The Mercedes V-Class has become a desired status symbol for South Africans seeking a top-notch family vehicle with all the bells and whistles.
Yet with a price tag of R2.2 million, the recently updated flagship people mover is out of reach for most. However, Mercedes-Benz Vans is now offering a less expensive alternative.
Priced at R1,264,200 in five-seat Mixto guise and R1,360,000 as an eight-seat Tourer, the new Mercedes Vito Select plugs the gap between the regular Vito people mover models and the aforementioned V-Class.
The Mixto Select, with 4.1 cubic metres of luggage space, is aimed at sports enthusiasts and hobbyists, while the Tourer Select, with its flexible eight-seat configuration, was created for larger families and high-end shuttle services.
Beate Mey, marketing manager for Mercedes-Benz Vans SA, said the Select marks a milestone for the brand in South Africa:
“Previously, only our illustrious V-Class was designed specifically with private customers in mind, whereas the rest of our lineup - the commercial Vito, Sprinter, and eSprinter - was created for business applications,” Mey said.
“While the V-Class remains the ultimate luxury van, the Select focuses on versatility and play, providing a dynamic, engaging, yet still premium experience at a differentiated price point.”
Customers can look forward to a generous array of standard features on the Select models.
Cockpit features include a 10.25-inch MBUX touchscreen infotainment system, 5.5-inch TFT driver display, wireless smartphone charging and heated multifunction steering wheel.
Also standard is synthetic black leather upholstery for all seats, which are powered at the front, and electric operation for the sliding doors and tailgate.
Driver assist features come in the form of Cruise Control, Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Attention Assist and Parking Package with Reverse Camera.
Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine that produces 140kW and 440Nm, which is 20kW and 60Nm more than the regular Vito Tourer Pro offers. Power goes to the rear wheels through a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
Externally the Select is told apart from regular Vito vans by its colour-coded bumpers and chromed grille, and customers can choose from eight exterior colours and three wheel styles. 17-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels are standard, but buyers of the Tourer can opt for 20-inch rims at no extra cost.
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