X-Class [Official] Mercedes-Benz X-Class

[Rainer271]

Mercedes-Benz X-Class -

 

[fortuner]

I can imagine many of them on the South African roads..

 

[lukeswiss]

Lights are different to the concept. Cool.

 

[marley71]

Why is it that Mercedes does this and I'm enthusiastic, but if BMW does this I would be furious!? Part of the reason is that Mercedes has a full complement of performance cars, also they've always done things like commercial vans and trucks. BMW doesn't have that heritage, so every foray into new markets, especially while they don't have sports halo models, seems almost like a betrayal. Yes, I know I'm not being rational, and that these are just businesses hell bent on survival in a dog eat dog world...

 

[Rolf]

This is going to take the pickup world by storm. It will set new standards for sure for refinement, luxury and style.

 

[Giannis]

This is going to take the pickup world by storm. It will set new standards for sure for refinement, luxury and style.

It's still a Nissan Navara underneath. Therefore, it will set new standards for badge milking.

Seriously, it better be a hell lot better than the Navara...

 

[Rolf]

It's still a Nissan Navara underneath. Therefore, it will set new standards for badge milking.

Seriously, it better be a hell lot better than the Navara...

Yes true it's a Nissan underneath and I hope they have done a lot of work on the basic platform to elevate this much more above the Nissan or you and me and thousands of die hard pick up fans will be crying foul.

 

[Dauer]

take the pickup world by storm

That just sound so wrong

 

[lukeswiss]

It'll be huge in Australia where people who work in trades earn quite well, their market is protected from imported labour.

 

[Giannis]

Yes true it's a Nissan underneath and I hope they have done a lot of work on the basic platform to elevate this much more above the Nissan or you and me and thousands of die hard pick up fans will be crying foul.

If the MB rebadged Renault Kangoo is an indication of how different the X-Class will be from the Navara, then we are screwed.

 

[Gianclaudio]

It'll be huge in Australia where people who work in trades earn quite well, their market is protected from imported labour.

And all over South America and their rich farmers/landowners

 

[lukeswiss]

If the MB rebadged Renault Kangoo is an indication of how different the X-Class will be from the Navara, then we are screwed.

The Kangoo has a HUGE star.

 

[AndreB]

^ That's why I don't like MB's brand direction, is too diluted, they put the star on anything even though the products suck. If I'm driving a 100k MB I hate seeing the same star on a "Kangoo". Mercedes stands for high quality luxury products, not buses or whatever might be.

 

[Giannis]

^ That's why I don't like MB's brand direction, is too diluted, they put the star on anything even though the products suck. If I'm driving a 100k MB I hate seeing the same star on a "Kangoo". Mercedes stands for high quality luxury products, not buses or whatever might be.

I've got absolutely no problem with MB also producing buses, trucks and Unimogs. But I do mind rebadged products. Especially just slapping a star on some other brand's car, like the Kangoo. What is MB, General Motors?

On the other side, you gotta give it to BMW. They haven't offered a rebadged anything yet.

 

[Wolfgang]

World Premiere of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class
On Tuesday, July 18, 2017 starting at 7:10 p.m. CEST / 5:10 p.m. GMT the Mercedes-Benz X-Class celebrates its World Premiere in Cape Town, South Africa

Last year Mercedes-Benz presented the X-Class concept cars in Sweden; now the series model is in the starting blocks. The new X-Class enriches the familiar strengths of a pickup by adding typical Mercedes-Benz characteristics, thus uniting apparent contradictions: extreme robustness and a progressive design, impressive off-road capabilities and great driving dynamics on the road as well as exemplary functionality and stylish comfort.

 

[JLBM]

While not as serious as the dreadful Aston Martin Cygnet (an Aston badged Toyota), the upcoming BMW Z5 will also be on a Toyota platform..

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

While not as serious as the dreadful Aston Martin Cygnet (an Aston badged Toyota), the upcoming BMW Z5 will also be on a Toyota platform..

Is it a Toyota platform or is it jointly developed? In fact, it might be more BMW than Toyota as prototype/mules were seen with more BMW interior early in the development, and it seemed chassis tuning was done in Munich based on their presence there.

 

[Car Nut]

World Premiere of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class
On Tuesday, July 18, 2017 starting at 7:10 p.m. CEST / 5:10 p.m. GMT the Mercedes-Benz X-Class celebrates its World Premiere in Cape Town, South Africa

Last year Mercedes-Benz presented the X-Class concept cars in Sweden; now the series model is in the starting blocks. The new X-Class enriches the familiar strengths of a pickup by adding typical Mercedes-Benz characteristics, thus uniting apparent contradictions: extreme robustness and a progressive design, impressive off-road capabilities and great driving dynamics on the road as well as exemplary functionality and stylish comfort.

It's great that this launch is happening in my home city. I wonder which exact venue Mercedes has chosen for the event. 18th July also happens to be Mandela Day so it is actually a really special day.

 

[JLBM]

Is it a Toyota platform or is it jointly developed? In fact, it might be more BMW than Toyota as prototype/mules were seen with more BMW interior early in the development, and it seemed chassis tuning was done in Munich based on their presence there.

It is jointly developed. And apparently there have been significant language and culture problems that have delayed the project. What this means for the "purity of brand through product" remains to be seen. The point is, BMW are up to the same tricks with niche products as MB is with the X-Class..

 

[Matski]

The point is, BMW are up to the same tricks with niche products as MB is with the X-Class..

Case 1:
Product A is developed by company A+B, it is sold by company A, then company B starts selling product A as product B two years later. Company A+B agrees to let company C sell product A as product C three years later.

Case 2:
Products A and B are developed by company A+B, and will be sold as products A and B.

You might have a point if BMW had opted to rebrand the GT86/BRZ as a BMW... as this was jointly developed by third parties, and is already on the market in two different forms.... but this isn't the case... so it's not the same.