Mercedes Defends Partnering With Nissan On New X-Class - Who Would You Have Chosen?

Mercedes-Benz has hit out at critics calling its X-Class nothing more than a re-badged Nissan Navara saying automakers must use economics of scale when building light commercial vehicles.

In an interview with Motoring at the international debut of the X-Class in Cape Town, South Africa, Mercedes-Benz Vans global head Volker Mornhinweg said the automaker won't be able to achieve the number of sales it does with its passenger cars with the X-Class. Consequently, partnering with the Renault-Nissan Alliance was a necessity.

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MDarringer - 7/20/2017 8:37:52 AM

+1 Boost

Obviously the Tacoma/Hilux is taken.

Mercedes could have cozied up to GM because the Canyon/Colorado is a rather competent product. Supposedly, the Ford Ranger is competent as well.

Mitsubishi? Don't make me laugh.

VW Amarok? Probably a good fit, but I don't see VW giving something to Mercedes that Audi could use.

The Navara is a junk pile for quality. When a vehicle can collapse in the middle due to rust, that's horrific. Additionally, the innards of the Navara are ancient.

They could have even approached Ram. Granted that would have resulted in a much larger vehicle, but going with the Nissan is like cheating on your math test off of the kid who is failing the class.

jerseycat1010 - 7/20/2017 9:06:17 AM

+1 Boost

"Canyon/Colorado is a rather competent product"

LOL

MDarringer - 7/20/2017 10:02:49 AM

0 Boost

@jerseymoron1010 The GM pickups easily equal the class leader (Tacoma).

MDarringer - 7/20/2017 1:53:35 PM

-3 Boost

Rebadged Isuzu-ish. Some rather intensive changes were made to make them of sufficient quality and refinement to battle the Tacoma.

Firewombat - 7/20/2017 11:25:29 AM

+1 Boost

I suppose it made sense for them to do so because they already have agreements and partnerships in place with Renault/Nissan and they're saying that this won't sell as well as their other models. It's similar to the BMW / Toyota partnership for the next Supra / Z4. Both MB and BMW don't have the benefits of being sub-brands in a larger group of companies and they'll keep finding ways to save costs on models that are not going to be higher volume products. You do have to wonder about reliability in this case though, Renault/Nissan don't exactly have a stellar reputation for that and they are selling base models here that will supposedly be marketed as "workhorses".

carsnyc - 7/20/2017 1:27:52 PM

+4 Boost

A sign that I am getting old is that this move from Mercedes is going to be hard for me to digest. I wonder what Bruno Sacco and earlier designers are thinking right now

skytop - 7/20/2017 3:58:08 PM

+2 Boost

Has Mercedes lost its mind? Why didn't they join with Hyundai or Honda who knows how to build and market cars successfully. Nissan has been a dismal failure in selling trucks.

jameswisrik - 7/20/2017 4:09:51 PM

+3 Boost

"Canyon/Colorado is a rather competent product"

LOL
LMAO....POS GM death traps. But Benz is just an expensive POS.

but there are Benzies suckers born every minute.

vdiv - 7/20/2017 8:06:52 PM

+3 Boost

Why not develop their own? They have a developed commercial vehicle program, they have the G-Waggon, they have more engines than anyone.