Mercedes Eyes 10 pct of Turkey Pickup Market

 

The German automotive giant has also set a target to grab at least 10 percent of pickup market share in Turkey.

 

With global automotive giants, like Toyota, Volkswagen, Ford, Fiat, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, SsangYong and Nissan already competing with their various models, Mercedes-Benz was the latest to realize the potential and enter the pickup truck market.

 

Mercedes-Benz's new X-Class vehicles, which underwent rigorous test drives in Cape Town, South Africa, will enter the Turkish market this October.

 

In the first stage, the 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engines producing between 163 horsepower and 190 horsepower will be imported. In the second half of 2018, the 3-liter, six-cylinder version, with engine options producing up to 258 horsepower will come on sale.

 

The local pickup truck market, which sold around 5,000 vehicles annually until recently, has shown great improvement and exceeded 20,000 last year.

 

Data from Turkey's Automotive Distributors Association showed that some 20,176 pickup trucks were sold in Turkey last year.

 

Meanwhile, in the first half of this year, 8,494 pickup trucks were sold, and by the end of the year, the market was expected to display performance similar that of last year.

 

More importantly, pickup sale in Turkey is expected to reach 40,000 vehicles within a few years, and Mercedes-Benz Türk is looking to grab at least 10 percent of that market with its X-Class.

 

According to surveys, the global pickup market is also poised for a staggering 43 percent growth in the next decade, with a major increase in sales expected in the South American countries. Compared to sales South America, where pickup truck sales were expected to increase 49 percent to reach 400,000 units by 2026, the growth in Europe was estimated to be only 4 percent, selling only 149,000 units. Countries including Germany, Turkey, and Russia would see sales increase the most