Van Life : The New Mercedes-Benz V-Class is the Perfect Partner for the Road

Mercedes-Benz Vans is taking the next step in this segment and will soon be offering a fully-electric MPV

Five years ago, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class set benchmarks in the MPV segment with its design, its high-quality feel, its comfort and its safety and assistance systems and has since enjoyed a successful international career. The facelift builds upon these core values and thus improves the attractiveness of the biggest member of the Stuttgart-based brand’s range of passenger vehicles. The compact Marco Polo and Marco Polo HORIZON campers and leisure vans also benefit from the full scope of the innovations implemented on the V-Class. What’s more, Mercedes-Benz Vans is taking the next step in this segment and will soon be offering a fully-electric MPV.

The new Mercedes-Benz Marco Polo – Exterior, cavansit blue metallic

The new Mercedes-Benz Marco Polo – Exterior, cavansit blue metallic

Design and comfort

  • New presence and an impression of breadth thanks to newly designed bumper with striking cooling air intake and diamond structure of the radiator grille
  • Available as an option, the AMG Line features a new diamond radiator grille with chrome pins which both make for a still more sporty appearance
  • Four new paint colours as well as four new light-alloy wheel designs will also be available
  • There’s a new-look interior thanks to new trim elements with double stripe look, newly designed air vents in sporty turbine look and the new “tartufo” leather colour
  • Optimal luxury seats in the rear enhance the range of seats in the MPV and pamper occupants with berth function, back massage and climate control

Driving dynamics and efficiency

  • The four-cylinder OM 654 diesel with reduced emission and consumption values and further improved noise and vibration characteristics is being used for the first time in the V-Class
  • New top engine in the V 300 d with 176 kW (239 hp) and 500 Nm torque delivers the best values in the MPV segment (combined fuel consumption 6.3-5.9 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions 165-154 g/km)1. In the acceleration phase, the V 300 d can briefly deliver an additional 30 Nm of torque (“overtorque”)
  • For the first time in the V-Class, the 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission will be available to increase shifting comfort and fuel efficiency

Safety and assistance systems

  • The multifaceted range of safety and assistance systems will become more comprehensive with the facelift
  • Available for the first time, Active Brake Assist can, depending on the situation, reduce the severity of a collision with a vehicle in front, stationary obstacles and pedestrians crossing the vehicle’s path (in urban traffic) or it can even prevent them from occurring altogether
  • New Highbeam Assist Plus makes it possible to drive with the main-beam headlamps permanently active and only switches to dipped-beam mode when the situation requires

The future is electric

  • Mercedes-Benz Vans will soon be the first premium manufacturer to offer a fully-electric MPV
  • Consistent expansion of the eDrive@VANs strategy to also include model series for private use
  • Near-series study „Concept EQV“ celebrates its premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show in 2019

1 The stated fuel consumption and CO2 emission figures are provisional, were determined by the technical service for the certification process in accordance with the WLTP test procedure and correlated as NEDC figures. No EC type approval or certificate of conformity with official figures is yet available. There may be differences between the stated figures and the official figures.

Mercedes-Benz V-Class World Premiere

With the new V-Class, Mercedes-Benz is completely redefining the MPV

Launching today at the Munich Olympics complex is the new Mercedes-Benz V-Class. At its world premiere, the youngest and largest member of the Mercedes-Benz family will be on display to over 450 international guests. With the new V-Class, Mercedes-Benz is completely redefining the MPV and setting benchmarks for the segment with regard to design, appearance, comfort, versatility, efficiency, and safety. In Germany, customers will be able to order the V-Class beginning on March 6, 2014; the market launch will begin in late May.

“With the new V-Class we are expanding the Mercedes-Benz premium automobile range with a sedan for up to eight people,” says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Division. “Functionality is a must for an MPV; comfort and style are the icing on the cake. The new V-Class combines both in a way that no other vehicle in this segment can offer.”

Mercedes-Benz V-Class

Mercedes-Benz

The V-Class boasts an extensive range of new features that so far do not exist in any other vehicle in this segment. The MPV is equipped with Crosswind Assist and ATTENTION ASSIST as standard. Also available as options are many practical assistants, including a 360-degree camera, active parking assistance systems, and the 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission. Another completely new feature is the latest-generation multimedia system, which comes with a touchpad for operating all of the telematics functions in the vehicle. The new V-Class also offers impressive spaciousness and a wide variety of seat configurations in the rear. Examples include individual seats and benches for two or three passengers. The separately opening rear window is a special highlight for the easy loading and unloading of cargo. The rear window can be opened and closed independently of the rear hatch, enabling users to access a second cargo platform.

At its market launch, the new V-Class will be available with a cutting-edge turbodiesel in three output ratings. The 2.1-liter four-cylinder engine has common rail direct injection and is available in 100 kW (136 hp), 120 kW (163 hp), and 140 kW (190 hp) versions. The engine with the internal designation OM 651 has proven its worth in almost all of the brand’s car models, from the A-Class to the S-Class. The Mercedes engineers have specifically enhanced it for use in the new V-Class. They focused on combining the superior performance of a six-cylinder engine with the exemplary efficiency of a four-cylinder unit. In the top-of-the-line V 250 BlueTEC model, this results in a torque range and power delivery that are comparable to those of the previous three-liter V6 turbodiesel, even though the new vehicle consumes up to 28 percent less fuel and meets the Euro 6 emissions standard, thanks to BlueTEC.

The new V-Class addresses three customer groups

“The new V-Class demonstrates that an elegant and dynamic appearance is also possible in size XXL,” says Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. “The V-Class is a versatile, multitalented vehicle that offers value, efficiency, and safety at the highest level. As a result, we are addressing completely new customer groups — including people who need a large amount of space but never wanted to drive an MPV because style, well-being, and riding comfort have so far been neglected in this segment.”

Mercedes-Benz Vans has made sure that the new V-Class meets a wide variety of customer requirements, focusing especially on the needs of three customer groups. First, families that include two or more children and value an active family life, leisure time, and a good work-life balance. Secondly, people who are very active in their leisure time. Because these individuals have a lot of sports and outdoor equipment, they need more transport capacity but would still like to remain as independent as possible. The third group consists of operators of luxurious VIP or hotel shuttle buses who want to provide their passengers with a comfortable and high-quality travel experience.

“The new V-Class is simply the best vehicle available in its segment,” says Mornhinweg. “It’s a stylish all-rounder that can be customized to fit every taste and every requirement. And the designation ‘best-in-class’ also applies to the vehicle’s price-to-performance ratio. The new V-Class can be had for as little as €42,900, excluding sales tax — at any Mercedes dealership, no matter whether it’s a sales outlet for vans or cars.”

To ensure that all customer groups can be optimally served, the new V-Class will be available at dealers of Mercedes-Benz cars and commercial vehicles and marketed through both sales channels. For example, families will be able to buy the V-Class at their usual Mercedes-Benz car dealers, while business customers, including VIP shuttle companies and hotel fleet operators, will also be able to purchase the V-Class at a Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle dealership.

Big investments strengthen production plant

Top-quality vehicle production operations are just as important as a strong customer focus in sales. Daimler AG is therefore investing extensively in the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vitoria, Spain, to prepare the facility for the production launch of the new V-Class. The investment of around €190 million will primarily cover the modernization and reorganization of the plant’s body shop, paint shop, and assembly units. The site’s logistics are also being optimized. The plant currently employs more than 3,100 men and women who manufacture around 75,000 medium-duty vans per year. “With the investment of approximately €190 million we are strengthening our Vitoria facility and making it fit for the future,” says Mornhinweg. “At the same time, we are emphasizing the importance of the second-largest van plant in the global production network of Mercedes-Benz Vans.”

Mercedes B-Class Prototype Spied Cold Weather Testing – Video

The prototypes show the evolutionary dimensions and proportions of the next B-class, one of five models planned for the MFA

It has been a couple of months since we brought you spy photos of the future Mercedes-Benz B-Class and thanks to our good friend Andrus, we have something better than photos. We have a video of the Mercedes B-Class B-Class prototype doing cold weather testing in Sweden. The all new Mercedes B-Class is expected to premiere in Frankfurt next year.

These hand-built B-Class prototypes show the evolutionary dimensions and proportions of the next B-class, one of five models that are planned for the new front-drive platform, referred to as MFA. The five passenger MPV will be the first model off the MFA, followed in 2012 by the new A-class, and then a junior SUV and a small saloon.

The MFA is a conventional unibody and replaces the expensive sandwich structure used on today’s A and B-classes. Because of the switch to conventional body engineering, Mercedes will drop its own front-drive engines, which were designed as part of the sandwich platform crash structure.

In their place will be a combination of existing in-house and small-capacity Renault engines. Over time the engine range will eventually include turbocharged 1.2-litre, 1.4-litre and 1.8-litre petrols, a 1.6-litre diesel from Renault and Mercedes’ 2.2-litre diesel.

Initially, however, sales will centre on larger-capacity Mercedes units, according to Stuttgart insiders. Gearboxes will be a six-speed manual and a six-speed dual-clutch auto in place of today’s CVT, both with stop-start.

The MFA is also being engineered to accommodate three alternative powertrains: plug-in electric (E-Cell), petrol-electric range-extender (E-Cell Plus) and fuel cell (F-Cell).

The basic dimensions of the new B-class are largely unchanged, as is the elevated driving position, but cabin space is better, thanks to a lower floor. There’s more flair in the styling, with tauter surfacing and more defined shoulder treatment, as previewed on the F800 Style concept at this year’s Geneva motor show.

The adoption of LED head and tail-lamps is an important exterior upgrade. The B-class also sticks with conventional doors all round, despite Mercedes experimenting with a sliding rear pair. Merc is also moving the B-class interior up a notch in quality with higher-grade plastics, trim, switchgear and controls from the C-class.

2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Details Emerge

These hand-built prototypes show for the first time the evolutionary dimensions and proportions of the next B-class

Details of the next generation Mercedes-Benz B-class – the first Benz to be powered by Renault petrol engines – have emerged on Autocar. According to Autocar, the all new Mercedes B-Class is undergoing testing ahead of its Frankfurt Premiere next year.

These hand-built prototypes show for the first time the evolutionary dimensions and proportions of the next B-class, one of five key models based on an all-new front-drive platform, dubbed MFA. The five-seat MPV will be the first model off the MFA, followed in 2012 by the new A-class, and then a junior SUV and a small saloon.

The MFA is a conventional unibody and replaces the expensive sandwich structure used on today’s A and B-classes. Because of the switch to conventional body engineering, Mercedes will drop its own front-drive engines, which were designed as part of the sandwich platform crash structure.

In their place will be a combination of existing in-house and small-capacity Renault engines. Over time the engine range will eventually include turbocharged 1.2-litre, 1.4-litre and 1.8-litre petrols, a 1.6-litre diesel from Renault and Mercedes’ 2.2-litre diesel.

Initially, however, sales will centre on larger-capacity Mercedes units, according to Stuttgart insiders. Gearboxes will be a six-speed manual and a six-speed dual-clutch auto in place of today’s CVT, both with stop-start.

The MFA is also being engineered to accommodate three alternative powertrains: plug-in electric (E-Cell), petrol-electric range-extender (E-Cell Plus) and fuel cell (F-Cell).

The basic dimensions of the new B-class are largely unchanged, as is the elevated driving position, but cabin space is better, thanks to a lower floor. There’s more flair in the styling, with tauter surfacing and more defined shoulder treatment, as previewed on the F800 Style concept at this year’s Geneva motor show.

The adoption of LED head and tail-lamps is an important exterior upgrade. The B-class also sticks with conventional doors all round, despite Mercedes experimenting with a sliding rear pair. Merc is also moving the B-class interior up a notch in quality with higher-grade plastics, trim, switchgear and controls from the C-class.