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Automotive DNA - Benz Test Bed: Mercedes ponders a move into the truck biz

GREG KABLE
Published Date: 5/9/05

Mercedes-Benz has become somewhat of a master in the art of identifying emerging markets and adjusting its lineup accordingly—look no further than the addition of such models as the A-, B- and M-Class to the traditional C-, E- and S-Class portfolio.

Add the emergence of the CLK, SLK, CLS and SLR in recent years and you begin to appreciate how far the folks in Stuttgart have gone in diversifying a range that a mere decade or so ago included just six model lines. The rate of growth has been staggering, with worldwide sales rocketing to more than 1 million annually as a result.

Mercedes isn’t done yet—signs are its new model expansion is just beginning. The biggest leap? That would be the automaker’s plans to produce a full-blown pickup truck.

Reports out of Germany suggest Mercedes is considering spinning a large, double-cab pickup off the upcoming G-Class (AW, April 11). We know this may sound ludicrous, but Cadillac has proven with the Escalade EXT that the demand for such a vehicle exists, even if it is limited to the North American market and is fairly small by comparison to other emerging segments.


The Mercedes-Benz R-Class goes on sale in the fall.

The idea, according to our traditionally well-informed sources, is to combine the cargo and hauling capabilities of a full-size, short-bed pickup truck with the luxurious inte-rior appointments and general sophistication of a high-end Mercedes-Benz sport/utility vehicle. Is there a higher-end SUV than the coming next-generation G-Wagen?

Among the engines under consideration for the Mercedes’ pickup are a range of new four-valve V8s, including a 330-hp 4.6-liter and a 388-hp 5.5-liter, both channeling drive permanently to four wheels via Stuttgart’s seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic transmission.

Also a possibility is the new 6.3-liter V8 that is under development at AMG as a replacement for today’s supercharged 5.4-liter V8. The new powerplant is rumored to produce 504 hp in production trim, trumping the Escalade’s 6.0-liter V8 by a country mile.

What else does Mercedes have up its sleeve? At the recent New York auto show the company showed the production R-Class that goes on sale this fall. Based on the same four-wheel-drive underpinnings as the second-generation M-Class and the next G-Class (they will be built side-by-side-by-side with the pickup at the Mercedes plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama), this six-seat luxury sportwagon is a clear reaction to a trend in which buyers are abandoning traditional high-end sedans for roomier luxury SUV offerings and, if our sources are right, luxury Mercedes pickups.

source : autoweek

Milla...

Ugly ugly ugly. Monkey see Monkey do. I guess thats how it works when theirs money to be made in a particular segment.

BlkGS3

wtf?! Oh hell no they are not thinking about doing that. Last time i checked MB is supposed to be a Luxury company. I guess they have too much money and feel the need to lose some of it on a bad desicion.

mmarshall

I read this article in the paper copy of AUTOWEEK yesterday afternoon but they had not put it on the website yet.....I was going to post it myself. Apparantly today they HAVE.

Since much of this truck's platform and mechanicals are going to come from the G-Wagen (one of the toughest SUV's on the planet) it should be able to do some pretty heavy-duty stuff, unlike the Honda Ridgeline. Also, let's hope THIS time M-B gets the electronics right......a pickup driver going off-road cannot afford a breakdown far from civilization.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

hahaa so what, that's a m class with a open trunk?

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

First Avalanche/EXT, H2 sut, honda, now MB?
Then BMW, Porsche............

XeroK00L

Well, the three-pointed star has long been seen on commercial trucks and buses anyway (in other parts of the world). They might as well go all the way.

LexFather

The Esclade does well b/c it represents what Caddy is to most people still, BIG and IN your face. The QX56 is a bigger SUV and sales pale in comparison. A Benz truck would be silly for the company, they don't need it.

Quite frankly if those idiots would just get the damn quality right, Benz would sell #1 year after year worldwide even with the cars costing more than the competiton. I am sure it would convince many Japanese luxury car owners to buy Benz if they got the quality together.

Instead, they continue to ignore it and build more cars/SUVs.....

Richie

Sounds like a bad idea to me.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yeah definitely. to be honest i have never liked the suv idea from porsche, regardless of how good that car might be or now many people buy it. and now mb entering the truck..... so they are saying that "yes toyota, we need to make a truck to compete with you"? (ok, that's just a joke, but you get the idea)

nthach

Shoot, it could be based off the Dodge Ram 2500 chassis, minus the Hemi... G-Wagen based might be too expensive.

jet864

Fear not guys, it'll have 500+hp!

Honestly, I think it will be the non car saavy buyers blinded by their strange devotion to a given car line that will buy this. My mom (complete lover of "the star") tried to get my dad to sell our 454 2500 Suburban and get the R class as our utility vehicle to haul stuff including our jet ski. Needless to say, I came in and shut that down. I could totally see her an my mom, Benz lovers with a high disposable income, wanting to add another commodified vehicle to the line up in order to fill any gaps, no matter how unnecessary or just plain ridiculous.

James

Incendiary

The R-class is worthwhile. I've been saying for a little bit now that the last frontier, other than more and more crossovers of different kinds, for the luxury car companies is a luxury pickup. Even if this is a joke, it'll happen eventually.

jet864

But if it does happen do you think it's the right move? Some companies can make anything and it'll sell, but do you think that a MB/BMW/Lexus pickup is the right thing for a car company to do? Unless money money money is everything.

James

Incendiary

I don't think a luxury SUV was ever a good idea. I don't see why luxury pickup trucks are so terrible. If anything, they have more utility than an SUV. SUV's, as they are used by most of the consumer base, are just minivans with a more "rugged" image. That's why I like the R-class and upcoming BMW V-series. I've also been saying that a luxury minivan makes more sense, and though neither of the Teutonic Duo will admit it outright, that's exactly what they are.

Death to SUVs.