The Mercedes-Benz full size MPVs will be arriving next year in the form of the new V-Class. The successor to the Viano, the newest and largest member of the Mercedes-Benz passenger car family, will be arriving in 2014 – and with it a clear ambition to redefine the benchmark in this segment. The new V-Class therefore combines outstanding spaciousness and exceptional functionality with the sense of quality, the aesthetic appeal, the comfort and the safety that typically characterise the cars that bear the three-pointed star. All this together makes the V-Class the ideal vehicle for large families, for those who take part in active recreational activities and for shuttle service operators, all of whom desire to enjoy and offer only the best.
Mercedes-Benz V-Class Interior
The interior of the new V-Class features high-quality appointments and reflects the style of Mercedes-Benz passenger car models. It thus very clearly embodies the unmistakable Mercedes-Benz passenger car design philosophy of ‘sensual clarity’. The typical contrasting interplay of organic surfaces and clear lines, along with warm and cool colour tones, conveys an exceptional sense of harmony and serves to underline the high-class feel of the vehicle. The car offers a perfect synthesis of function and emotion. This sophisticated finesse is rounded off by discreet ambient lighting in three colour shades. By adopting passenger car design elements, Mercedes-Benz raises the quality and aesthetic appeal of the V-Class to a new level in this segment.
“The interior of our new V-Class combines a generous amount of space and maximum variability with elegance and a high-quality appeal that is on a par with that of the best passenger cars around. In my view, the new V-Class is a true multitalent that is unrivalled in this segment”, says Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans.
Mercedes-Benz V-Class
Interior design: visual breadth and high value
One of the most eye-catching features is the cockpit. The dynamically shaped dashboard is based on a two-section design with the emphasis firmly on breadth. The upper and lower sections are separated by a large, three-dimensional trim element that creates an impression of breadth and conveys a high sense of value. The lower section is sculptural in design. This emphasises the car’s spaciousness, whilst also giving a sense of lightness. For the first time in this class, there is the option of a leather-look cockpit upper section with lavishly finished topstitching. High-quality topstitching also features on the leather seats, on the armrests and in the centre section of the side panelling, emphasising the high-value appeal of the entire vehicle interior.
The high-quality and sophisticated impression is reinforced by the control and display components that are a hallmark of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars: the free-standing central display, the circular ventilation outlets, the 12-button multifunction steering wheel, the DIRECT SELECT lever including shift paddles if an automatic transmission is fitted, the central control panel with Controller (rotary pushbutton), and an innovative touchpad that can be used to operate all telematics functions by means of gestures or letter and number input as on a smartphone. The leather steering wheel fitted as standard is another first in the V-Class segment.
Mercedes-Benz V-Class
Exceptional comfort and wellbeing thanks to intelligent climate control system
The enhanced and uprated THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control likewise ensures a unique and individual feeling of comfort and wellbeing. It sets new standards in terms of the automatic mode’s ability to adapt to individual passenger requirements. The V-Class is the only vehicle in its segment to offer three different ventilation modes for personal climate control, automatic air recirculation when a tunnel is detected and cooling air distribution to both the driver’s and the front-passenger side, the intensity of which is automatically adjusted according to the position of the sun.
Separately opening rear window and second loading level
For easy loading and unloading, the V-Class features another first in this segment in the shape of the separately opening rear window attached to the upper tailgate frame. It can be opened and closed independently of the tailgate. This makes loading and unloading easier in two respects: on the one hand, it allows a second loading level; on the other hand, particularly in tight parking spaces, there is no need to open the large tailgate.
Latest COMAND Online generation and Burmester® Sound system
The new V-Class comes with a choice of three infotainment systems, offering a bespoke state-of-the-art solution for all budgets and requirements: Audio 20 USB (standard), Audio 20 CD and, at the top of the range, COMAND Online, which is a fully integrated multimedia system with 80 GB hard-disc navigation, DVD player, internet access and numerous additional functions. The latest generation of COMAND Online features a photorealistic map display, a series of useful apps, an additional Bluetooth® profile that allows internet access, for example from an iPhone®, and the relaying of traffic data in real time.
A superb audio experience comes courtesy of the optional Burmester® Surround Sound system. Optimised for the vehicle, this sound system features 16 high-performance speakers including a bass reflex loudspeaker and a 10-channel DSP amplifier with a total output of 640 watts for first-class “feelgood sound”. With COMAND Online and the Burmester® Surround Sound system, the V-Class raises the bar in its segment in terms of navigation, internet use and the enjoyment of music.
Extensive safety equipment
Another USP of the V-Class is its extensive package of safety equipment, including numerous innovative driver assistance systems based on sophisticated radar, camera and ultrasonic sensors, first introduced under the name “Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive” in the new E-Class and S-Class. They reduce the risk of hazards such as strong crosswind gusts, the blind spot or insufficient distance to other vehicles to an absolute minimum. The new full size MPV is even as easy to park as a compact car. The assistance systems enhance both comfort and safety.
Standard equipment for the V-Class includes ATTENTION ASSIST, which warns against drowsiness and inattention, and Crosswind Assist. The latter can compensate for the effects of wind by applying the brakes on the front and rear wheels on the side of the vehicle facing the wind. Further assistance systems include Blind Spot Assist, Active Parking Assist, which allows automatic parking in parallel and perpendicular parking spaces with active steering and brake actuation, a 360° camera, radar-based COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST with adaptive Brake Assist and Traffic Sign Assist with wrong-way warning function.
