Farming Monthly National August 2017 | Page 54

| Motors Pickup meets lifestyle – the Mercedes-Benz X-Class The first pickup from a premium manufacturer. s well as bringing the progressive design of the acclaimed Concept X-CLASS largely unchanged to standard production, the new Mercedes-Benz X-Class is uniquely versatile in terms of its area of application – it can be used as a rugged, all-terrain pickup but also as a vehicle for urban lifestyles and families. The X-Class pushes the boundaries of the classic pickup. It complements the prized strengths of a mid-size pickup with the typical Mercedes-Benz characteristics of driving dynamics, comfort, design, safety, connectivity and an extensive scope for individualisation. With this Mercedes-Benz meets the changing customer requirements and opens up the segment to new customer groups. There are three design and equipment variants to choose from as well as four or six- cylinder engines, rear-wheel drive A and engageable or permanent all- wheel drive, a six-speed manual transmission and a seven-speed automatic transmission. In addition there are six different seat covers, including two leather variants, three sets of cockpit trim parts and a diverse range of accessories developed by Mercedes-Benz. These allow the X-Class to be modified to suit personal tastes and requirements like no other pickup, both visually and in terms of functionality. The market launch in Europe is scheduled for November 2017. At the beginning of 2018 South Africa, Australia and New Zealand will follow, beginning of 2019 Argentina and Brazil. The Mercedes-Benz X-Class has been developed with the changing requirements of the international pickup markets in mind. The demand for mid-size pickups with typical passenger car characteristics and comfort features has been steadily on the rise for years. At the same time, 54 | Farming Monthly | August 2017 the number of pickups for private use is increasing. They are no longer viewed purely as workhorses. As the first premium manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz is taking these changes into account – based on its comprehensive experience and competence in developing commercial and off- road vehicles, such as the Unimog and the G-Class for tough operation, vehicles which are equally suitable for work or leisure, such as the V-Class and Vito, and passenger cars that uniquely stand for modern luxury and driving pleasure around the world. The X-Class is aimed at very different customer groups: land owners and farmers in Argentina, business owners and building contractors in Australia, families with an affinity for premium products in Brazil, trend-conscious individualists in South Africa and Great Britain as well as sporty adventurers in New Zealand and Germany. The Mercedes-Benz pickup is attractively priced in the segment and is available in Germany from 37,294 Euro (incl. 19 percent VAT). Further market-specific prices will be made known successively. www.farmingmonthly.co.uk