A Nissan executive says the Japanese brand is “doing its best to help” Mercedes-Benz with its X-Class as rumours of the bakkie’s impending demise continue to swirl.
Nissan builds the X-Class alongside the Navara (and Renault Alaskan) under an agreement between Daimler and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. In July 2019, however, a report suggested the Stuttgart-based firm had plans to axe the bakkie as part of its efforts to “reduce costs amid profit warnings”.
And Francois Bailly, Nissan’s global vice-president for light commercial vehicles, did little to stop the rumour mill from turning.
“Mercedes did their first pick-up truck with us; I think it’s a very interesting product,” he said, according to CarAdvice.
“We are doing our best to help them and that’s about it. It’s for them to manage to the best of their ability,” he said.
Bailly added he “would need to ask you to check with them” when quizzed further about the future of the X-Class, adding “it’s their [Mercedes-Benz’s] decision to see what is their portfolio going forward”.
“It’s for them to tell us what they want to do,” he reiterated, answering a question about whether the X-Class would be facelifted (or indeed see a second generation).
