Up until a few years ago, the pickup was exclusively a work vehicle. However, in recent years it has also become a status and lifestyle icon. There is a vast selection of pickup trucks out there that are incredibly luxurious. In fact, they are so luxurious that they can sometimes put to shame luxury SUVs or Sedans from premium brands like BMW and Mercedes.
The truck is no longer just a workhorse. It is being viewed differently as people seem to like the idea of a great interior and exterior design paired with powerful engines, capable drivetrain, a tough and safe construction and the convivence and utility offered by a bed.
So, this left us wondering. Is it time for a premium manufacturer like Mercedes to dip their tows in the full-size luxury truck market? Let’s have a look.
What The Luxury Truck Market Looks Like Right Now
The full-sized truck market is slowly filling up with luxurious options. On one side of the trim level spectrum, we have the bare-bones work truck, and on the other the full-on luxury hauler. Some of the most famous models within this category include the F-150 King Ranch, the GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate, and the Toyota Tundra Capstone.
These trucks offer some incredible features that a few years ago would have been unheard of on a truck. These features include additions such as power running boards, air suspension, leather seats, huge screens with great infotainment systems, upgraded sound systems, large wheels, electric memory seats that are both heated and cooled, and many other extras both inside and out. Manufacturers are going above and beyond when it comes to what these trucks can offer.
Mercedes Has already Produced A luxury Pickup Truck
You may recall that a few years ago a Mercedes pickup was on sale. It was named the X-Class and was based on the Nissan Navara. Sadly didn’t sell in good numbers which led to Mercedes discontinuing it. However, it must be said that Mercedes did a good job with it.
The truck was based on the Navara but Mercedes engineers made plenty of changes to the donor vehicle. From the outside, most panels were different which made the truck look distinctively Mercedes. The track was wider and the bed slightly longer. Also, the chassis had been strengthened to accommodate a large Mercedes V6 engine, and most impressively, the rear axle was converted to disc brakes and coil springs rather than leaf springs and drum brakes.
The changes, however, didn’t stop there. Inside, the X-Class was even more impressive. The steering wheel was sourced from the GLS and the gauge cluster from the C-Class. The pickup also featured Mercede’s own infotainment screen and the whole dashboard was retrimmed and redesigned by Mercedes using mostly leather and wood. A lot of effort had been put into this truck. But why did it fail?
Well, the Mercedes X-Class was introduced before the luxury pickup took off which certainly made it less desirable. However, its biggest issue was the market it was sold in. The X-Class wasn’t available in the U.S. which is the only market to sell luxury pickups in. Europe has not to joined the pickup game yet as trucks there are still being used mainly for commercial purposes and aren’t viewed as desirable vehicles for daily use. This meant that Mercedes was offering a more expensive and luxurious truck to a market that didn’t need or want it.
If Mercedes Ever Sells A Luxury Truck Again It Should Be A Full-Sized One
If Mercedes ever gets back into the luxury pickup game, their approach will need to be a little different. First and foremost, they should produce a full-sized truck that will solely be available to the American market. As mentioned previously, the U.S. market is the only market to sell such a truck in and the full-sized segment provides more lee-way when it comes to pricing and features.
Speaking of features, what should a full-sized luxury Mercedes truck offer? Firstly, we believe that this must be a Mercedes from the ground up as people didn’t like the idea of a Mercedes being based on a Nissan. This will also provide Mercedes designers with the complete freedom to design a truck from the ground up that will take Mercedes design ques and implement them in all aspects of the truck.
When it comes to drivetrains, the American market prefers petrol engines and Mercedes certainly has a few of them. We believe that this luxury pickup should offer some of the brand's big V8s that can also be found on the G-Wagen. This would give the power needed for luxurious performance but also for towing and hauling. This will be a full-sized truck so numbers should sit around 10,000 pounds for towing and 3000 for payload.
The Interior can also feature a similar design to the G-Class with its upright dashboard, beautifully trimmed leather seats, great infotainment system, and boxy feel. In fact, the vast majority of the truck could be based on the legendary G-Wagon with the difference of a longer and stronger base that fits the full-sized market.
Mercedes Has The Knowledge To Produce Such A Truck, But Does It Make Sense To Do So?
There is a high possibility that a Mercedes Pickup could easily dominate the luxury truck world. Mercedes is one of the pioneers when it comes to luxury vehicles, and we are sure they would come up with a pickup truck that takes everything to a new level. However, we aren’t sure if people would buy a Mercedes truck in the U.S. You see, the truck is mainly aimed at lovers of nature and the outdoors, and these people tend to be uninterested in brands like Mercedes. So, the truck itself might be great, but its badge might put buyers off.
On the other hand, we have the possibility of it being an instant hit and becoming famous amongst celebrities and rich streets. Just like the G-Wagen is. However, to achieve this we believe that it won’t just need to share the underpinning of the G-Wagen but also the looks. Perhaps a slightly longer G-Wagen with a bed is the answer here. Yes, that would look amazing!