Mercedes-Benz pick-up rendered, to be sold in the US?

No doubt everyone remembers the big news in March – that Mercedes-Benz was venturing into the world of pick-up trucks by introducing a mid-size one-tonne hauler within the end of the decade. Now master manipulator Theophilus Chin has whipped up his Photoshop brushes to envision what the three-pointed workhorse would look like.

His ideation of the Mercedes pick-up stays rather true to the official sketch, with characteristic C-shaped twin-projector headlights flanking a large, protruding grille. Below this sits a broad lower air intake and a sizeable skid plate. The imaginary truck sits on large eight-lug wheels, as is customary for this segment.

Set to take on established players like the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok, the new model will be sold in big pick-up markets like Australia, South Africa and Latin America, as well as in Europe. A US introduction for the truck hasn’t been ruled out yet, either, but a decision won’t be set in stone until the end of the year.

Initial details include a lineup of four- and six-cylinder engines, as well as a wide range of configurations to cater for both personal and commercial use. As announced last week, the pick-up will be based on the Nissan NP300 Navara as part of an expansion of the strategic cooperation between Daimler AG and the Renault-Nissan Alliance, although Mercedes’ version will be engineered to meet the specific needs of its customers.

All one-tonne pick-ups in the venture – the Mercedes truck, the NP300 Navara and Renault’s first offering – will be built in Nissan’s Spanish plant in Barcelona and in Renault’s plant in Cordoba, Argentina (Nissan’s third plant in Samut Prakan, Thailand, won’t be building the other two).

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