Dawn of a New Era: Vision V Sets the Stage for a New Segment of Luxury Limousines
04/22/2025
Mercedes-Benz
The introduction of the modular, flexible, and scalable Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA) marks the beginning of a new era for Mercedes-Benz in 2026. This innovative architecture reimagines spacious, privately positioned vehicles elevating them into the luxury segment with a focus on the "Private Lounge". The future model portfolio will cater to a range of customer needs offering a versatile, spacious vehicle designed to provide exceptional space and comfort. From exclusive VIP and high-end limousine transport to luxurious family vehicles, the new model will deliver on both the flexibility customers require and the refined luxury they desire. By expanding the top-end of its model portfolio, Mercedes-Benz Vans is defining a unique segment of its own that bestows true greatness to automotive luxury.
The Vision V concept car offers a first look of the top-end version in this new segment. It embodies Mercedes-Benz' vision of combining expansive space with unparalleled exclusivity and an immersive digital experience. The Vision V represents a luxurious and elegant chauffeur-driven limousine that traditional craftsmanship with cutting edge technology, delivering a groundbreaking holistic experience with a cocooning effect. The sporty, elegant exterior underlines the iconic design and signals dynamism and status at the same time.
Redefining Space & Luxury: A Lounge-Like Interior
The Vision V introduces an open, lounge-inspired interior that emphasizes elegance and functionality. Features such as the large, automatically opening "portal"-door on the right-hand side and the illuminated, retractable running board provide effortless access to the rear lounge. An intelligent, switchable glass partition separates the "Private Lounge" from the driver's area. Offering customizable transparency for privacy or communication, the glass can be changed from transparent to opaque, either completely or in sections.
The "Private Lounge" seating area is exceptionally spacious, offering an open ambience that conveys an unprecedented feeling of freedom, security and tranquility. The aesthetics of the spacious interior seamlessly blends elegance with cutting-edge technology. Traditionally crafted materials harmonize with hyper-modern, tech-savvy elements creating a stylish and unexpected innovative environment that redefine luxury for the digital age.
Crystal white Nappa leather and shimmering white silk create a contrast with large decorative elements crafted from open-pore burr wood. Display cabinets, similar to an exclusive sideboard, are integrated into the dark wood trim along the side walls and framed by polished aluminum trim strips. They provide elegant storage for personal accessories such as handbags, sunglasses, or smartphones. A game controller for racing games and one of 42 Dolby Atmos surround-sound speakers are also stylishly incorporated. Additional speakers, housed in round glass enclosures, are mounted on handmade design brackets that protrude stylishly from the side walls, further enhancing the elegant, open living ambience. The center console between the two individual seats is a showcase of both form and function, doubling as a display cabinet. It features a touchpad for operating the infotainment system and a fold-out table that, when extended, transforms into a valuable chessboard - an homage to the timeless beauty and artistry of traditional craftsmanship. For ultimate convenience, the center console automatically adjusts to the respective seating position.
Innovative Seating with Futuristic Design
The first-class seats are reminiscent of elegant lounge chairs, resting on polished aluminum bases. Crafted from highly flexible tubular cushions, they feature a distinctive futuristic design with shiny polished aluminum clasps securing the individual cushion tubes. The electrically adjustable seats offer the best ergonomics to ensure first-class travel comfort and can recline into a comfortable flatbed position for ultimate relaxation.
All-round ambient lighting with strip lighting and a ceiling lamp, creates an individualized and cozy living room-like environment. Adding to the sensory experience, a refined fragrance is housed in a polished aluminum bottle positioned behind the center console.
First-Class Digital Experiences in the Immersive "Private Lounge"
A standout feature of the "Private Lounge" seating area is the retractable 65-inch cinema screen - with split-screen functionality - housed beneath the floor. When passengers enter and the doors close, the screen elegantly rises, as if by magic, from a console adorned with burr wood and Nappa leather.
Through the transparent floor slats, passengers can observe as the display extends and partitions the "Private Lounge" area from the cockpit. Once activated, the cinema screen transforms the interior into an unparalleled immersive environment, offering a level of experience never seen before in a vehicle.
The cinema screen delivers 4K resolution, displaying video and games with exceptional sharpness and detail. Complementing this is the Dolby Atmos surround-sound system with 42 loudspeakers, including exciters embedded in the seats, that turn music into a haptic experience. Seven projectors integrated into the roof liner and floor expand the visual field, while the side windows function as additional projection surfaces creating a dynamic 360-degree digital experience. This unique cocooning effect is further enhanced by integrated ambient lighting that adjusts to the rhythm of the music. The 65-inch cinema screen is operated via the touchpad in the center console, allowing it to extend and retract seamlessly from the floor.
The "Private Lounge" also features innovative switchable glass technology, found in the partition wall to the driver's area, the floor slats and the windowpanes. The advanced glass can transition from transparent to various levels of opacity in milliseconds offering privacy, sun protection, or dynamic digital displays. Tiny liquid crystals in the glass align themselves using electrical voltage, ensuring a customizable and exclusive environment tailored to passenger preferences.
Seven Interactive Worlds of Experience for a New Level of Personalized Luxury
The immersive digital environment of the Vision V offers passengers an impressive depth of engagement inviting them to dive into seven distinct experiential worlds, each tailored to elevate luxury and personalization:
Entertainment: Relax and enjoy the journey with a film from the video carousel or music from a favorite artist. In audio mode, a digital soundbar provides an immersive music experience. The cinema screen can also be partially extended, serving as a digital interface to the soundbar.
Relax: Unwind after a stressful day by reclining the seats to relax mode. A soothing landscape moves gently across the cinema screen accompanied by soft music.
Gaming: For gaming enthusiasts, the Vision V transforms into an entertainment hub offering games like racing simulations controlled with a game controller, included with the vehicle.
Work: Redefining mobile productivity, the Vision V supports traditional office tools such as calendars and video calls, while a personal assistant structures routine tasks and prepares curated information.
Shopping: Explore an interactive shopping experience from buying tickets for a golf tournament or a tennis event to selecting a new ring or perfume. The virtual storefront presents items as if they would be in a real store front.
Discovery: Experience surroundings in a whole new way with surround navigation displayed on the 65-inch cinema screen. Using 3D game-engine graphics and augmented reality overlays, the system realistically depicts the vehicle's surroundings.
Karaoke: The Vision V hits all the high notes with room to perform all your favorite songs for the ultimate karaoke experience while driving.
Elevated Cockpit Technology
The Vision V's cockpit delivers a state-of-the-art digital experience centered around the Superscreen with three screens extending from pillar to pillar. The user interface and user experience are tailored to individual preferences. Real-time graphics provide access to all essential information - from the dynamic virtual instrument cluster to surround navigation, which displays the vehicle's surroundings on the map in real time and in conjunction with the assistance systems.
Aerodynamic Exterior Design: Sleek Silhouette with Innovative Aesthetics
The exterior design of the Vision V represents the next evolution of the unique Mercedes-Benz design philosophy defined by sensual purity. The sculptural appearance is characterized by innovative aesthetics and the highest standards of aerodynamic performance. The overhangs and the front end are notably short, while the sides feature a particularly narrow waistline. The tautly stretched roofline transitions seamlessly into the smoothly rounded rear creating a streamlined silhouette that signifies both power and dynamic lightness. This confident design reflects self-assurance and offers a glimpse into the exceptional styling and driving experience that will define all future MPVs from Mercedes-Benz.
The eye-catching use of chrome trim elements and transparent illuminated louvres seamlessly blend tradition with future innovation. LED lighting, visible from every angle, emphasizes the proportions of the vehicle conveying a sense of motion, life and elegant sophistication. Complemented by the welcome screens on the chrome-plated B-pillars, it offers a preview of the exclusive and digitally immersive interior experience.
Iconic Design Elements Reimagined
The striking front of the Vision V is characterized by a newly interpreted chrome radiator grille, featuring three horizontal illuminated glass louvres. Almost 200 of these technical-style light elements surround the chrome frame with an additional 190 illuminated louvres in a pronounced open body gap below the bonnet. These louvres frame the side headlights, which showcase the iconic three-pointed Mercedes star. When passengers approach, the Vision V greets them with a dynamic and artistic light show across all the louvres, culminating in a brightly illuminated Mercedes star on the bonnet. The light elements below the headlights also function as indicators.
The Vision V's sporty proportions are emphasized with two pronounced power domes on the short bonnet, which extend into the cockpit, as well as large wheel arches and an expressive molded edge. This edge accentuates the vehicle's powerful volume in the side wall. It's precision in combination with the anthracite-colored, metallic shimmering alubeam paint and the chrome-plated window surrounds create the perfect balance of elegance and dynamism. The 24-inch wheels also feature illuminated louvres continuing the interplay of light and movement at the rear. The large rear window is framed by over 450 three-dimensional illuminated louvres, which function as both taillights and brake lights.