Mercedes-Benz Debuts V-Class MPV in China

The Mercedes-Benz V-Class will be available in China, beginning in April. The multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) has been tailored to the needs and wishes of Chinese customers. Production at Daimler’s local joint venture Fujian Benz Automotive Co. Ltd (FBAC) in Fuzhou has already started. The V-Class was launched in 2014.

With its unique concept, that combines the functionality of a van with the typical strengths of a Mercedes-Benz saloon, the V-Class is available in about 90 countries, according to the automaker.

“The V-Class is a key product of our international growth strategy ‘Vans goes global.’ With the V-Class, we offer an MPV of passenger car standard that can be adapted to market- and customer-specific demands worldwide thanks to a variety of equipment options. I am sure the V-Class will be popular with families, businesses, and shuttle operators in China, too,” said Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans.

Tailor-made to the demands of Chinese customers, the V-Class features include the panoramic sliding sunroof, large center console with refrigerator box and thermo cup holders, folding tables on the front-seat backrests, and luxury comfort seats in the rear. The exclusive seats are heated and climatized, and feature electrically adjustable backrests and thigh supports as well as a massage function, according to Mercedes-Benz.

Mercedes-Benz Vans expanded its plant in Fuzhou in the south-east of China with its first-ever research and development center outside Germany in 2013. The center focuses on models that are locally produced and marketed. In the development process of the new MPV it was possible to take full account of the market and customer specific needs in China, according to the company.

The launch of the V-Class in new markets and the local production in China are part of the global growth strategy of Mercedes-Benz “Vans goes global.” The goal is to further extend the business unit’s technology leadership, expand existing activities and tap into new growth potential outside the core European markets. In the past six months alone, the MPV celebrated its premiere in Japan and the Middle East. Mercedes-Benz Vans is now present for the first time with a vehicle for up to eight people in various markets, such as in Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates, according to the automaker.