Check out these van-tastic new cars
SINGAPORE — If your idea of a luxury car is a stretch limo, maybe these new cars can change your mind. Last Friday saw the Singapore launch of three machines that could well redefine posh motoring.
Daimler Southeast Asia kicked things off with the new Mercedes-Benz Vito, which is a commercial vehicle that also comes in passenger form as the V-class.
It is pretty much the biggest Mercedes you can buy in Singapore on a price per square foot basis. The Vito’s price starts at $125,988 with COE for a version that’s 5.14m long and 1.93m wide.
(That works out to $1,181psf, in case you were wondering. Quite a lot for a 10-year leasehold ‘property’, even if you park it on Orchard Road!)
MORE: Everything you need to know about the Vito and upcoming V-Class
From behind the wheel, the Vito could almost pass off as one of Mercedes’ traditional luxury machines (apart from having cloth seats instead of leather upholstery).
But luxury car buyers will be more interested in the V-Class, which has windows in the rear and can be bought with either seven or 10 seats. Its cabin has finer materials than the Vito, and better build quality.
Prices for the V-Class models have yet to be released, but Mercedes dealer Cycle&Carriage is taking bookings for the car.
Toyota has its own interpretation of a luxury van, however, in the form of the Alphard and Vellfire, its latest MPVs (or Multi Purpose Vehicles). Both were launched here last Friday, with prices ranging from $221,888 to $229,888 with COE.
Both cars are mechanically identical — they have the same engine and transmission, and are exactly the same size — but wear slightly different clothing.
The Alphard (pictured here in white) is meant to appeal to customers who admire great lashings of chrome, while the Vellfire (below, in black) has more understated styling to appeal to younger clients.
Both embrace the home-away-from-home approach to luxury motoring. They have a drop-down LCD screen for movie screenings, and their middle row seats are full Ottoman-style chairs that recline and come with fold-up footrests.
Although hardly inexpensive, the Alphard and Vellfire offer plenty of real estate for the money. Unlike traditional luxury sedans that emphasise power and precision handling, they are probably aimed at those who like to be driven.
MORE: Full details of the new Alphard and Vellfire
Both the Toyotas are cheaper than, say, the facelifted Audi A6 (which costs $250,800 with COE), but offer significantly more space inside.
If they sell well, the success of cars like these will signal a shift to a new philosophy for luxury motoring: Go large, and then go home — in the back.
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