Mercedes-Benz has confirmed long-running rumours that it will ditch the slow-selling X-Class, which has been in production for only two years.
"It has been decided that from the end of May 2020, we will no longer produce this relatively young model," Mercedes said in a statement.
Customers weren’t prepared to pay a premium price for the double-cab bakkie, which is based on a Nissan Navara. Sales of the X-Class in 2018, its first full year on the market, were just 16,700 in Europe, Australia and SA, the only three countries where it is sold. Only 973 X-Class units were sold in SA last year.
A spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz Vans SA told TimesLive: “In our global product portfolio, the X-Class is a niche product which plays a great role in a few markets, including Australia and South Africa.
“Already in the first quarter of 2019, we decided the X-Class would not be built in Argentina as planned. The reason for this was, above all, that the price expectations of Latin American customers have not been economically viable."
He said the company will serve the current demand for the X-Class, and service and warranty coverage will continue to be assured by Mercedes-Benz Vans.
It's official: Mercedes-Benz to ditch the expensive X-class
Image: Supplied
Mercedes-Benz has confirmed long-running rumours that it will ditch the slow-selling X-Class, which has been in production for only two years.
"It has been decided that from the end of May 2020, we will no longer produce this relatively young model," Mercedes said in a statement.
Customers weren’t prepared to pay a premium price for the double-cab bakkie, which is based on a Nissan Navara. Sales of the X-Class in 2018, its first full year on the market, were just 16,700 in Europe, Australia and SA, the only three countries where it is sold. Only 973 X-Class units were sold in SA last year.
A spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz Vans SA told TimesLive: “In our global product portfolio, the X-Class is a niche product which plays a great role in a few markets, including Australia and South Africa.
“Already in the first quarter of 2019, we decided the X-Class would not be built in Argentina as planned. The reason for this was, above all, that the price expectations of Latin American customers have not been economically viable."
He said the company will serve the current demand for the X-Class, and service and warranty coverage will continue to be assured by Mercedes-Benz Vans.
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