 bhp and a maximum torque of 406 ft lb. The top X-Class model will come as standard with permanent 4MATIC all-wheel drive and the seven-speed automatic transmission 7G-TRONIC PLUS with steering-wheel shift paddles and ECO start/stop function. The DYNAMIC SELECT system is available in addition.

The X-Class has what Mercedes calls a special feature in this segment: coil springs are used both at the front and the rear, which contributes to a harmonious suspension comfort. The comfort suspension consists of a double wishbone front axle and a rear multi-link solid axle.

The comfort suspension is part of the standard equipment in all European markets. Its ground clearance is 202 millimetres. A 20-millimetre higher suspension is available as an optional extra. In all markets outside Europe, the X-Class comes with the higher suspension as standard.

Engageable 4MATIC all-wheel drive is available on the X 220 d 4MATIC and X 250 d 4MATIC diesel models. With it, the front wheels can be engaged or disengaged by electric means depending on the surface. As from mid-2018, Mercedes-Benz will also make its pickup available with permanent all-wheel drive. The permanent 4MATIC all-wheel drive system will only be offered in conjunction with the six-cylinder engine. Both 4MATIC variants offer the low-range gearing and optional differential lock on the rear axle. All the all-wheel drive models come with Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR) on board as standard.

For active safety, three driver assistance systems are at the ready, simultaneously increasing safety and comfort: Active Brake Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Traffic Sign Assist. Additionally, there are Trailer Stability Assist, tyre pressure monitoring system, emergency call system, cruise control and LED headlamps that deliver the brightest light output in the segment thanks to six LEDs respectively. If required, a 360-Degree Camera is available in addition to a reversing camera.

Mercedes says the X-Class is the first mid-size pickup to feature a communications module with an integrated SIM card. This makes it possible to use the extensive Mercedes me connect services and to access the vehicle by smartphone. Thus X-Class drivers in 21 European markets can, for example, call up useful information such as fuel level and tyre pressure, and find out the X-Class’s location when it is parked or being driven by someone else.

With the X-Class, Mercedes says that Mercedes-Benz Vans is expanding its portfolio to a fourth model series and is closing the gap between commercial vehicles and passenger cars. As such, the pickup marks another milestone in the growth strategy “Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global”.

The X-Class is being manufactured in a production cooperation with the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Production for the markets in Europe, Australia and South Africa will start at the Nissan plant in Barcelona, Spain, in 2017. The X-Class for the Latin American market will roll off the assembly lines at the Renault plant in Cordoba, Argentina, starting from 2019. With the pickup, Daimler AG and the Renault-Nissan Alliance are expanding their strategic cooperation which began seven years ago. Mercedes says this affords it fast and cost-efficient entrance to the high-growth segment of mid-size pickups.