“The Mercedes-Benz pickup will contribute nicely to our global growth targets,” said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management Daimler AG, and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Division.

“We will enter this segment with our distinctive brand identity and all of the vehicle attributes that are typical of the brand with regard to safety, comfort, powertrains, and value.”

Mercedes-Benz says that the development of the model is in response to customer demand, with more pickups being used for private purposes, and commercial as well as private users increasingly asking for vehicles that have car-like specifications.

The new Mercedes-Benz pickup will initially be targeted at markets in Latin America, South Africa, Australia, and Europe, all of which are posting sustained growth in this segment.

No details on specifications or pricings have been made available.