Rumorpile: Details Spill Out On Mercedes-Benz's Truck

We are still a few years out before Mercedes-Benz launches their new midsize truck, but new details have come out about the model.

CarAdvice got some information from an insider at a recent design forum in Australia. First, Mercedes will be calling the truck either X-Class or Z-Class. It seems the automaker is leaning towards X since it brings up images of ruggedness.

The truck will only be offered in a crew-cab variation which allows Mercedes not to spend a lot of time developing a regular or extended cab variations. It also gives Mercedes the ability to distance their truck from the Nissan Navara - the model which Mercedes is using as a base for their truck.

“Yes, to come to an attractive price we are using a common platform, but all the rest is done by Mercedes – to design, to develop the vehicle specifically to meet Mercedes criteria,” said Daimler board member Thomas Weber at the Detroit Auto Show.

There will three trim levels ranging from standard work truck to a fully-loaded model with all of the luxuries. Two diesel engines; a turbocharged 2.3L four-cylinder (188 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque) and a turbocharged six-cylinder (255 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque) will be on offer. A part-time four-wheel drive system will be standard on the base and mid-level model. The top trim model gets a full-time system.

One question still up in the air is whether or not the U.S. will get this truck. Then Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Steve Cannon expressed interest in selling it here and that a final decision is expected sometime this year.

Source: CarAdvice