Mercedes-Benz Is Already Killing Off the X-Class Pickup Truck
Say “auf wiedersehen” to the first-ever truck with a Benz badge.
Mercedes-Benz’s luxurious X-Class pickup is getting axed just two years after coming to market, according to a new report.
Citing “sources at the automaker,” Automotive News Europe claims that parent company Damiler is dropping the high-end truck to “reduce costs amid profit warnings.”
That outlet has further details on the X-Class’ global sales:
Mercedes launched the model in 2017, aiming to give its light commercial vehicles division a more diversified sales footprint by entering the booming global segment of midsize pickups.
But only 16,700 units of the X class were sold last year in Europe, Australia and South Africa. The U.S., where demand is mainly for full-size pickups, was ruled out as a market.
Right from the start, the X class was unable to live up to expectations. Its price, starting at 37,294 euros in Germany, was too high. Competition is fierce in its segment, in which VW Amarok and Ford Ranger also compete
We imagine that the suits at Merc are kicking themselves over the curious decision to not bring the X-Class stateside, where truck sales are seriously booming.
Care Sales Base reports that the a whopping 2,420,162 large pickups were sold in the U.S. in 2018, making it the third-best year on record. Ford moved 909,330 F-Series models here alone—over 50 times more than Merc did on three continents.
Jalopnik notes that the X-Class still could have struggled to find a market in the U.S., despite the fact that Americans are clamoring to get behind the wheel of luxury-trimmed pickups from Ford, Ram and GM.
Still, 16,700 sales is abysmal. Hopefully other brawny Benz 4x4s like the GLS 580 fare better.
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