Topic: Mercedes-Benz plays up pickup plan

[Autos_Editor]

Mercedes-Benz unveils pickup pitch
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[Noto]

We can’t speak to what a Benz truck would mean to buyers in those parts of the world, but it’s probably good the company isn’t planning to bring a pickup to North America: Lincoln and Cadillac have tried, and failed, to make upscale pickups a thing,
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A thousand kilos is a fair bit more than what Chevy’s mid-size Colorado can carry, whose payload is rated at a maximum of 721 kg. Not that it makes sense to compare this hypothetical Benz to a Chevrolet: even if Mercedes does bring a truck here, it would compete in a completely different sandbox from anything else we can buy with a pickup bed.

I think this is the problem...it's not a different sandbox at all.  If you're building a giant truck, the buyers are likely using it as a work vehicle - and the $$$$ luxury truck market is simply too expensive for that kind of use/abuse.  While pricing and 'luxury' appointments may seem like it'd be a different sandbox, I would wager that size matters more than anything else when someone looks to purchase a truck.  The Lincoln and Caddy trucks failed because they were just tarted-up versions of the trucklets they were based upon (which weren't horribly 'un-luxurious', and the price premium was absurd for what you got.

[OliverD]

I'm confused. Why are we assuming this would be a luxury truck?

Is a Sprinter  cargo van a "luxury van"? Not really - it competes with the Dodge and Ford commercial vans.

Also, I highly doubt this will be a giant truck.

[Noto]

Also, I highly doubt this will be a giant truck.

Let me reiterate my point:
I don't think this WILL be a big truck - my point was that truck sales are driven (in my understanding, at least) by utility.  A smaller truck may be limited by its inherent utility, and a larger truck will be limited by the astronomical purchase price for something that is likely to be used and abused.

[dkaz]

Think of the project managers!

[blotter]

The Lincoln and Caddy trucks failed because ..... the price premium was absurd for what you got.

they sold, but not enough to make it worth making.
the only people getting these trucks (and the MB if it happened) would be people that want to say "look at me" but still want the imagine of owning a truck.

only thing is I can't picture anyone wanting an MB truck.
why...  I've never a single person anywhere say "I wish MB made a truck"

would it sell?   I'm sure a few people would buy just to hear people say "a MB truck... ?  whoa"


while many have been "trucks are for work" - I have nothing wrong with a loaded truck.
I see nothing wrong with someone who feels they need a truck but still have the features of a loaded sedan.
however you can buy some pretty well loaded trucks.... Lincoln and Cadillac trucks were simply all about some kind of status thing. 

[Fobroader]

The Lincoln and Caddy trucks failed because ..... the price premium was absurd for what you got.

they sold, but not enough to make it worth making.
the only people getting these trucks (and the MB if it happened) would be people that want to say "look at me" but still want the imagine of owning a truck.

only thing is I can't picture anyone wanting an MB truck.
why...  I've never a single person anywhere say "I wish MB made a truck"

would it sell?   I'm sure a few people would buy just to hear people say "a MB truck... ?  whoa"


while many have been "trucks are for work" - I have nothing wrong with a loaded truck.
I see nothing wrong with someone who feels they need a truck but still have the features of a loaded sedan.
however you can buy some pretty well loaded trucks.... Lincoln and Cadillac trucks were simply all about some kind of status thing.

Yeah but a Denali or King Ranch one ton is still one hell of a capable truck....this thing will be a poseur mobile and I honestly do not think they will sell a lot.

[OliverD]

Yeah but a Denali or King Ranch one ton is still one hell of a capable truck....this thing will be a poseur mobile and I honestly do not think they will sell a lot.

Why do you say that? This is being built and sold by Mercedes' commercial division. Is the Sprinter a poseur mobile too?

[Fobroader]

Yeah but a Denali or King Ranch one ton is still one hell of a capable truck....this thing will be a poseur mobile and I honestly do not think they will sell a lot.

Why do you say that? This is being built and sold by Mercedes' commercial division. Is the Sprinter a poseur mobile too?

Look at the picture of it.....it looks like a Ridgeline.

[OliverD]

Yeah but a Denali or King Ranch one ton is still one hell of a capable truck....this thing will be a poseur mobile and I honestly do not think they will sell a lot.

Why do you say that? This is being built and sold by Mercedes' commercial division. Is the Sprinter a poseur mobile too?

Look at the picture of it.....it looks like a Ridgeline.

So you can tell it's a poseur mobile by looking at a rendering? Ok.

[Fobroader]

Yeah but a Denali or King Ranch one ton is still one hell of a capable truck....this thing will be a poseur mobile and I honestly do not think they will sell a lot.

Why do you say that? This is being built and sold by Mercedes' commercial division. Is the Sprinter a poseur mobile too?

Look at the picture of it.....it looks like a Ridgeline.

So you can tell it's a poseur mobile by looking at a rendering? Ok.

Do you honestly think they are going after the big boys?? If they make something as remotely capable as a Tacoma I would be highly surprised.

[OliverD]

Do you honestly think they are going after the big boys?? If they make something as remotely capable as a Tacoma I would be highly surprised.

What do you mean by big boys? They aren't targeting North America, so they're targeting trucks like the Hilux and Ranger. Why wouldn't this truck be at least as capable in terms of hauling/towing as those?

[Northernridge]

The only thing that makes sense to me is that Mercedes is not looking at the North American market with anything that resembles that sketch. Other parts of the world have a different view of what a pickup should be than Texas North America.

[Fobroader]

Do you honestly think they are going after the big boys?? If they make something as remotely capable as a Tacoma I would be highly surprised.

What do you mean by big boys? They aren't targeting North America, so they're targeting trucks like the Hilux and Ranger. Why wouldn't this truck be at least as capable in terms of hauling/towing as those?

Ram/F-series/Sierra.......besides, the Hilux, Ranger, L200 have a long standing history of being highly reliable and capable trucks, I doubt this new comer will make a dent in the market

[dkaz]

This concept looks like the Tundra concept almost 10 years ago.

And Mercedes Benz makes the G-Wagon, one of the most sought after off road vehicles.

[Fobroader]

This concept looks like the Tundra concept almost 10 years ago.

And Mercedes Benz makes the G-Wagon, one of the most sought after off road vehicles.

Yeah, and they also make the Unimog.....whats that got to do with anything??

[micha]

Do you honestly think they are going after the big boys?? If they make something as remotely capable as a Tacoma I would be highly surprised.

What do you mean by big boys? They aren't targeting North America, so they're targeting trucks like the Hilux and Ranger. Why wouldn't this truck be at least as capable in terms of hauling/towing as those?

Ram/F-series/Sierra.......besides, the Hilux, Ranger, L200 have a long standing history of being highly reliable and capable trucks, I doubt this new comer will make a dent in the market

I think it will be more like a MB version of the Amarok. It will not be sold in NA at all. The Hilux, L200 etc. are mostly used as work trucks. Most people (in Europe) don't need that capability. This truck will be plenty capable for personal use and be more refined (NVH, handling..)

[dkaz]

They could build a pickup truck too?

I'm sure Toyota's first pickup trucks were mocked at.

[PJungnitsch]

Mercedes for a long time was a commercial truck maker that happened to produce cars on the side.



They still have the world's largest heavy truck plant.

https://roadstars.mercedes-benz.com/en_GB/magazine/transport/04-2013/truck-production-in-the-woerth-factory.html

Don't think they'll have too much trouble designing a pickup.

All depends how much they really want to.

[blotter]

The Lincoln and Caddy trucks failed because ..... the price premium was absurd for what you got.

they sold, but not enough to make it worth making.
the only people getting these trucks (and the MB if it happened) would be people that want to say "look at me" but still want the imagine of owning a truck.

only thing is I can't picture anyone wanting an MB truck.
why...  I've never a single person anywhere say "I wish MB made a truck"

would it sell?   I'm sure a few people would buy just to hear people say "a MB truck... ?  whoa"


while many have been "trucks are for work" - I have nothing wrong with a loaded truck.
I see nothing wrong with someone who feels they need a truck but still have the features of a loaded sedan.
however you can buy some pretty well loaded trucks.... Lincoln and Cadillac trucks were simply all about some kind of status thing.

Yeah but a Denali or King Ranch one ton is still one hell of a capable truck....this thing will be a poseur mobile and I honestly do not think they will sell a lot.

that's my point... GM's Denali and Ford's King Ranch are lux pick-ups along with being "real"

why buy a Cadillac, Lincoln or MB truck for much more money when you can get a Denali or King Ranch?
well because the Cadillac and Lincoln where attention seekers.



---

even with Merc's commercial trucks and G-Wagon...
those are totally different animals....   I still can't see who would buy this pick-up. 
granted it's not for NA....   but even if they made a Tacoma competitors, looks and all, throw all the MB lux add the badge and $30K to the price.... who's gonna buy that?