Mercedes-Benz unveils not one, but two Concept X-Class pickup trucks

Developing a car involves striking a balance between a car's intended purpose and how the market will approach it. When it comes to trucks, do you appeal to the raw, truck-stuff buyer, or go for more of a market-friendly lifestyle approach? Mercedes-Benz just did both.

The Concept X-Class is not one, but two different midsize truck concepts. Powerful Adventurer appeals to the tough, rugged truck buyers, whereas Stylish Explorer is meant more for the person that wants to look like a truck buyer without getting their white party pants dirty.

Both concepts are unmistakably Mercedes-Benz, with headlights and a pair of grilles that look plucked from any number of current M-B vehicles. The rear end is a bit more intense, with a single, wraparound LED design on the Stylish Explorer and a more rugged, two-light setup on the Powerful Adventurer. The fancy truck's tailgate barely looks like it opens, which is a pretty good metaphor for people who buy trucks as a lifestyle enhancer.

Inside, you're once again met by a complement of current Mercedes-Benz design, from the gauges to the air vents to the general dashboard shape. Unlike other Mercedes models, though, the Concept X-Class uses a proper stick-style gearshift, instead of that funky column shifter. The Powerful Adventurer variant packs a fire extinguisher on the dashboard, because truck stuff.