“We are S-Class-ing other body styles”, says Mercedes-Benz Boss

Sales of high-end luxury vans are steadily increasing around the world, especially so in markets like Asia, and Mercedes-Benz isn’t blind to this trend. The company has the V-Class in its portfolio but is working on an even more luxurious MPV. “We are S-Classing other types of models as well,” said Ola Kaellenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz, on the sidelines of the new S-Class launch in Germany.  

1. MPVs are increasingly becoming popular with luxury car buyers 
2. The VLS is expected to come with an electric powertrain 

Growing popularity of luxury MPVs 

Kaellenius went on to say, “The S-Class is the flagship, but customers’ needs in that segment are broader now than about 30 years ago. So, we have an S offering in the SUV space, the GLS, and for the MPV market, there is going to be a VLS.”

Indeed, customer preferences in the uber-luxury space have expanded beyond the sedan and are rapidly including the MPV body style as well. Last year, MG Motor India retailed 800 units of its M9 luxury electric MPV, while Toyota managed to sell 1,300 units of its Vellfire, impressive figures for an MPV that costs over Rs 1 crore. Even Kia, which significantly raised the price of its new Carnival, managed to find 1,400 buyers. The trend is even more apparent in larger markets such as the US and China, which are driving volumes.

Mercedes has previewed the upcoming VLS with the Vision V electric MPV concept.

Mathias Geisen, member of the Board at Mercedes, responsible for marketing and sales, too, noted this trend, “We see some regions like Asia where there is a shift from SUVs to stylish MPVs, and so, we will offer the S-Class, the GLS and the VLS to cater to this triangle of luxury.” 

Restating that the brand will have a VLE, Kaellenius also alluded to the fact that the VLE and VLS would have an electric powertrain. “An electric C-Class, the VLE and the VLS – we (will) launch many more electric products.”

Will the Mercedes VLS make it to India?

At the moment, not much is known about the specifications of the VLS and the VLE or if these will make it to India. But with Mercedes having recently announced the launch of the V-Class in India, it is very safe to assume they would eventually follow their global launch. Mercedes India has positioned itself in the high-end space of the luxury market – top-end vehicles or TEVs, as the brand likes to call them. Thus, this positioning, along with the growing interest in the space, would make the VLE and VLS very good fits whenever they arrive.