Rumour: Mercedes X-Class pickup to be discontinued

ChiragM · 18th July 2019, 12:32

According to a media report, Mercedes might discontinue the X-Class pickup from its line-up.

Rumour: Mercedes X-Class pickup to be discontinued-download-3.jpg

The X-Class was launched in 2017 and is based on the Nissan Navara and the Renault Alaskan. The car is built at Nissan's factory in Barcelona, Spain. At launch, the pickup was offered with two four-cylinder diesel engines and a V6 diesel later joined the line-up. It competes against the Volkswagen Amarok and the Ford Ranger.

In 2018, Mercedes sold only 16,700 units of the X-Class in Europe, Australia and South Africa. The car was not sold in the US and plans to manufacture the car in Argentina for South American markets were dropped. Sales took a hit due to many recalls, including one related to a footwell light, which could come loose and jam under the brake pedal.

The report also suggests that Daimler, Mercedes' parent company, cut its profit forecast for the fourth time in 13 months and is looking to reduce costs. The company is said to have kept aside money to cover crackdowns on diesel emissions and recalls due to Takata airbags.

Source - Automotive News

Link to Team-BHP News

AnInternetUser · 18th July 2019, 12:47

It's good that Merc introduced a pickup, but their offering could've been much better. Here's what I think went wrong:

For one, they were going for a utilitarian appeal from what I figure and there are much better options out there which are more cost-effective, too. The cost factor is especially important when you consider the usage of someone who would want a pickup truck for work purposes.

Secondly, their offering wasn't true to what Merc stands for IMO. Rebadging aside, it didn't feel like a Merc product in and out. Honestly, this did more harm to them than good. Goes to show that simply slapping your badge on it won't make it a success based on your brand value. We've seen this happening here in India as well. There's a reason why people love the G63 6x6 - it's ridiculous in every sense of the word but it is unmistakably a Mercedes. The X-Class isn't.

I for one was quite excited when this was announced, but it seemed like a half-baked attempt. As if the higher-ups recognized that the pickup truck market was doing well/would do well and wanted to capitalize on it without getting too much skin in the game.

GTO · 19th July 2019, 08:47

^ Agreed. Based on what I've read, this wasn't a "Mercedes" in anyway at all. That said, the age of $100,000 pickup trucks is now upon us (rather, in the USA). A proper & luxurious Mercedes pick-up truck will have potential in the States. Might sound weird at first, but so did the 1st-gen M-Class built in Alabama.

narayan · 19th July 2019, 09:02

Good decision. Save the money and invest in electric tech and come up with a battery powered pick up. Pick ups are quite amenable to electric tech given the space available for battery packs and also torque characteristics favoring load bearing duties.
Also ( I am assuming here ) - pick up trucks probably do smaller trips than cars.

18th July 2019, 12:32	#1
ChiragM Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,548 Thanked: 17,364 Times	Rumour: Mercedes X-Class pickup to be discontinued According to a media report, Mercedes might discontinue the X-Class pickup from its line-up. The X-Class was launched in 2017 and is based on the Nissan Navara and the Renault Alaskan. The car is built at Nissan's factory in Barcelona, Spain. At launch, the pickup was offered with two four-cylinder diesel engines and a V6 diesel later joined the line-up. It competes against the Volkswagen Amarok and the Ford Ranger. In 2018, Mercedes sold only 16,700 units of the X-Class in Europe, Australia and South Africa. The car was not sold in the US and plans to manufacture the car in Argentina for South American markets were dropped. Sales took a hit due to many recalls, including one related to a footwell light, which could come loose and jam under the brake pedal. The report also suggests that Daimler, Mercedes' parent company, cut its profit forecast for the fourth time in 13 months and is looking to reduce costs. The company is said to have kept aside money to cover crackdowns on diesel emissions and recalls due to Takata airbags. Source - Automotive News Link to Team-BHP News
	(3) Thanks

18th July 2019, 12:47	#2
AnInternetUser BHPian Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Mumbai Posts: 155 Thanked: 310 Times View My Garage	Re: Rumour: Mercedes X-Class pickup to be discontinued It's good that Merc introduced a pickup, but their offering could've been much better. Here's what I think went wrong: For one, they were going for a utilitarian appeal from what I figure and there are much better options out there which are more cost-effective, too. The cost factor is especially important when you consider the usage of someone who would want a pickup truck for work purposes. Secondly, their offering wasn't true to what Merc stands for IMO. Rebadging aside, it didn't feel like a Merc product in and out. Honestly, this did more harm to them than good. Goes to show that simply slapping your badge on it won't make it a success based on your brand value. We've seen this happening here in India as well. There's a reason why people love the G63 6x6 - it's ridiculous in every sense of the word but it is unmistakably a Mercedes. The X-Class isn't. I for one was quite excited when this was announced, but it seemed like a half-baked attempt. As if the higher-ups recognized that the pickup truck market was doing well/would do well and wanted to capitalize on it without getting too much skin in the game.
	(3) Thanks

19th July 2019, 08:47	#3
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,507 Thanked: 300,642 Times View My Garage	Re: Rumour: Mercedes X-Class pickup to be discontinued ^ Agreed. Based on what I've read, this wasn't a "Mercedes" in anyway at all. That said, the age of $100,000 pickup trucks is now upon us (rather, in the USA). A proper & luxurious Mercedes pick-up truck will have potential in the States. Might sound weird at first, but so did the 1st-gen M-Class built in Alabama.
	() Thanks

19th July 2019, 09:02	#4
narayan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Singapore Posts: 3,114 Thanked: 2,372 Times View My Garage	Re: Rumour: Mercedes X-Class pickup to be discontinued Good decision. Save the money and invest in electric tech and come up with a battery powered pick up. Pick ups are quite amenable to electric tech given the space available for battery packs and also torque characteristics favoring load bearing duties. Also ( I am assuming here ) - pick up trucks probably do smaller trips than cars.
	() Thanks