( A merc pickup? )
Mercedes-Benz has become somewhat of a master in the art of identifying emerging markets and adjusting its lineup accordingly-look no further than the addition of such models as the A-, B- and M-Class to the traditional C-, E- and S-Class portfolio.
Add the emergence of the CLK, SLK, CLS and SLR in recent years and you begin to appreciate how far the folks in Stuttgart have gone in diversifying a range that a mere decade or so ago included just six model lines. The rate of growth has been staggering, with worldwide sales rocketing to more than 1 million annually as a result.
Mercedes isn't done yet-signs are its new model expansion is just beginning. The biggest leap? That would be the automaker's plans to produce a full-blown pickup truck.
Reports out of Germany suggest Mercedes is considering spinning a large, double-cab pickup off the upcoming G-Class (AW, April 11). We know this may sound ludicrous, but Cadillac has proven with the Escalade EXT that the demand for such a vehicle exists, even if it is limited to the North American market and is fairly small by comparison to other emerging segments. The Mercedes-Benz R-Class goes on sale in the fall.
The idea, according to our traditionally well-informed sources, is to combine the cargo and hauling capabilities of a full-size, short-bed pickup truck with the luxurious inte-rior appointments and general sophistication of a high-end Mercedes-Benz sport/utility vehicle. Is there a higher-end SUV than the coming next-generation G-Wagen?
Among the engines under consideration for the Mercedes' pickup are a range of new four-valve V8s, including a 330-hp 4.6-liter and a 388-hp
5.5-liter, both channeling drive permanently to four wheels via Stuttgart's seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic transmission.
Also a possibility is the new 6.3-liter V8 that is under development at AMG as a replacement for today's supercharged 5.4-liter V8. The new powerplant is rumored to produce 504 hp in production trim, trumping the Escalade's 6.0-liter V8 by a country mile.
What else does Mercedes have up its sleeve? At the recent New York auto show the company showed the production R-Class that goes on sale this fall. Based on the same four-wheel-drive underpinnings as the second-generation M-Class and the next G-Class (they will be built side-by-side-by-side with the pickup at the Mercedes plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama), this six-seat luxury sportwagon is a clear reaction to a trend in which buyers are abandoning traditional high-end sedans for roomier luxury SUV offerings and, if our sources are right, luxury Mercedes pickups.
.