Mercedes-Benz X-Class Won’t Spawn AMG Variant: Report

If you were hoping the upcoming Mercedes X-Class would serve as a replacement for your aging G63, don’t hold your breath. According to a report from Motoring, Mercedes-AMG has no plans for an AMG-ified variant of the upcoming X-Class pickup truck.

Speaking with Motoring at the 2016 Los Angeles auto show, AMG head honcho Tobias Moers confirmed the brand isn’t looking to beef-up the X-Class for any high-performance variants. Moers claimed there wouldn’t be enough interest in the model to justify the development costs, and might not fit in with the rest of the AMG lineup.

Mercedes also didn’t have a huge hand in the X-Class’ development, either. Underneath the familiar Benz schnoz, the mechanical running gear, chassis, and structure come from the Nissan Navara. Buyers who want the most power possible from the truck will have to settle for the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 engine. In most markets, the 3.0-liter makes 255 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque.

For U.S. buyers, this news doesn’t sting as much as it might around the rest of the world. According to previous reports, the German automaker doesn’t have any established plans to bring the X-Class stateside.

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from Motor Trend http://ift.tt/2eT7u8s