Here's something we didn't see coming, but given the way the German luxury brands are diversifying these days, it's not totally unfathomable: Mercedes-Benz is going to make a pick-up truck.
The new vehicle line will be available before the end of the decade and - conveniently overlooking Volkswagen and its Amarok - Mercedes claims it will be the first premium manufacturer to enter the segment.
Mercedes is responding to the global growth in this particular type of vehicle, previously shunned as being something only found in southern states of the good ol' US of A, with key markets initially expected to be Latin America, South Africa, Australia and Europe (and not, er, USA).
The likely payload at the back of the Merc pick-up should be rated at one metric tonne, while there will be both passenger and commercial vehicle versions of it, as Mercedes has identified both private buyers choosing them ahead of SUVs, as well as commercial users who want more 'car-like' specifications in their workhorses.
The car maker cites this move into the pick-up game as being similar to the launch of the M-Class almost 20 years ago, saying it was the first premium manufacturer to enter the SUV game. We'd suggest the people behind the Range Rover wouldn't be too chuffed with that assertion...
Anything else?
"The Mercedes-Benz pick-up will contribute nicely to our global growth targets," said Dr Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the Board of Management for Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz's 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."
Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, added: "As part of our 'Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global' strategy, the pick-up is the ideal vehicle for the international expansion of our product range with a newly developed model."