A report from The Times of India had said in September that Mercedes-Benz plans to launch the V-Class in India. According to a new report from Autocar India, the company will introduce the luxury minivan in January 2019.
Back in 1999, Mercedes-Benz had launched the MB100 and MB140 vans in India, and now, it’s set to reattempt presence in the CV segment with the V-Class. The V-Class is not very far from being the benchmark for minivans, and the company proudly calls it “the spacious sedan with the star.” It was under evaluation for a launch here since its last full model change in 2014. A while before that, Force Motors was evaluating licensing and rebranding the first-gen Viano for the Indian market, but the project was then shelved.
Internationally, the Mercedes V-Class is available in three lengths, compact (4,895 mm), long (5,140 mm) and extra-long (5,370 mm). There are three equipment lines to select from, namely standard, Avantgarde and Exclusive. The top-of-the-line grade is made in only the long version. As for the layouts, a six-seat layout with four individual rear seats is standard, but there are options to specify one or even two rows of three-seater benches. Customers can choose the rear seats facing each other or aligned.
Large panoramic sliding roof, electric sliding doors, seat heating and lumbar support, thermal cup holders and centre console with a five-litre cooling compartment are some of the main features designed for the comfort of rear-seat passengers.
Multiple engine options are available internationally, but in India, Daimler has decided to offer the OM 654 four-cylinder diesel engine that had its world premiere in the latest Mercedes E-Class. In India, the company will offer the BSVI-compliant 2.0-litre variant (194 PS/400 Nm), which is already in use in the facelifted C-Class and the E-Class (incl. All Terrain).
Also Read: 2018 Mercedes CLS launched in India, Priced at INR 84.70 lakh
The Mercedes V-Class will arrive in India as a CBU import from Spain, but Daimler will think on locally assembling should the volumes start growing. Expect the luxury minivan to cost in the region of INR 75-80 lakh (ex-showroom), at which it will attract mostly companies looking for the ultimate shuttle.
[Source: autocarindia.com]
