Mercedes-Benz Boss Now Says X-Class Pickup Could Come To The U.S.

Back in November last year, Mercedes-Benz USA CEO, Dietmar Exler, said the company had no plans to offer the upcoming X-Class pickup truck in the US, but a new report says otherwise.

Citing Volker Mornhinweg, the head of the Mercedes-Benz Vans division, Reuters writes that Mercedes is now having second thoughts, and is studying the North American market to make a case for bringing the X-Class.

“In the past year, the midsized truck market has come back a bit. General Motors is launching a midsized truck, we are watching developments very closely, and we will take a decision at the appropriate time“, explained Mornhinweg, while speaking at a press conference in Stuttgart.

When asked where Mercedes could produce the X-Class in the US, Mornhinweg said the current facility in Argentina doesn’t have what it needs in order to satisfy demand, so a new assembly site in the United States could be considered.

Building upon the latest Nissan Navara, which also forms the base for the Renault Alaskan, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class was presented in concept form last year. In the meantime, the Germans have started testing prototypes out in the open, which are believed to use some of Daimler’s engines, and the 4Matic all-wheel drive.

An exact reveal date is unknown at this time, but the pickup truck that will compete against the Volkswagen Amarok, among other trucks, should debut later in 2017.