Mercedes Viano Vision Diamond - the Maybach of vans

Mercedes Viano Vision Diamond

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the Viano Vision Diamond at Beijing, a utilitarian Mercedes van with the interior of a Maybach.

The Maybach brand didn’t do Mercedes any favours, with German glitterballs proving no match for British (oh, alright, German-ish) understated elegance in the Rolls Royce Phantom.

Maybach has now been re-consigned to the dustbin of history and likely only ever to be seen as a badge to denote the glitziest model in the next S Class range. But perhaps Mercedes would do better calling their latest Viano the Viano Maybach instead of the Viano Vision Diamond?

The Viano is arguably better looking than a Maybach and the interior is up there with the ‘First Class’ cabin feel and size of the 62S.

Acres of room – as you would expect in the back of a van built for two – swathed in white from the leather to the carpets to the roof. Multimedia abounds with a 40″ screen, B&O sound and iPads. All the glass in the back gets the ‘Magic Sky’ controls so passengers can control their exposure to the masses, and to the driver who sits in a black leather cabin separated by a glass screen.

The exterior of the Viano Maybach has been titivated too with a two-tone paint job (Maybach again), black radiator grill and chromed grill louvres. There’s a hand painted gold line separating the two colours, painted diamonds on the B-pillar and a set of five-spoke alloys.

You could probably have this Viano Vision Diamond for less than the amount Mercedes are discounting Maybachs in the States to get rid of them ($100k), although Mercedes aren’t putting a price on it.

But one thing’s for sure; it’s a better way to arrive than a Maybach.