After rumors and speculation, Mercedes-Benz finally dived into the pickup truck segment with the X-Class in 2017. Sure, Merc's utility vehicle is mostly a rebodied Nissan Navarra, but it's a welcomed addition to a compact segment that lacked the premium appointments of a Mercedes vehicle. Unfortunately, the X-Class didn't get the green light for North America, where it would have provided solid competition for the popular Chevrolet Colorado and the newly launched Ford Ranger. Not all hope is lost though, as Mercedes has been spotted testing a new version of the X-Class with a longer bed. If recent rumors are accurate, this model will cross the pond to the U.S.

Although the vehicle is covered in swirly wrap front to rear, it's pretty obvious that the exterior design is identical to the X-Class that's already in showrooms, with the longer bed being the only feature that's different here. Yes, putting camouflage on a vehicle that's 95 percent identical to an existing model is pretty much pointless, but Mercedes probably wants to keep the hype going.

While the bed is obviously longer than the standard X-Class, there are no specific figures to run by. However, we do know that the Nissan Navara, on which the X-Class is based, has an option for a 70.3-inch (1,788-mm) long bed, so it's safe to assume that the German truck could get the same dimensions. If this proves to be true, the upcoming model will have an extra 7.9 inches (201 mm).

The longer bed will bring no changes under the hood, so this truck will also get the 2.3-liter four-cylinder diesel that Mercedes borrows from Nissan. The mill is currently available in two power options rated at 163 and 190 horsepower. A third, more powerful option is set to arrive soon. A 3.0-liter V-6 is also available, this time around with 258 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. The latter mates to a seven-speed automatic transmission and the company's 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. Should the long bed version come to the U.S., it will most likely be offered in a dual cab configuration and with the V-6 oil burner.

We should find out more about that later this year, so make sure you stick around for updates.

References

Mercedes X-Class

Read our full review on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz X-Class.

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