Stuttgart - Will the Mercedes-Benz X-Class live to see another generation?
The future of this premium one-tonne bakkie appears to be hanging in the balance after the company’s new boss CEO Ola Källenius reportedly told German publication
that Mercedes was set to cut its ties with Nissan. This was because most of the joint projects that exist between the two companies are “in the red”.
This won’t be the only casualty of a split-up between Mercedes and Renault-Nissan as the companies also share a 1.3-litre turbopetrol engine that goes into the A-Class and other C-segment vehicles across the Alliance, as well as a 1.5-litre diesel for that matter. The carmakers also collaborate on commercial vehicles in Europe.
While the split will mean that Mercedes can’t piggyback on the next-generation Nissan Navara for a second generation X-Class, it remains to be seen whether Mercedes would go it alone on a new bakkie or call it quits. According to Australian website
, Mercedes-Benz is disappointed with X-Class sales in Australia and other regions.
Or would Mercedes partner up with another manufacturer? That remains to be seen, however it seems more than likely that the first-generation X-Class will continue in its current form at least until the end of the present-generation Navara’s life cycle, which still gives it a few more years.