Hmm, Maybe We Should Give America a Pickup, Mercedes-Benz Ponders

Colorado. Canyon. Tacoma. Frontier. Ridgeline. X-Class?

That could be the lineup Mercedes-Benz has in mind for the competitive — and growing — U.S. midsize pickup segment. Ever since the automaker unveiled its questionable-looking X-Class midsize pickup last fall and declared America off limits for now, there’s been no end to the speculation that we’d eventually end up with a German offering on these shores.

The midsize pickup segment has now grown to 17 percent of all U.S. truck sales, and Mercedes apparently likes what it sees.

Mercedes’ X-Class, which goes on sale in South America and Europe later this year, borrows the Nissan Navara’s ladder-type frame and adds a heavy dose of luxury. However, with the market so hot in America right now, the automaker is wondering if that country’s worksites could use some panache.

“In the past year the mid-sized truck market has come back a bit,” Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, told Reuters today. “General Motors is launching a mid-sized truck. We are watching developments very closely, and we will take a decision at the appropriate time.”

Apparently, Mornhinweg didn’t get the message that GM has sold the Colorado and Canyon since the 2015 model year. It’s more likely that he misspoke, and was actually referring to Ford’s upcoming Ranger, due out in 2019.

Bringing the X-Class stateside would give Mercedes the only luxury offering in the segment. While success isn’t a guarantee, the automaker has aggressively countered the notion that the X-Class is merely a tarted-up Navara with no working man bona fides. During last year’s concept unveiling, CEO Dieter Zetsche claimed he once consulted with a “tough old ranger” to find out what Americans can stomach when it comes to pickup truck luxury.

As such, the X-Class is built to haul. The automaker claims a 1.1-ton payload — topping the GM twins — and a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tons.

Now, where will the pickup come from should Mercedes give the go signal?

It would have to come from within its own borders, said Mornhinweg. Mercedes-Benz’s Argentina assembly plant wouldn’t be able to handle the extra volume, and there’s that dreaded “chicken tax,” meaning a new plant would probably have to be built in the U.S.

Now, let’s hope Mercedes’ new pickup doesn’t snap in half.

[Image: Daimler AG]