Does Mercedes-Benz Make a Pickup?
For many high-rollers, the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen tops all other SUVs. Mercedes has a reputation for quality, comfort, and ruggedness, so why not? But pickups are every bit as popular in the US as SUVs. Does Mercedes make a G-Wagen pickup?
Mercedes did make a pickup but not anymore
You can get a G-Wagen pickup, but not from Mercedes. Until last year Mercedes did make a pickup. It was actually a rebadged Nissan Navarra, called the X-Class. With a Mercedes grille and other bits, it tried to carry the torch for a Mercedes truck but only lasted only three years.
We think it was mostly because it couldn’t hide its Nissan origins. Nissan sells a gang of Navarra pickups all over the world. And they sell for a lot less than the X-Class did. As it was, the X-Class sold a mere 15,000 units in 2019.
The G-Wagen as a pickup would be sweet
But what about a G-Wagen pickup? A German conversion company called LeTech/Lennartz-technik.de makes what it calls the Lennson C pickup. It takes a standard G-Class SUV and first lengthens the frame about 20 inches.
The doors aren’t touched, but a bed is fashioned to tie into the G-Wagen body lines for what looks like a factory pickup. Then, the suspension is lifted about two inches. But everything else is factory G-Class.
That means a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 putting out 416 hp. In the US, a standard G-Wagen runs around $132,000. Adding options can jack that price up quickly. LeTech/Lennartz doesn’t list prices on its website, but the transformation can’t be cheap. But, you know, if you can afford a G-Wagen, then you can probably afford to own one of these unique pickups.
How about a one-off G-Wagen pickup in the US?
Recently a dealer in Texas sold a 2002 Mercedes G-Class converted into a pickup. It listed that only Mercedes-Benz components were used in the conversion. Not much information was available about the conversion but it, too, was stretched while retaining the stock G-Class doors. This one featured a factory 5.0-liter V8 hooked to an automatic transmission and a 2.5-inch lift.
For $626,300 Brabus will make you a G-Wagen pickup
Mercedes hot rodders Brabus also makes a pickup it calls the Brabus 800 Adventure XLP. The “800” stands for 800 hp and is based on the AMG G63 Mercedes-Benz with the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. Brabus lengthens the wheelbase 20 inches for a total increase of 27.1-inches in length. The starting price runs around $425,000, or you can get a First Edition Adventure for $626,300.
If you need more there is a takeoff and landing bed available for the 800 Adventure XLP. It allows for a 150 mph drone to do both takeoff and landing from the platform. The drone comes from Germany’s Wingcopter.
There have been some homebuilt pickups made from the G-Class. All of this indicates there is definitely a market for a G-Class pickup. Would Mercedes-Benz attempt such a model? We doubt it, being busy transitioning to electrification. But you never know.