We arrived in Cape Town on a rainy day to test drive the new face lifted Mercedes-Benz V-Class, the first thing that we did was to assign Khulekani to the driving because we wanted to explore the passenger benefits at the back.
When I think about the Business with Marvin section, I always think about what the entrepreneur needs with regards to their day to day operations of the business, and time is always something that’s valuable. As a businessman, you don’t like wasting time with driving and at some point, you need to invest into being driven and that’s where the V Class fits in.
Locally, 2015 was the year the Mercedes-Benz V-Class celebrated its debut with a completely new approach to design, value appeal, comfort and safety in the Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) segment. What would end up being known as “the Mercedes of MPVs” went on to be a true success. This is confirmed by more than 209 000 units being sold globally, and additionally, the V-Class achieving a sales record in 2018 with approximately 64,000 units sold for the year.
The 2019 face lift makes for a refreshing feel to the already dominant model. Focal points include a restyled and striking front-end design, a sporty and streamlined cockpit as well as a new range of alloy wheels and interior trim options.
“It will be easy for the V-Class face lift to take over from where its predecessor left off, as it was such a stylish and dynamic offering. In its latest guise, the V-Class continues to convince families, various leisure adventurers and business customers alike, that the V-Class is the perfect fit for any purpose,” said Nadia Trimmel, Vice-President of Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa. “We are continuing a success story that builds on the strengths of our versatile, functional and luxurious V-Class in a targeted manner. We know that the V-Class is the envy of all other multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) in South Africa, and the face lift will ensure this remains the case,” she added.
One thing that you will notice as well is that the V Class is loved in KZN and Limpopo province because the car is everywhere and also if you are a music artist and you travel a lot the V-Class makes more sense. Also, Mercedes Benz presented at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show in March as a study, Mercedes-Benz will debut the Concept EQV at the Frankfurt International Auto Show. The EQV is based on the recently refreshed V-Class and follows the eVito and eSprinter from Mercedes’ commercial wing. As part of the Mercedes-Benz EQ range of cars, the EQV has a range of 405km and its battery can be rapidly charged from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 45 minutes with a choice of two wheelbases customers can choose from.
The Mercedes-Benz EQV will be mass-produced at the where the V-Class is also produced. Thanks to its intelligent design, the EQV has an electronic drivetrain situated on the front axle under the dynamic front end of the car with a charging connection in the bumper. It has a peak output of 150 kW. The electric motor, the transmission with a fixed gear ratio, the cooling system and the power electronics constitute a highly integrated, compact unit. The power is provided by a lithium-ion battery under the floor of the vehicle. Its low, central location also has a positive effect on the handling characteristics of the EQV. A top speed of up to 160 km/h also ensures that you quickly get to where you are going outside an urban environment.
With the battery placed on the vehicle’s floor, the EQV’s interior space hasn’t been compromised and is still functional with patrons being able to benefit from numerous seating configurations. Six individual seats are available as standard unless otherwise specified with a longer wheelbase that allows the EQV to be converted to a 7 or an 8 seater.
The V Class is one of those Mercedes Benz cars that you want to have in your garage for a long term basis. Long trips, business trips and family trips, this is the perfect car to be driven in because it has everything you need. It would be interesting in the future when the car can also come with its own wifi…
Mercedes V-Class (2019) pricing in SA:
V200 d R913 951
V220 d R955 518
V250 d R 1 027 686
V220 d Avantgarde R1 247 819
V250 d Avantgarde R1 292 474