Mercedes-Benz brought back its V-Class luxury MPV on Monday, four years after discontinuing the model, amid surging demand for ultra-premium, spacious vans. The move comes as high-net-worth individuals, politicians, and celebrities increasingly favour such vehicles, particularly Toyota’s Vellfire and Lexus LM, which have dominated the segment in recent years.
Mercedes launched the new V-Class luxury MPV at an introductory price of Rs 1.4 crore (ex-showroom). Bookings for the vehicle can be made for Rs 5 lakh from Monday with deliveries scheduled to begin by the end of this month.
“The V-Class addresses a growing trend amongst India’s opulent customers and trend setters, who seek an oasis of personal space, tranquility and privacy, while travelling in the lap of luxury. The decision to start the local production of the V-Class further reinforces our India commitment, adding significant value to our customers,” said Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India.
V-Class will be locally manufactured at the company’s Chakan plant in Pune. It will be the second product that the German carmaker has announced for local production this year. During the launch, Iyer said that without localisation, the vehicle could have been priced closer to Rs 1.9-2 crore.
The all-new V-Class is launched with an extra-long wheelbase (WB:3430mm L:5370 mm) configuration with a 6-seat layout. The car is available in both petrol (170 kW / 228 bhp + 15 kW mild hybrid) and diesel (174 kW / 233 bhp) with 9G-TRONIC transmission.
Mercedes claims that the V-Class is the safest vehicle in its segment. It has 7 standard airbags (A-to-D pillar window airbags), active distance assist DISTRONIC, active lane keeping assist, blind spot assist, 360° camera, and driver camera with attention assist.
Premium standard features in the vehicle include AMG Line exterior, first-class luxury seats with massage and ventilation across all three rows, AIRMATIC air suspension, MULTIBEAM LED headlamps, and Burmester surround sound.
Mercedes said that India is the first market globally to offer AIRMATIC air suspension on both petrol and diesel powertrains. The V-Class is also the first vehicle in its class to offer ventilated third-row seats.