leisurewheels.co.za SEPTEMBER 2019 3
09/
Issue no 185
@reubenvn
Dare to be different
FOLLOWING an unexpected dent in
international sales and profit decline in
the first quarter of 2019, Mercedes-Benz
is said to be looking at cutting costs and
jobs in an attempt to save billions of
dollars to restore profit margins.
Of course, the world’s oldest brand is
not the only one to feel the current
financial pinch. In an ambiguous, volatile
international marketplace, with trade
wars having a real impact on profit
margins, Jaguar Land Rover, BMW,
Toyota, Ford, Honda – all the car
companies, in fact, are looking at
reducing costs in some way to navigate
these troubled financial waters.
The recent reports on Mercedes-Benz’s
underwhelming financial results though,
accompanied by scrutiny of the brand’s
international sales numbers, have given
rise to rumours that the slow-selling
X-Class bakkie is on the chopping block,
and will soon be canned.
According to Mercedes-Benz
Commercial Vehicles South Africa, the
company won’t comment on rumours,
and no concrete decision about the future
the X-Class is available at this time.
There’s that old saying ‘where there’s
smoke, there’s fire’ – but we certainly
hope it’s not the end of the ‘X’ just yet.
When the company announced it
would be building a bakkie it broke the
internet. No other motoring news story
or new model launch has ever generated
that much interest. So why has it not been
a runaway success?
Following the initial news of a Benz
bakkie it was announced the X-Class
would share some of its architecture with
the all-new Nissan Navara, but that it
would be engineered to be worthy of that
most desirable of badges, the three-
pointed star.
The Renault-Nissan Alliance was
defended, as a way in which Mercedes
was able to reduce the time and cost it
would take to enter this key segment
(there’s that ‘saving cost’ part again).
Make no mistake: the X-Class is not a
bad bakkie, especially in X350d guise,
which uses a powerful Mercedes V
engine and drivetrain. Inside are slightly
more premium materials, the previous
generation infotainment system, faux
wood and some fancy air vents.
We recently used the 190kW X350d as
part of our 24-hour record attempt and
it proved to be a stellar companion for
both long-distance travel and extreme
off-road driving, so it is certainly capable.
However, Mercedes-Benz is a
100-year-old company that has all the
resources to build a proper bakkie. It
would have been epic. Imagine a pukka
Gelandewagen chassis with three
differential locks and off-road and
military pedigree par excellence, and a
sleek new double cab body on top, the
cabin brimming with the latest Mercedes
technology, luxury and safety features.
Now that would have been a bakkie
among bakkies, and one worth paying a
R200 000 premium for over the rest of
the Average Joe one-ton double cab
gang. It would have blown everything out
of the water. Most importantly, it would
be a real Mercedes. And I think that is all
that the public wanted.
In a cash-strapped environment,
buyers tend to do their research before
spending their hard-earned money and
will rather go for the tried-and-tested
than take a risk on something new. This
is probably why, despite the tough times,
the Toyota Hilux is selling better than
ever: 4 770 Hiluxes sold during the
month of June.
I truly hope that this is not the end for
the X-Class and that the development is
transferred to the Stöckl factory where
the G-Class parts bin is made available.
This will transform the X-Class from
‘okay’ to ‘out of this world’.
Platform and resource sharing can be a
dangerous ‘cost saving’ trap that is very
easy to fall into as we move towards an
electric car future.
There are only a couple of electric
powertrains in development and I fear we
will see manufacturers simply buy these
power modules from companies like
Bosch and then put their own body and
interior on them. Cars will lose their soul
as they become mere appliances. That
is a bitter pill for a petrolhead like me
to swallow.
I firmly believe manufacturers need to
value being unique. It was Coco Chanel
who said, “In order to be irreplaceable
one must always be different”. This has
never been more relevant.