Mercedes-Benz Minivan Spotted!

airbur

Although I'm not a large Mercedes fan, on a recent trip to Vail Colorado from Denver I spotted a line of Mercedes vehicles with a Mercedes Minivan in the middle, heavily covered with tape and body cladding. It had a California license plate. I was able to snap 4 shots with my digital camera. I believe it looks similar to the one available in Europe but I'm not sure. Anyone interested let me know here.

verozahl

Porsche SUV... Mercedes minivan... hahahaha

ascariss

Airbur, if possible I would like to see those pics, and could you psot them somewhere on the web, because I have a felling it could be the next V class, or even the Vito, I doubt that its the Vaneo, too european for it to fit here.

Kirstie_H

Huh. I got a message that the album was currently empty.

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

ascariss

Ok thanks, but it says this: "This album is currently empty".

verozahl

Wouldn't it be great if they rebadged an old Plymouth minivan as a Benz? Betcha it would sell.. put the tristar instead of the pentastar hood ornament on! INSTANT major profit margins!

Kirstie_H

Betcha it would be perceived as fraudulant.

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

machiavelli

Very interesting, airbur! I haven't heard anything about a MB minivan or seen any pictures, until now. You should try to sell these pics to a car magazine or something.

Kirstie_H

OK, maybe it's just my imagination, but I think I spotted l'aire d'Aztek in the styling.

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host
Edmunds.com

ascariss

When did you take these pictures? Cause if it was recent then, MB will be bringing this here, since MB doesn't test their cars in the US like that. BTW great photos, sell them, the magazine will buy them. This van is the MB V class (W639), this van will have better interior quality materials but will have built by the commercial vehicle division of MB. I should think MB will bring this to the US, since the van could make it here. The model you saw was the short wheelbase or standard wheelbse version, since there will be a LWB version in Europe. I cannot tell by the photos but the van might have mirror turn signals and the van is scheduled to make its debut towards the end of next year. Most likely the frankfurt auto show, but if not then the Paris show. Expect some more news after or during the frankfurt show, September 7 or 11 or around that time. Again great pics.

coolguyky7

It doesn't appear to be a model that would go head to head with the likes of Odyssey and its competition.

ascariss

Well it still depends where MB decides to position this van in their line up, they will most likely have the car as a luxury van, to compete with the likes ofthe Chrysler town & country, but in the end its the same company, DCX. I myself would like to see this car equiped with some nice features and good engines, but again I have no idea what options or engines this van will have. BUT, if this car is not destined for the the US/CAN market, then it will only be a european and most likely other country(asia, South america) car. If so then the van will have a multiple of desiel engines and some gasoline(petrol) most not exceding 3 litre.

chevel67ni

A FEW WEEKENDS AGO MY COUSIN AND I WERE HEADING TO A BBQ AFTER A DAY AT THE DRAG RACES. AS WE WERE HEADING THROUGH GOLDEN I SPOTTED A MB CARAVAN SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF A PARKING LOT. WHAT MADE THEM STAND OUT WAS THE MASKING OF THE BODY. I NOTICED RIGHT AWAY THAT THE TWO MASKED CARS WERE THE NEW MAYBACH THATS TO BE COMING OUT IN A FEW YEARS. SINCE MY DIGITAL RAN OUT DURING THE RACES I RACED TO THE NEAREST SAFEWAY AND GRABBED THE BEST DISPOSABLE CAMERA I COULD FIND. AS MY COUSIN AND I WERE EXITING THE SAFEWAY PARKING LOT I COULD SEE THE MERCEDES DRIVING AWAY. I HANDED MY COUSIN THE CAMERA AND AS HE WAS TAKING PICTURES THE DRIVERS WERE COVERING THEIR FACES. ANYWAY, THERE WERE A FEW GOOD PICTURES SO IF ANYONE WANTS TO SEE SOME LET ME KNOW.

THANKS

NICHOLAS

ascariss

chevel67ni, hey there, if possible any pictures would be welcomed. If possible post them for people to see, since I would like to.

airbur

It must have been the same Mercedes caravan because I also saw the other vehicles as well. I did not know it was the Maybach that was trailing behind them. It caught my eye first though because the tail lights were like nothing I had seen on a Mercedes. I didn't get a change to photo the others though.

airbur

The pics were taken 2 weeks ago in CO.

chevel67ni

Could you guys explain how to post photos? This is my first time in this kind of forum. Put down some emails too that way if I cant post them I could email them.

Nick
[email protected]

chevel67ni

HERE YOU GUYS GO!

THE PICTURES ARENT THAT GREAT (DISPOSABLE CAMERA) BUT YOU CAN STILL GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THE CARS LOOK LIKE.

NICK

http://photos.yahoo.com/chevel67ni

ascariss

amazing what you jsut captured. Pictures aren't great, have you seen some of the spy pics these days. Ok good news and bad news. Ok the bad news, in My Pictures0016.jpg you can see the MB van, I think in the mirror. But I am not sure, I can only see the side of the van. Also the bad news is why would MB still be testing the car in a covered fashion, its been shown to people and the public. Whatever, they can do it if they want to. Ok the good news, you just saw the one ofthe prototypes of the 2005/6 MB S Class, yup no joke. Most likely undergoing hot weather testing or something like that. Again great pics dude. The S class is still in very early prototype stage undergoing the new suspension and new technologies testing. I guessing the final body shape is what we see in the picture but covered up like the SLK. The car's body is still being tested and tweeked back in Stutgardt. Now in My Pictures0006.jpg, My Pictures0010.jpg, there is the new SL, and I was wondering why its rear lights look somewhat covered up in the rear, or it could just be the picture. Again your lucky for seeing this new S class, and if there are any other pics, or you can get these at higher quality it would appreciatted. So again awesome pics. And expect more of the car to be testing around Colorodo.:)

chevel67ni

Well cool. I thought it was the new Maybach. If you dont mind, how do you know its the new S class? Also there were three other vehicles with the new S classes. There was a van looking vehicle, a new S class and a right hand drive SL. Im heading out to California for a week this afternoon so I probably wont be hitting this website so if you have any other questions, email me.

Nick

whotheman

And they're gonna call it "The M-CLass", and it'll be built here, and it'll come with V-6 and....oh damn!

ascariss

Do you mean the V Class in Europe will be called the M-CLass, huh? There is another merc van here, the MB Sprinter, but its built by Freightliner, and if MB decides to use the New Van(V class or Vito) to be built as a commercial van, not passenger, then it will be built by freightliner. But I would hope the new merc van would have a name that shouldn't change from its original. But I would think the van will be built in germany and will be shipped over here, and assembled here. Unless you have any evidence otherwise, then I would hope the van shouldn't change much except for a facelift.

machiavelli

I think he was trying to make a joke that the M-Class looks more like a minivan than an SUV.

whotheman

LOL!

bored

Yeah! Those things are everywhere! I wonder how they have been able to get their hands on them since '99. It's absolutely amazing! Maybe they are paying thousands more to have them produced early. Oops, that must be why they have so many problems. (So I've Heard)

One of those Mercedes Minivans.......err......SUV's jumped in front of me today. I was driving my uncle's Dodge Ram 2500. Maybe that person didn't want their minivan........err..............SUV anymore. They also wanted to be severly injured.