Armstrong Motor Group Presents the All New Mercedes-Benz X-Class

Mercedes has revealed pictures of its new X-Class pickup, surely the classiest addition to the genre from the premium German manufacturer. While Volkswagen has its Amarok, the X-Class beats rivals Audi and BMW in the race to sell cars that cover every possible niche on the market.

A Mercedes pickup may seem strange, but it somehow works. While the new truck does promise to be utilitarian enough to get work done, Mercedes has said that it is clearly positioning the vehicle as a luxury offering. The X-Class features a number of car-like firsts that you won't yet find on similar models, such as smartphone connectivity. You can keep track of where your truck is, check on the fuel levels and seamlessly navigate from door to door. Good times.

The X-Class takes styling cues from the GLS SUV at the front end, and at 5.3m long is able to offer a five-seat cabin as well as a hefty load bay, which is 1.6m long and has a maximum load rating of 1,042kg. Mercedes says that it will carry 17 full 50-litre barrels of beer and that it can tow a trailer containing three horses or an eight-metre yacht.

The interior of the X-Class is familiar from other models in the range – the instrument panel is carried over from other parts of the range, and the floating tablet-style 8.4-inch display will be well known to A-Class drivers. That's as well as a 5.4-inch screen that sits between the instrument dials.

Electrically adjustable seats with lumbar support and room in the back for three people make the X-Class fairly desirable as family accommodation, not just as a day-to-day industrial workhorse. The cabin has numerous colour and accessory options available for personalisation should you really want to make the X-Class interior feel like home – there are six different seat covers and three sets of cockpit trim parts. There are three different specification levels – Pure, Progressive and Power – each aimed at emphasising a different side of the X-Class's character.

There are tech features pulled over from other areas of the Mercedes range too – the X gets Lane Keeping Assist and Active Brake Assist on the options list. From the outset, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class will be available with 220d and 250d diesel engines, which use the same 2.3-litre Diesel engine with single and twin-turbochargers respectively to produce 165hp and 190hp. Both diesels are available with rear-wheel drive or engageable all-wheel drive.

Armstrong Motor Group owns and operates Mercedes-Benz Botany New Zealand’s newest Mercedes-Benz dealership and the award winning Armstrong Prestige Christchurch a Mercedes-Benz retailer.

For more information on cars for sale NZ, Chrysler dealers and European car parts go to www.armstrongmotorgroup.com/