BREAKCLUSIVE! Prototype Mercedes E-Class Pickup Truck!

mercedes e-class proto 1 pickup
At the risk of losing the only automotive niche that’s currently unfilled to Lexus, Mercedes-Benz started work on their own luxury car-based pickup as soon as they saw our post. MB chose to start with their smaller E-class vehicle as opposed their largest sedan, like Lexus is doing, in order to gain price advantage over the Lexus. While similar, there is much more to Mercedes-Benz’s approach to the design of this pickup than just a smaller-sized vehicle.

mercedes e-class proto 2 pickup
As opposed to starting with a sedan, MB brilliantly chose to start with the E-class wagon. This gave the company an outlined tailgate area and a flatter loading floor. The wagon also comes with the self-leveling AIRMATIC rear suspension, which allows for increased payload and towing while retaining the refined ride that Mercedes-Benz cars are known for. Like the Lexus, the Mercedes will retain all the interior luxuries of its sedan cousin. The rear seat of each vehicle will also remain unaltered, further removing any compromises which may be found in a typical pickup.
Where Lexus will use its beefy V8, Merc will do what Merc does best, and drop their 2.1L turbodiesel-4 under the hood. While it has only 195 hp, the compression-ignition powerplant delivers 369 lb-ft between 1,600-1,800 rpm. That is a proper pickup truck engine, my friends. The added benefit is increased fuel mile, which should be slightly below the sedan’s 27mpg city and 38mpg on the highway. The engine will be mated exclusively to a 7-speed automatic transmission and 4MATIC all-wheel drive system.
mercedes e-class proto 3 pickup
Again, it’s a spoof but yes, these vehicles do exist. It is not a photoshop! They are most likely being converted to hearse duty for basketball players. 
 

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  1. dukeisduke Avatar
    dukeisduke

    The van in the background, and the row of junipers in the second picture make me think these pictures were taken somewhere in Europe. So we can’t blame some bubbas for this. Actually, I think they were inspired by the Craigslist Crapshoot title picture, but wanted to take the theme upscale.

  2. mdharrell Avatar

    If red tape gets in the way of good ideas, it makes sense that this is covered in blue….
    http://i0.wp.com/hooniverse.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/mercedes-e-class-proto-1-pickup.jpg

  3. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    I prefer my luxury car-based pickups to have practical load capacity … and buttresses.

    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      I thought I’d check the ‘verse one last time before going to sleep. Now I’m afraid to turn the lights off.

    2. dukeisduke Avatar
      dukeisduke

      Always with the buttresses…

    3. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar

      This is why people shouldn’t be allowed to have nice things.

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      Does the print on that building read “Route 666”?

  4. outback_ute Avatar
    outback_ute

    Something that has been happening for a long time. It is a late-1970s Holden ute that has been extended to fit a second row of seats. There must have been a specialist coachbuilder doing these because I have seen a few that have the same quarter window treatment in the rear door that is a normal station wagon door quarter window (I think) mounted upside down. Probably built alongside ambulance conversions. ps this has been sold by now, or at least it is no longer by the side of the road.
    These people need to work on their rear wheel arch treatments!

    1. Rover 1 Avatar
      Rover 1

      The early WB model Crewman prototype, before they ditched the idea to wait for the Commodore to grow in size ?

    2. Lebowski Avatar
      Lebowski

      That actually looks more like the front 2/3 of a WB Statesman, with the rear 1/3 of a WB ute grafted on. So this monstrosity is not only practical, it’s luxurious! One can only pray that they have maintained the corinthian velour interior

      1. outback_ute Avatar
        outback_ute

        It almost certainly has a stretched version of the full-length commercial chassis. As you would know the front sheetmetal doesn’t signify anything with these.