Mercedes-Benz recently launched its all-new V-Class in Hamburg, Germany.
If you’re wondering what exactly the V-Class is, well it is actually the latest generation of the company’s Viano people mover, but Merc has simply opted to change its name, bringing it more in line with that of the other vehicles in its range.
From the pictures it’s pretty clear that not too much have changed with the Viano/V-Class in terms of exterior styling, but there is only so much that can be done with a van in terms of styling. That said, the shape of the vehicle has been updated quite a bit, and the exterior is now more sculpted than the outgoing model.
The front has also been completely redesigned, and now slots in well alongside other new Mercedes models such as the C-Class, M-Class and S-Class.
Inside, the V-Class has also received quite an upgrade, and the cabin is now remarkably plush for what remains a van/people mover. In fact, the cabin is very similar to that of a vehicle such as the M-Class when it comes to quality and comfort.
Under the bonnet the V-Class only has one engine on offer at the moment. It is a 2,1-litre oilburner that is available in three different states of tune. The V 200 CDI develops 100 kW and a maximum torque of 330 Nm. The V 220 CDI generates 120 kW (163 hp) and 380 Nm. With a power output of 140 kW (190 hp) and powerful peak torque of 440 Newton metres, the top-of-the-line V 250 BlueTEC engine has as much pulling power and agility as the previous 3-litre V6 turbodiesel engine. In the acceleration phases, an additional 10 kW and 40 Newton metres are available (“over-torque”). As a result, the flagship model develops 150 kW and maximum torque of a full 480 Newton metres. The V 250 BlueTEC accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in an impressive 9.1 seconds.
The V 250 BlueTEC is equipped as standard with the 7G-TRONIC PLUS transmission with DIRECT SELECT lever and DIRECT SELECT shift paddles. The convenient automatic transmission is available as an optional extra for the V 200 CDI and V 220 CDI models.
Overall, the new V-Class is an excellent vehicle. There certainly aren’t many people movers that offer the sort of luxury that Merc’s new van does. The bad news, though, is that we won’t be seeing the V-Class in SA until sometime in 2015.
In the meantime, you can watch a video of the V-Class in action below.