Mercedes-Benz Metris Is North America's V-Class
Mercedes-Benz is introducing a version of its V-Class van to the North American market, and is using the SEMA show to preview the new vehicles.
While powertrains have not been announced, the van, dubbed the Metris, will be 202-inches long, and come in both passenger and cargo vans. Automotive News is reporting that
As with the larger Sprinter van, the Metris will be made in Europe and shipped to the Daimler Vans plant in Ladson, S.C., for final assembly…Cargo versions will come from Vitoria, with the drivetrain, fuel tank and battery removed to avoid a 25 percent tariff known as the “chicken tax.” Those components will be reinstalled at the Ladson plant. It’s the same process cargo versions of the Sprinter undergo. Passenger vans are not subject to the chicken tax.
TTAC first reported on the possible importation of the V-Class roughly a year ago.
More by Derek Kreindler
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Have you all seen the camper version of this? http://www.richestlifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/mercedes-benz-v-class-marco-polo-1.jpg $77K
My first thought when I saw this van was "carpets". Installation or cleaning, I'm not sure.
"Engineered to move the human spirit." "Mercedes-Benz. The future of the automobile.' "Unlike any other." "Engineered like no other car in the world." "The best or nothing at all." "Das beste oder nichts!"
Luxury vans are the executive transport of choice in much of Asia. Eventually American mucky-mucks will figure it out. They're far roomier than black sedans or SUVs, and ride better than most of the SUVs. Mercedes is ahead of the curve on this one, between the Sprinter (which is already a frequent conversion target) and now the more traffic-manageable V-Class.