A Volkswagen Australia executive has taken a swipe at the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, quipping that it is “very difficult to disguise a Nissan Navara”.
The Stuttgart-based automaker’s new double-cab bakkie is, of course, based on the Navara (compare the two side-by-side here), and is even built alongside the Japanese pick-up by Renault-Nissan.
Paul Pottinger, VW Australia’s corporate communications chief, took a swipe at the new bakkie after viewing it at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show.
“It’s very difficult to disguise a Nissan Navara,” Pottinger told motoring.com.au.
Pottinger went on to suggest that most consumers would see through the marketing (Mercedes-Benz has already said that the X-Class “deserves” its premium price).
“If I was a buyer I might be surprised [with the quality of the X-Class]. When a Mercedes-Benz owner opens the door and sees Nissan hinges, the game might be up,” he told the Australian publication.
Pottinger did, however, admit he was “very interested” to see how the X-Class would fare, what with the upcoming V6-powered model seemingly taking direct aim at the Amarok V6.
“I won’t give an opinion on the styling [of the X-Class], but I think it perhaps could be a polarising design,” he added.
Of course, this isn’t the first time a VW executive from Down Under has taken a potshot at the X-Class, with one earlier billing it as nothing more than a “very expensive Nissan” and another branding it an “over-hyped concept”. A BMW official, too, recently called the X-Class “appalling”.
Also read:
- DRIVEN: Mercedes-Benz X250d 4Matic Power
- Mercedes ‘looking into’ X-Class AMG styling pack…
- Mercedes-Benz says X-Class ‘deserves’ premium price…
- How expensive we could spec an X-Class (in Germany)
- Mercedes-Benz X-Class is ‘appalling’, says BMW exec…
- No V8 on the cards for X-Class bakkie, says Mercedes
- Here’s how Mercedes tweaked the Navara’s chassis…
- Mercedes will offer these accessories for its X-Class
- Mercedes-Benz X-Class: Concept vs. production…
- ‘Natural move’ to base X-Class on Navara – Mercedes
- Here’s what the Mercedes X-Class looks like in base spec
- Mercedes releases X-Class bakkie’s off-roading specs
- Side by side: Mercedes-Benz X-Class vs. Nissan Navara
- Mercedes-Benz X-Class double-cab bakkie revealed!
