By: IOL Motoring Staff
In keeping with its “best or nothing” motto, Mercedes-Benz is aiming to “redefine the MPV” with its all-new V-Class.
It's aimed at large families, people with active hobbies as well as upmarket shuttle bus operators and it's clear that Mercedes is positioning the V-Class as a sort of 'Kombi Lux'.
For starters, it has a glut of new features and gadgets, some of which you won't find anywhere else in this segment.
Standard fare includes Crosswind Assist and Attention Assist, while the long options list extends to a 360-degree camera, active parking assistance systems, and a new-generation infotainment system that employs a touchpad for operating telematics functions.
ALL ABOARD!
All good and well, but this is a minivan and the key factor is how many bodies and kitchen sinks it can carry. To this end, the V-Class offers comfortable seating for up to eight and there is a wide variety of seating configurations in the rear.
Customers can choose between individual rear seats that can swivel and benches that seat two or three passengers. For easy loading, the V also has a separately-opening rear window.
To haul everything at a good enough pace, the new Merc is fitted with a 2.1-litre turbodiesel engine that's available in three output levels: 100kW, 120kW and 140kW.
The vehicle will be sold through Mercedes-Benz's passenger car and commercial vehicle dealerships. German sales commence in May and it'll reach South African shores by the end of the second quarter of 2015.
Technically a few of them have already docked here though - judging by the stunning scenery in the background of the accompanying pictures.