Mercedes Spied Testing 2018 GLT Pickup Mule, Could Come To USA

Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz arm continues the development work of their first mid-sized pickup truck and our spies were there to catch them in the act.

Just like the Renault Alaskan, Mercedes’ new pickup truck is based on the underpinnings of Nissan’s NP300 Navara and will reportedly enter the market under the GLT moniker, starting from 2017.

The car you see in the photos is a test mule still carrying a lot of the Nissan’s body panels but we can clearly notice the wider front and rear wheel arches. Unlike other re-badged examples we’ve seen, the GLT is being developed and designed solely from Daimler to meet the specific needs of its customer base in Europe, Australia, South Africa and Latin America.

The company gave us a good idea of how the final car will look like by releasing a teaser sketch image last year, along with the promise of high levels of utility combined with “the comfort, safety, and design of a Mercedes-Benz passenger car”.

Mercedes still considers offering their new pickup in the US and if they do, the GLT will probably be made at Nissan’s factory in Mexico to avoid tarrifs. The company is also going to build it in Renault’s Argentinian facilities and at the Nissan plant in Spain for the regional markets respectively.

Expect a range of four- and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, with entry-level models getting a six-speed manual and the rest a seven-speed automatic gearbox, with power sent to all four wheels permanently.

Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops