WeeklySA_AdminA TOUCH OF CLASS: Stepping inside the V-Class is akin to entering a spacious, comfortable and luxurious lounge
By Ali Mphaki
When it debuted on the local scene in 2…, suddenly everything else began to look mundane, tame, and even boring.
And when the opposition first set their eyes on her, a lump formed in the throat of the Toyota Quantum taxi driver slaloming through heavy traffic, the heart of the sure-footed Hyundai H10 pilot skipped a beat, and a silent curse emanated from the proud lips of a VW Caravele driver…
Yerrrrrrrrrrr! was their collective cry in unison.
Call it the flip of the script, for to a large extent the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz V-Class was a game changer, its unintended victims/rivals as afore-mentioned having to endure the ignominy of being relegated to the second division when it comes to exclusive MPVs.
The Mercedes-Benz V-Class hit it almost immediately and became a favourite among well-heeled businesspeople and elite families, setting high standards which will continue to be copied but seldom emulated.
And now that the updated 2024 iteration of the flagship Exclusive model has broken cover in South Africa, once more raising barriers a notch-high, its all to do for rivals if they want to catch up with the Merc V-Class. Their work is certainly cut out for them.
From the outside, the new V-Class V300d Exclusive makes its presence felt with a bold front grille with LED lighting, a robust bumper and the prestigious upright Mercedes-Benz star on the hood.
Other sophisticated exterior touches include
Adaptive Multibeam LED headlights while the redesigned rear bumper and LED taillights contribute to a cohesive, modern look. This model also gets an AMG spoiler lip on the tailgate, black-tinted rear windows, and chrome side skirts.
Enthusiasts have a choice of seven paint colours, including the new Kalahari Gold Metallic and Sodalite Blue Metallic.
The new V-Class stands on19-inch ‘Monobloc’ light alloy wheels, with the option of a more traditional wheel design at no extra cost. And since this is a Mercedes-Benz, the cabin is all you’d come from this esteemed marque.
Welcoming you is a 64-colour ambient lighting system and a widescreen that houses two 12.3-inch displays, while the centre console gains a wireless phone charger. A Burmester sound system is fitted as standard.
The standard interior configuration seats six occupants, while a fold-out table and swivelling seats can create a lounge-like set-up if desired. But those willing to pay extra can opt for a “luxury” seating option, with upgraded seats with massage and recline functions.
Row two’s seat can be swivelled to face the opposite side. These seats are standard fare.
If you’re just carpooling, the second row has individual captain seats as standard, with solid and classy-looking airline trays against the front seats that can be used for drawing or, when there are adults seated, for working on a laptop. Both sliding doors can be opened or closed by pushing a button in the B-pillar or on the centre console up front.Wireless convenience: Enjoy features like wireless smartphone charging and keyless start.
• Immerse yourself: Set the perfect mood with an ambient lighting system featuring 64 colour options.
• Unparalleled comfort: Choose between the standard six-seater configuration with a fold-out table or the optional luxury seating for five, featuring reclining seats with massage functions.
Fuel consumption figures are commendable for its class, with combined consumption rates ranging from approximately 8.8 to 9 litres per 100 kilometres including both highway and city driving.
Motoring: Briefs
GOING ELECTRIC
More than 40 percent of South Africans are considering purchasing an electrified vehicle in the next five years according to a recent survey by Ford Motor Company, with most preferring hybrid technology.
As part of its multi-market research, Ford spoke with South African car owners and those looking to buy a new car to understand how they viewed electrified vehicles so that it could be better prepared in its pursuit of an electric future.
The research revealed key insights about South African drivers, including:
More than 30 percent of respondents said they’d ridden in an electric vehicle with 19 percent claiming to have driven one, more than 70 percent said they’d read about electric vehicles.
SUZUKI SURPRISE
Surprise! Suzuki’s first electric SUV to be produced in India from 2025 will also be supplied to Toyota, which will also sell it worldwide under its own brand. The news confirms the two Japanese manufacturers’ desire to “intensify collaboration in the field of electrified vehicles”.
This means that the battery-powered compact SUV anticipated by the Suzuki eVX concept will be sold under both the Suzuki and Toyota brands, somewhat like other hybrid models are already being sold today. The short joint press release announcing the arrival of the new SUV makes no mention of the eVX, but it seems quite clear that it will be the production evolution of the concept unveiled in 2023.
The announcement clearly mentions that Suzuki will supply Toyota with its new electric SUV, which will be produced in India’s Suzuki Motor Gujarat plant from spring 2025.
TOYOTA MINI LAND
CRUISER
If there’s one car we’ve talked about at length this year, it’s the Toyota mini Land Cruiser. As you may already know, it’s a small compact SUV that is expected to be unveiled soon. The bad news is that it may not be coming to Europe to inherit the role of cheap 4×4 from the defunct Suzuki Jimny.
Aesthetically, the car should be based on the prototype Compact Cruiser EV, although we consider it as its name implies, as a scaled-down Land Cruiser.
And now we move on to the rumours section. It is said that the mini Land Cruiser will be called Toyota Land Cruiser FJ and that it will share the platform and chassis with the Hilux Champ, a ‘low cost’ pick-up that is manufactured in Thailand, the country where the off-roader will also come from.
Mechanically, there is talk of the Hilux’s turbodiesel engine, a 2.8-litre four-cylinder block with light hybridisation, but it seems strange that a compact model would be powered by such a large engine.
All-wheel drive would have to be available for off-road adventures and there would also have to be hill descent control and a variety of driving programmes, including one or more for off-road use.
MASERATI NOT SO
BEAUTIFUL
Maserati is in huge trouble. Earlier this month the boss was fired, and now we can see why. Its sales figures were released by parent company Stellantis.
In the first nine months of 2024, just 11,800 Maseratis were sold. In the same period last year it was 20,400. And even that is less than half what Maserati really should sell, given the market it operates in. The Grecale is up against huge sellers including the BMW X3, Mercedes GLC Coupe and Porsche Macan.
At the recent Paris motor show Stellantis’s boss Carlos Tavares spoke about low sales at Maserati as well as Stellantis’s other European premium brands, Alfa Romeo and DS.
“Maserati is in the red. The reason is marketing. The Maserati brand is not clearly positioned and the storytelling is not how it should be. The brand is not just about sports cars, it’s about gran turismo, it’s about quality of life, dolce vita and technology.
