QUICK SUMMARY
Mercedes has revealed a new van concept called the V Vision. It features a pair of lay-flat seats in the rear and a cinema system with a 65-inch 4K display and 42 speakers.
Revealed at the Shanghai Motor Show, the concept demonstrates what a future V-Class luxury minivan might look like.
What happens when you mix an electric van with a private cinema, a first class airline cabin and the translucent case of an old Apple iMac? The answer might well be the Vision V concept by Mercedes-Benz.
Revealed on the eve of the Shanghai Motor Show, the Vision V is a look at what the future of VIP transportation might look like.
Forget stretched limos and SUVs. Today’s celebrities and high-flyers want luxury vans to shuttle them between hotels, arenas and board rooms – and Mercedes knows it better than most, thanks to the success of its current V-Class lineup.
Representing what could be the flagship of a new era of plush V-Class vans, the V Vision has just two passenger seats. Separated by a large armrest, they both fully recline for naps between business engagements, while a whopping 65-inch, 4K cinema screen rises from the floor and acts as a partition between you and your driver.
That’s hooked up to a 42-speaker sound system with Dolby Atmos support, while seven projectors beam onto the side windows, which act as additional screens, working in tune with an ambient lighting system that responds to music. There are even exciters in the seats which turn music beats into a haptic experience delivered directly to your body.
Several of the speakers are housed in transparent door panels that remind me of the colour Apple iMac G3 from the Nineties, while another compartment houses a set of chess pieces for when you want a break from the massive TV screen.
Described by Mercedes as “exceptionally spacious” the rear lounge area is separated from the two-seat “cockpit” by a glass screen that can be switched from transparent to opaque with the touch of a button.
The lounge area is upholstered in white Nappa leather and matching silk, along with more traditional elements of open-pore burr wood. Display cabinets (one housing those chess pieces) are made from dark wood and sit in sideboards.
They also provide space for handbags, sunglasses and smartphones, plus game controllers for interacting with the cinema display. A touchpad for controlling the infotainment system sits on the centre console, which also houses a display cabinet, along with a fold-out table.
The seats are a thing of beauty. Electronically adjustable, they’re made of tubular cushions finished in Nappa leather and held together with aluminium clasps, and sit on polished aluminium bases. Upping the atmospheric ante even further is a cabin fragrance, housed in a bottle also made from polished aluminium.
Up front, the driver gets access to Mercedes’ familiar Superscreen, which sees three displays housed in the dashboard. Since it’s a concept, not much else is known about how it drives. Mercedes has also said the 24-inch wheels feature “illuminated louvres” and the rear window is framed by more than 450 more, serving as the brake lights.
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