The Mercedes-Benz pick-up truck is here - and it's called the X-Class

On Tuesday, Mercedes-Benz gave the public their first look at the company's upcoming pickup truck in the form of the new X-Class Concept. According to Mercedes-Benz, the new X-Class will be the world's first true "premium" pickup truck.

Introduced in a ceremony in Stockholm, the new X-Class marks Mercedes' official entry into what is perhaps the most competitive, territorial, and lucrative segment in the automotive market.

"With the Mercedes-Benz pickup, we will close one of the last gaps in our portfolio," Daimler chairman and head of Mercedes-Benz Dr Dieter Zetsche said in a statement. "Our target: we want to offer customers vehicles matching their specific needs. The X-Class will set new standards in a growing segment."

In the US, the midsize pickup segment, where the X-Class will compete, is growing at more than 20% a year. At the same time, the midsize pickup also dominate in Argentina, Australia, and Brazil. Unfortunately, Mercedes-Benz does not plan to offer the X-Class for sale in the US when it enters production late next year. Or perhaps fortunately for Mercedes, as the US pickup market is dominated by the Detroit Big Three.

Instead, Mercedes is expected to offer the X-Class in Europe, Latin America, South America, and Africa. No official pricing information for the X-Class has been released.

Here's a closer look at the Mercedes-Benz X-Class pickup.