Mercedes Benz is due to enter the mid-size pick-up fray, with a new one-tonner the product of extensive local US input.
The ultra-competitive mid-size pick-up market is set to expand, with Mercedes-Benz announcing it is currently developing a new model to challenge the worlds established players.
While rumours of a pick-up bearing the three-pointed star have been circulating for several years, Mercedes-Benz has now provided official confirmation of the vehicle's existence, and says it will debut before the end of the decade.
The model is already benefiting from extensive local input, with Mercedes-Benz in both Australia and New Zealand playing key roles in the model's development. Mercedes-Benz has given no indication at this stage of the new pick-up's likely engine or driveline.
Mercedes-Benz says it is targeting Latin America, South Africa,
Australia, New Zealand and Europe with its new pick-up. Its mention of Latin America ahead of all others could hint at where the model is likely to be produced – the region is a growth market for pick-ups and the manufacturer has a history of building commercial vehicles outside of Germany (Spain for its Vito van, for example).
Curiously, Mercedes-Benz makes no mention of Asia in its list of intended markets, despite Thailand being the world's biggest for one-tonne utes.
The Middle East is another notable omission. Toyota's HiLux has a tight grip on Middle Eastern markets, although here the prestige of the three-pointed star could well sway significant numbers of pick-up buyers.
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