Did you ever imagine there would come a day for Mercedes-Benz to put its three-pointed star on a pickup truck? For the sake of the argument, let’s leave the Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6 out of this, because that vehicle isn’t exactly a typical pickup truck.
Apparently, Mercedes-Benz Vans is serious about launching the world’s first premium midsize pickup truck before the end of the decade. Aimed at markets like Latin America, South Africa, Australia, and Europe, theMercedes-Benz pickup is seen by Volker Mornhinweg, the head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, as “an ideal vehicle for the international expansion of our product range with a newly developed model.”
“The Mercedes-Benz pickup will contribute nicely to our global growth targets. We will enter this segment with our distinctive brand identity and all of the vehicle attributes that are typical of the brand with regard to safety, comfort, powertrains, and value,” adds Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Division.
Mercedes-Benz points out that the midsize pickup segment is currently undergoing a transformation worldwide, with more and more pickups being used for private purposes. Furthermore, commercial as well as private users are increasingly asking for vehicles that have car-like specifications.
This is where the Mercedes-Benz will come into play as the first midsize pickup truck from a premium carmaker. There’s no other information about the vehicle, except that it will offer a high level of utility as well as “the comfort, safety, and design of a Mercedes-Benz passenger car.” The official rendering released along with the information offers a clear idea about how the Mercedes-Benz pickup could look like.
The story seems pretty real to us, but considering April Fools’ Day is just around the corner, it’s difficult not to suspect Mercedes-Benz of trying to trick us.
Note: Official Mercedes-Benz Vans sketch pictured
Ford has lifted the veils off its facelifted Ranger pickup, which has received a new front end, refreshed interior, upgraded engines and new technologies.
Available in 180 markets worldwide (not the United States, though), the facelifted Ford Ranger’s new look face is now similar to that of the Everest SUV, featuring sleeker headlights, a larger trapezoidal grille and a more muscular hood than before.
Ford says the interior has also been made more car-like, with upgrades including an 8-inch touchscreen and a new dual-TFT instrument cluster behind the steering wheel which displays information about the vehicle.
Moving on to the mechanical stuff, Ford has fine-tuned the Ranger’s suspension for additional comfort and better handling, while also adding an electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) system, which is said to make steering more accurate at higher speeds as well as light for low-speed maneuvers. EPAS does not need a power steering pump, which results in a quieter vehicle and improves fuel efficiency by about three percent.
As for the engines, the Ranger features an updated lineup of four units mated to either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. There are three diesels, spearheaded by the 3.2-liter Duratorq five-cylinder TDCi which gets an updated exhaust gas recirculation system help to boost fuel efficiency by up to 18 percent. The engine produces 197hp (200PS) and 470Nm (347lb-ft) of torque.
There’s also the latest generation of Ford’s 2.2-liter Duratorq four-cylinder TDCi which is offered in two states of tune, depending on the market: 129hp (130PS) and 158hp (160PS). The former variant is 22 percent more economical than before. Finally, the Ranger is also offered with a 2.5-liter Duratec petrol engine rated at 164hp (166PS) and 225Nm (166lb-ft) of torque.
Standard and available technologies include Sync 2 (the latest generation of Ford’s in-car connectivity system), Lane Keeping Alert and Lane Keeping Aid, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Alert, Front and Rear Park Assist, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Electronic Stability Program and more.
The facelifted Ford Ranger will continue to be produced in Thailand for Asia Pacific markets, South Africa for African and European markets and Argentina for Latin American markets.
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