Mercedes-Benz is introducing a version of its V-Class van to the North American market, and is using the SEMA show to preview the new vehicles.
While powertrains have not been announced, the van, dubbed the Metris, will be 202-inches long, and come in both passenger and cargo vans. Automotive News is reporting that
As with the larger Sprinter van, the Metris will be made in Europe and shipped to the Daimler Vans plant in Ladson, S.C., for final assembly…Cargo versions will come from Vitoria, with the drivetrain, fuel tank and battery removed to avoid a 25 percent tariff known as the “chicken tax.” Those components will be reinstalled at the Ladson plant. It’s the same process cargo versions of the Sprinter undergo. Passenger vans are not subject to the chicken tax.
TTAC first reported on the possible importation of the V-Class roughly a year ago.
I foresee this becoming the new Hollywood secret government tech van in action movies.
Following “insert action star here” around as he fights to stop “insert villain here” from taking over the world/destabilizing the world economy/nuking major capitals/etc.
[Jason Statham] / [Sean Bean]
Sure, that works.
Jason Statham and Sean Bean? What is this, 2004?
They can use their Zunes for some serious tunes during car chase scenes.
Oh dear.
The one that took me up to the Dolomites from Venice, was doing a bit of low flying. Impressive quiet vehicle.
Last year (or was it the beginning of this year?) we got an action movie with Kevin effing Costner in the lead role.
Jason Statham and Sean Bean are complete neophytes in comparison.
Hey Denzel has a new action flick coming out here soon. He’s gotta be older than either of them.
Denzel is older then Kevin effing Costner
He sure doesn’t look it.
Liam Neeson is still older though, but Liam Neeson is basically now what Charles Bronson was in the 1980s, except in higher budget movies. After all, Charles Bronson was 61 when he made Death Wish II.
That doesn’t look like a particularly luxurious helicopter in which to arrive at your helipad of choice. But then again, he has to get in a van from there, so he OBVIOUSLY isn’t that well-off anyway.
What was that large luxury style helicopter they used in the beginning and end of Jurassic Park? I like those.
That copter is more likely delivering some sort of luxury good (Cuban cigars/rare wine/high grade cocaine) to someone’s minions. The MB van is required to ensure that the luxury goods are properly maintained during delivery.
Ah ha! Good point.
(imported hookers)
I really have to work on my super-villainy as the only imported hookers I can afford come all the way from Ohio.
Eastern Ohio hookers are a step down in quality from Eastern European hookers?
Dem der Eastern European whores are more submissive, Sir.
I live in St. Louis. Quite an interesting demographic we’ve got here.
…and that’s all the time I have for today!
@bball40dtw
I see it as the hooker which was both ambitious, wily, and clever enough to both escape Eastern Europe and survive in this country as being far more intelligent than the Eastern Ohio variety. I prefer my hookers to not be clever or wise but to simply have the right assets and be a few pegs down on the Raven’s Matrices assessment. Which one is better could certainly be debated.
@raresleeper
Which is the natural state for the female. Fortunately you can still find such qualities with your home grown American variety as well, thank the Lord.
You don’t really have a “hooker preference”… Not something one would readily admit to anyway
@Lie2me
This is true but the same ideas apply to ordinary women at large.
I think I’ll stand way over here, don’t want to be part of the collateral damage
Shark: decisively and thoroughly jumped.
CoreyDL,
These vans are of the same theme as a Silverado station wagon Escalade. They are based on a rudimentary chassis, a commercial vehicle.
The ones who consider the Escalade a full on luxury vehicle will be able to adapt to these quite easily.
Makes sense. I know they do similar things to the Sprinter vans, and I’m sure this thing is better than those.
Agusta 109; surprisingly affordable on the used market.
http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/AGUSTA-A109E-POWER/1999-AGUSTA-A109E-POWER/1296683.htm
Of course, if you’re really ballin’:
http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/SIKORSKY-S-92/SIKORSKY-S-92/1310739.htm
I knew someone would know this! I like the smaller one, that Sikorsky looks too bloated, like it was made for cargo.
I’d repaint the A109 – Black and gold or Navy and gold perhaps. I’ll need a company logo.
It’s the Chrysler of minivans.
Thank you, Chili.
Its like a mortician vehicle with custom wheels.
Here in Australia these are called MB Viano’s. They come with the MB V6 3 litre diesel with around 420ftlb of torque. They have been around for a while.
Looking at the pricing here they are not hugely expensive, a little more than a Toyota Tarago.
They are rear wheel drive as well and do handle and brake well for a van from what I’ve read.
@Big Al From Oz
The one I sat in i,n Italy, did just that, handled and went well
Just THE van for the wealthy liberal couple in the McMansion down the street for carting around their 10 internationally adopted kids.
Mike Wolf and Frank Fritz ain’t got sh*t on this. Yo.
I don’t want to go off on a rant here, but I can’t stand such people. The last time I checked there are plenty of American children in need of adoption.
I agree.
I have seen such colorful families.
Ralph is from Venezuela. Neeta is from Cambodia.
Then there’s always one lone child. Poor Midwestern kid, his parents one and only biological child.
Poor, poor Timmy. But he understands “culture” more than anyone, and he’s probably a nice kid, too.
There are American children in need of adoption, but it’s a lot harder to adopt an American newborn – there are usually long wait times, high costs, etc., largely because there are many more couples wanting newborns than there are newborns up for adoption. International adoption has historically been easier and quicker.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/15/us-adoption-domestic-waits-idUSBRE90E15Y20130115
And yes, there are entirely too many children in foster care, but (not to put it too bluntly) just as more people want puppies than grown dogs, prospective parents usually want newborns to raise as their own rather than a child who could be bringing in a complicated history with medical or emotional issues from its foster history.
That said, I don’t know wtf any of this has to do with a new Mercedes van.
Thanks for the reply and the link. I do not disagree with your argument I -just as an ordinary person- hoped people who wanted to adopt children had matured enough to realize puppies, ponies, and the like all grow up.
“That said, I don’t know wtf any of this has to do with a new Mercedes van.”
We digress, it happens
Have you all seen the camper version of this?
http://www.richestlifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/mercedes-benz-v-class-marco-polo-1.jpg
$77K
Woah – more pictures at http://www.autoblog.com/photos/mercedes-benz-v-class-marco-polo/#photo-2762039/
The hardwood floor is a nice touch.
It’s still $77 effing K for a camper, not an RV, a camper
My first thought when I saw this van was “carpets”.
Installation or cleaning, I’m not sure.
Either way, “Pricey”
Carpetiers to the rich and powerful.
Real civet musk in their shampoo fragrances.
(OK, it’s just cat & dog musk from the extractor tank and some heavy citrus)
“Engineered to move the human spirit.”
“Mercedes-Benz. The future of the automobile.’
“Unlike any other.”
“Engineered like no other car in the world.”
“The best or nothing at all.”
“Das beste oder nichts!”
“Unlike any other… except the Chrysler Town and Country. It’s actually just like it.”
“The future of the automobile… on the rack at the dealership, while we charge 275 bucks for a simple oil change and tire rotation!”
“The best, or nothing at all… a false choice! You could also have one of our mediocre, overpriced Teutonic taxis if you are snobbish and gullible enough!”
“Pay große Mengen Geld, leichtgläubig amerikanisch!”
More like an Astro or Aerostar since V is RWD.
Luxury vans are the executive transport of choice in much of Asia. Eventually American mucky-mucks will figure it out. They’re far roomier than black sedans or SUVs, and ride better than most of the SUVs. Mercedes is ahead of the curve on this one, between the Sprinter (which is already a frequent conversion target) and now the more traffic-manageable V-Class.
You think luxury vans could be the next big thing? Nah! Still looks like a minivan
American CEOs will fall in love with having enough space to work at a proper desk with a laptop and papers. As long as it’s black and shiny they won’t particularly care that it’s boxy.
Last time I was in Phoenix on business, I stayed at a posh Scottsdale resort courtesy of my employer. I saw two converted Sprinters doing the airport run. But I wasn’t nearly special enough to get one — they gave me the usual bouncy, surprisingly cramped Escalade.
Oh, no, if this catches on think of all the faux-Mercedes grilles people will be slapping on their Town & Countrys