BERLIN: Mercedes-Benz has planned to launch their first-ever pickup truck. The announcement came in a statement issued by its parent company, Daimler AG.
“The Mercedes-Benz pickup will contribute nicely to our global growth targets,” Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said in the statement. “We will enter this segment with our distinctive brand identity and all of the vehicle attributes that are typical of the brand with regard to safety, comfort, powertrains and value,” he added.
Mercedes-Benz Vans division will be responsible for the new vehicle the company-issued statement said. They work on the automaker’s private and commercial vehicles such as the V-Class and Vito.
Daimler is planning to build the truck in cooperation with Nissan Motor Co. The Japanese carmaker’s factories will produce the vehicles using the basic framework of the company’s very own Navara pickup truck according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
“The details are being worked out,” said one of two people familiar with the situation.
“More and more pickups are being used for private purposes, and commercial as well,” a Forbes report said. “Private users are increasingly asking for vehicles that have car-like features,” it added.
Wall Street Journal said Mercedes-Benz is counting less on pickup market growth than on existing buyers demand for trucks that have more luxury and comfort.
Some details about the upcoming Mercedes-Benz pickup truck have been shared. The double cab will have two rows of seats with an interior and features typical of Mercedes-Benz cars and vans. The yet-unnamed truck will also have the company’s infotainment system, MercedesMe. “We call it rough luxury,” said Mercedes-Benz Vans director of design, brands, & operations, Kai Sieber.
Mercedes-Benz also said the truck will have a one-metric ton payload capacity. It will be powered by four or six-cylinder engines.
Initially, the new Mercedes-Benz pickup truck will be targeted for Latin America, South Africa, Europe and Australia.
