New Nissan Frontier Will Reportedly Have Mercedes X-Class Parts

It was no secret that the Mercedes X-Class rode on a modified Nissan Frontier chassis. This year, though, Mercedes decided to end X-Class production, ending the automaker's push into the luxury pickup segment. However, pieces of the X-Class could live on in the new 2021 Nissan Frontier, if a new report from Autoblog.com.ar is correct.

According to the publication, Mercedes made several modifications to the Frontier's chassis for the X-Class, and it appears Nissan will carry over many of those changes. That includes the structural reinforcements the German automaker made to help improve the truck's chassis strength and driving dynamics. When the new Frontier arrives for the 2021 model year, it'll feature the same chassis cross members as the X-Class.

A complete redesign of the pickup is out of the question for now. In May, Nissan announced a restructuring plan that included launching 12 new models over the next 18 months, as the company looked to juice sales, lower costs, and raise profits. The Frontier is part of that strategy, but even Nissan has said some parts of the current truck will be present in next year's vehicle. That includes the 2020 model's 3.8-liter V6 and nine-speed gearbox. The mill makes 310 horsepower (231 kilowatts).

Concrete details about the new pickup other than what Nissan has already said remain elusive. Rumors suggest the V6 could be the only engine available, which would significantly raise the truck's entry-level price. However, we do expect all-new styling both inside and out to help the pickup compete in a growing segment that features heavyweights like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Chevy Colorado. Nissan released a brief teaser of the truck, along with the rest of its redesigned lineup in May. The teaser hints at an all-new design that could make customers forget about the borrowed parts.