New Daimler chief executive Ola Källenius says the joint venture between Daimler and the Nissan-Renault alliance won’t last much longer.
The arrangement which saw the Nissan Navara platform on which the X-Class was based and modified upon will cease according to a report by Manager Magazine in Germany.
The interview with Källenius refers to him suggesting he will “gently drain the alliance” “without hurting anyone” and “end the co-operation”.
After Källenius takes over from current chief executive Dieter Zetsche, the Nissan build program for Daimler is expected to end by 2023, leaving Mercedes to build X-Class on its own or partner with another OEM.
In the next three years Ford and Volkwagen will co-build the Ranger and Amarok respectively, Isuzu and Mazda will have their joint venture starting from 2020 and the Mitsubishi-Nissan alliance will see Triton replace the X-Class in co-building with the Navara.
Swedish-born Källenius will begin his tenure at Daimler from May 22nd when current CEO Dieter Zetsche will step down having led the Mercedes-Benz company since 2006, and beocome chairman of the Daimler supervisory board in 2021.
According to Manager, Källenius wants the company to be exempt from emitting CO2 by 2040, including new cars, manufacturing and parts suppliers where possible.
According to VFACTS sales data provided by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class as of March 2019 has reported just three 4×2 sales for the year compared with the Navara’s 301 reported sales.
The 4×4 X-Class has done notably better, with 249 reported sales, but still lagging the Nissan Navara’s 1106 reported sales, and nowhere near the 4×4 Hilux’s 3397 reported sales, Ford Ranger’s 3340 reported sales, Volkswagen’s 841 reported sales or even the LDV T60 on 293.
The $80,000-$140,000 RAM 1500-2500 range has reportedly sold marginally fewer units in 2019 at 201.
