There are some things vans are just better at. Hauling packages, accommodating a ton of people, camping, and even feeling like private jets for the road. From boogie vans to vanlife and everything in between, it’s amazing what you can pack into a box on wheels. Mercedes-Benz is embracing the van lifestyle in its own way by going all the way up the luxury scale with the Vision V concept, and if you’re familiar with the upscale vans of Asia, this is on a whole different level.
The whole purpose of this thing is to show off Van.EA, the electric architecture set to underpin the next eSprinter. If you’ve happened to catch a glimpse at the Gumball crowd and Hidden Hills set, you probably know that Sprinter vans outfitted like private jets are de rigeur for the 0.1 percent, but in China, the market for luxury vans is far greater. Lexus has one, Buick has one, Zeekr has one, Volvo has one, so for a debut in Shanghai, the Vision V Concept makes perfect sense, even if it’s on an entirely new level.
Let’s start with the entertainment system, because believe me, it’s a system. The main party piece is an enormous 65-inch cinema screen that rises out of the floor if rear passengers get bored of the small screens they already carry with them everywhere. It’s hooked up to a 42-speaker sound system with Dolby Atmos spatial audio and vibrating elements in the seats. If that’s not immersive enough, seven projectors are on tap to expand the bubble of fantasy, turning the side windows into displays and doing their best impression of being parked inside the Las Vegas Sphere.
Of course, the Vision V Concept wouldn’t be a Mercedes-Benz without enough ambient lighting for an entire strip club, but that’s somehow the least interesting part of the rear compartment. Check out those deep-recline rear seats that look like leather-wrapped foam rollers bundled together. Bask in the privacy afforded by the electroluminescent partition between the front seats and the rear occupants. Pull out the game controller to run a little Warzone. Oh, and then there’s the other party piece.
As far as I’m aware, no Maybach offers a built-in chessboard, but the Vision V Concept has one of the more elaborate sets in the automotive kingdom. The board itself folds out of the console like an airplane table, but perhaps the more interesting thing is the set of crystal pieces. They could make it difficult to distinguish between light and dark pieces, but they are pretty and certainly concept car stuff.
Then there’s the look of the Vision V Concept, which seems less repurposed cargo van and more overgrown B-Class. The same soft surfacing we’ve seen on the new CLA makes an appearance here, with enough chrome on display to reanimate Bill Mitchell. The stance, huge wheels, glass back, and relative lack of shut lines are pure concept car, but sometimes it’s okay to dream.
When the eventual production vans based on Mercedes-Benz’s new electric architecture arrive, don’t expect them to look quite like this. Still, it seems that someone at Mercedes-Benz is taking notice of the ultra-luxury van trend, so perhaps high-end Sprinter owners will eventually have an option that can be ordered straight from their local Mercedes-Benz dealer. Margins go brr, am I right?
Top graphic images: Mercedes-Benz; depositphotos.com
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It’s not too bad for a concept. Tone down the chrome and gentleman’s club interior and it is okay for a van.
So when Mercedes has contrived and pretentious chess sets it’s cool and perfectly fine, but when I, Rolls Royce do it-
ALDI version of the Lexus LM…?
That interior is about as relaxing looking as a Pachinko parlor. For the love of God Merc, tone it down.
If it wasn’t for the the hideous shape, wheels, front, hood, and rear, this might be okay.
Did people get paid to design this?
Nah – AI did it.
The days of the US being the largest automobile market are now over, and designs are changing to suit Chinese tastes.
Looking forward to see the low-end white-van version of this, of course with unpainted bumpers. For the budget-friendly version I’m guessing the included chess set will be made from unpainted injection moulded plastic?
Margins go BRRRRRR indeed.
It’s interesting it has to be aimed at the Asian markets they had Maybach sprinters there. Now it’s all Li auto, Geely brands, and
XPeng. They are probably just giving Yangwang ideas. Theirs will probably look better and be more practical with actual crazy features you didn’t know wete a thing. Not the pedantic chess set.
Aftermarket customised Sprinters with an equally aftermarket Maybach emblem, no doubt.
Unclear, some people swear they are the real deal but the Chinese do love to upfit things. I’ve only seen them in HK and Shanghai.
AFAIK, Merc never capitalised on lux vans like that. Bit of an oversight, I think.
Apparently they have been sold from the MB dealer in HK but not sure if they are getting them from an upfitter or not. They do look quite a bit different. They have body kits and two tone paint possibly different headlights. You never know what German companies are up to in China sometimes very strange things. Mercedes not understanding the market dynamics doesn’t surprise me much but quite a market. Could be one of those things where they don’t want to do it but allow it until they want to do it. I’m surprised VAG didn’t do a Porsche van in China. They sold way too many Porsche SUVs and the big shots love their vans.
At first, second and third glance this things looks like a hearse.
A hearse with distasteful wheels and the back end of a Rivian delivery van.
Distasteful also describes the interior. I get it — its an aspiration exercise, which is not the same as an expectoration exercise. The interior makes Las Vegas casinos look tame by comparison.
I hope nothing from this design carries into the next-generation Sprinter.
This thing is powered by the energy generated by Bruno Sacco spinning in his grave at 10000 rpm.
Is a crystal chess set really a good idea for a moving vehicle? Small bumps would constantly rearrange the pieces on the board. Big bumps will knock the pieces off the board entirely, creating a crystal shard former chess set. I know concept vehicles aren’t intended to be practical, but this is just plain stupid. If this is M-B’s vision for the future, they need to see an optometrist. Anyone should be able to see this is a dumb idea.
There are definitely magnets in the piece bases.
Yes, but the magnets look very small and the pieces are top heavy. The magnets might be adequate for very low speeds on smooth roads, but I am skeptical this chess set would be useful at typical speeds on typical imperfect public roads.
A 5/16″ dia x 1/16″ thick Neodymium magnet has a 2.1 lb pull.
You know, I’ll have to take your word for it.
If that is true, I suppose this chess set probably is technically feasible. I still think it is kind of a dumb “feature” though.
Fair.
The luxurious seats are stuffed with eagle down and the dashboard inlaid with the beaks of a thousand eagles. Also, there are some eagles under the floorboards.
Some well-known Mercedes customers had a thing for eagles ー fits.
I’ve never understood why “luxury” is apparently considered to mean total sensory overload in every conceivable way. Ultimate luxury to me would be just quietly existing somewhere in comfort for an extended period of time and not having 5 different things all competing for my attention at once.
Bentley, RR, Mercedes S class and Lexus LS all are? Or used to be all a out quiet refinement with as minimal NVH as possible.
This + the high up front investment
And used for typically short local trips are exactly the reasons why I thought Bentley and RR were a Perfect match to be EV leaders
Recent history shows their owners at BMW and VW had other ideas
Peak antisocial opulence.
For those rare occasions when you absolutely must travel beyond the walls of your gated community.
Now with projectors to expand the bubble of fantasy, turning the side windows into displays and doing their best to help you ignore the wretched refuse of the decaying society outside.
A symptom of a mentally ill culture.
I fondly remember a time when Nuevo Riche was a pejorative
I love how understated it is.
Sure from the outside… 😉
Peak Brougham.
Mercedes seems determined to Out-Ugly BMW when it comes to design.
I’m digging the judicious amount of chrome on this beast. It’s magnificent!
Customers: “We don’t like Mercedes EQ jelly bean shaped cars”
Mercedes: “Here you go”
Also, it’s good that Duolingo just released a chess tutorial program as between MB and Rolls Royce it looks like there’s going to be a lot of chess in the luxury automative future! They really know how to appeal to their oligarch customer base.
MB and RR designers just got around to finishing “The Queen’s Gambit” on Netflix.
The first carmaker with a 4D chess set wins!
Gorgeous minivan inside and out (lack of sidewall notwithstanding), but a good full-size conversion van can be luxurious for a few more people while having even more room for cargo.
You might want to “see” an optician.
Do the chess piece of store in the van somewhere convenient?
I’m pretty sure they are stored in the same place that Cheerios and Cheez-its are stored in my car. Between the seat bottom and the seat back.
See the photo of the interior with the big screen? The chess pieces are in holders mounted to the doors.
Thanks I did not squint enough to see it before.
I saw the size of those wheels and thought “what a gloriously smooth ride this thing must have” /s
Ford had the New Edge design, BMW gave us Flame Surfacing, and now we get Dubai Nighclub courtesy of Mercedes Benz.
GM gave us the vast seas of hard plastics.
Wagener still calls it ‘sensual purity’ (a term he invented with the W220), even though there’s nothing pure about it and my senses would rather not have experienced it.
That looks like an R-class kitted out for an episode of Westworld Season 4.