Mercedes-Benz X-Class engines confirmed

Mercedes-Benz's X-Class ute will be available with a trio of engines when it arrives in Australia in 2018.

"We have a [diesel] V6, four-cylinder engines -- diesel and gasoline -- then 4x4 and 4x2. That is as far as powertrains is concerned," Mercedes-Benz CEO Dieter Zetsche told Australasian media at the global reveal in Sweden this week.

"Then we have manual and two different automatics going with the different engine brands."

But only one of these engines is confirmed as a Mercedes-Benz mill -- a range-topping V6 -- and its long-term outlook is under a cloud.

The punchy 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, which can be expected to belt out a class-leading 190kW and 620Nm, will be the hero model in the X-Class range and is expected to be paired exclusively with an automatic transmission -- potentially Mercedes' nine-speeder.

There's every chance it will become Australia's most powerful mainstream utility in 2018 after the death of Holden's V8-powered SS Ute, by eclipsing the upcoming Volkswagen Amarok V6's 180kW/580Nm outputs.

But for how long?

Diesel engines will soon be very expensive to develop because they will need to meet strict new Euro 7 emissions standards due post-2020, and Mercedes is ditching its V6s for an all-new, more efficient inline six-cylinder block.

Volker Mornhinweg, the head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, which is responsible for developing the X-Class, wouldn’t be drawn on whether the new inline six will be engineered for the new ute, instead implying that six-cylinder engines were not necessary for the vehicle in future.

"In the future as you know we have different [engine] opportunities in the company. Also we will check out what's going on in the marketplace then after a while we can say, OK, is there further demand for six-cylinder forever?

"In the current situation on the planet you don't know what will happen in the future," said the Benz exec.

That means X-Class ute buyers could be stuck with Nissan engines, along with myriad other Navara parts that underpin the Benz ute.

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed a pair of four-cylinder engines -- one diesel and one petrol -- will be offered with the X-Class, and the diesel will be same as that powering the Navara, a 2.3-litre twin-turbo unit worth 140kW/450Nm in its highest state of tune.

These will be offered with automatic and manual gearboxes and Benz has confirmed a low-ratio transfer case is on the cards for 4x4 models.

The petrol engine that will power the X-Class ute is not yet clear. It could be the 122kW/238Nm 2.5-litre engine used in entry-level Navara or a Mercedes-Benz petrol engine.

Whatever the case, Mornhinweg confirmed the company is unlikely to replace the Nissan four-cylinder diesel with a Benz powerplant.

"Currently we have a good relationship with Nissan Renault partners. So far we take that engine. It's a great engine, the four-cylinder. Why should we change it?"