SPY PICS: Mercedes X-Class ute ready to haul
Luxury German pick-up undergoes final testing, showing off pumped-up front-end and big towing capabilityA new batch of spy photos have emerged revealing more of one the most anticipated reveals of 2017, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class ute.
As these fresh shots also suggest, the all-new luxury German load-lugger will have a benchmark 3500kg towing capacity, matching chief rivals like the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and the Nissan Navara dual-cab on which it's based.
The design of the new "pick-up", as Benz calls it, will be revealed in July in South Africa at a massive global event, ahead of its Australian arrival in 2018.
You can bet the house that it will send traditional outlets, social media and fans into a spin once again, just as the X-Class concept utes did when they were unleashed in October 2016.
The X-Class is undergoing tow testing and off-road evaluations in southern Europe and – unlike previous spy shots, which only showed camouflaged Navara utes – these images reveal designs for the mould-breaking Merc's front-end and wheel-arches, and just a hint of the fancy new-look headlights.
The big Benz’s grille is well hidden but, as Mercedes' designers have previously told us, the ute will be influenced by the brand's SUV design language.
What's clear is that the back-end of the car will feature traditional tail-lights – not the radical LED lines that were seen on one of the concept designs.
It's tricky to get a view of the interior but the German car-maker has said the X-Class will be the world's most luxurious ute, and that means lots of leather, lots of automated functionality, premium metallic and timber accents, and top-end stereo and infotainment options.
Company boss Dieter Zetsche has also said it will be the world's safest pick-up, which means several advanced safety features will be present, including a range of semi-automated driving aids.
The X-Class will use two carryover engines from Nissan: four-cylinder petrol and turbo-diesel units, and a range-topping 3.0-litre turbo V6 Mercedes engine, which could make it the most powerful ute in its class.
Mercedes-Benz has consistently stated that no AMG version of the X-Class is planned, but has left the door open for a top-shelf, hi-po version in the future – especially if sales of the three-pointed star’s first direct rival for the HiLux exceed expectations.
UPDATE:July 2017
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
