Mercedes Beats VW to the Conversion Van Market within the States

Final summer time we advised you VW was loopy to not convey its new California Camper van to the U.S. Their logic has been it might simply be too costly to promote to American patrons, as a result of VW makes its vans in Europe, and exporting them right here would in all probability imply getting dinged with the notorious “hen tax,” a U.S. tariff that makes it almost unattainable for People to purchase imported vehicles (or something the federal government says is a truck), so that they’d concern not with the ability to promote them for lower than about $70,000.

Behold, then, the American-made Mercedes-Benz Metris Weekender that’s a fats finger within the eye of Volkswagen. It’s set to go on sale later this spring and it’ll run roughly, properly, $70,000. Should you assume that worth is steep, for the reason that extant passenger model of the Metris begins within the mid-$30okay worth vary, properly it’s, and it’ll be fascinating to see what number of Weekenders promote. However Mercedes clearly studied the market, since they’re partnering with the identical outfit, Seattle’s Peace Vans, which already makes a Weekender conversion for $25,000.

What you get by shopping for it by way of Mercedes is seller supply and guarantee safety.

Both means, just like the Peace Van version, there’s sleeping for 4. Two folks can crash within the pop-top, the place there’s a reminiscence foam mattress and three-windows with built-in bug netting, and added USB ports for lights, charging, et cetera.

Beneath, the rear bench converts to a fold-out mattress as properly, and slides fore-aft on rails, for further cargo capability behind it. The entrance seats swivel as captains chairs, to face inward, and there’s an built-in desk, too. The package deal consists of further USB energy ports, a second battery for campsite energy, and privateness curtains all through, together with for the windshield.

You may bake extra into the pie if you happen to’d like, too.

Choices embrace built-in roof photo voltaic panels, an awning, bug screens that tuck into the sliding door/rear hatch, and a tent that tethers off the rear liftgate. Additionally, Mercedes touts an elective kitchen that slides out of the hatch. We presume this can be a range unit and shelving on rails, although we haven’t seen this setup.

Within the plus nook, we’ll say the Metris is the one mannequin within the astonishingly mediocre van area that’s really fulfilling to drive. Partly it is because it’s exceedingly sedanlike, tackling curves if not fairly with sporty verve, no less than capably and confidently.

And that is partly as a result of Mercedes makes normal a characteristic referred to as Crosswind Help, which makes use of the steadiness management system to counter the forces of an oncoming or passing truck, to not point out straight-up Mom Nature-created Siroccos and Chinooks. The expertise is sort of a delicate hand serving to preserve you in your lane, which is exceedingly useful and really a lot opposite to the same old sailing-a-three-masted-schooner sensation of piloting different brick-like rigs throughout six lanes of Interstate.

The opposite massive deal: The Metris is quiet! Shockingly quiet for a boxy car, and so it’s an excellent foundation for what you would possibly consider as a home-away-from-home, and is rather more refined than one thing just like the Ford Transit, which is basically focused at business prospects.

However, though the Metris is fairly peppy, with 208 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque from its four-cylinder, 2.Zero-liter gasoline engine, we do surprise if the additional payload and wind resistance of the pop-top gained’t make climbing an extended uphill grade—like ascending into the Rockies—a sloglike problem. Additionally, it’s solely supplied with rear-wheel drive, and floor clearance is a strictly carlike three.eight inches. (Thoughts you, that’s for the bottom components of the undercarriage and the remainder is nearer to six inches, however the Metris continues to be constructed for pavement or, at most, the gentlest of fireside roads.)

Peace Vans does provide a 1.5-inch raise equipment, however that’s not being bought by way of Mercedes-Benz, sadly. Then once more, image-wise, Mercedes is providing to allow you to wrap yours in as much as 200 completely different 3M configurations. We’re hoping these are cool and tasteful moderately than garish, as a result of: Mercedes.

It’s straightforward to scream that the worth of admission for the Weekender is much too costly; simply what number of weekend leases of different folks’s vans might you pack into your summer time earlier than you’d get near the ding of annual funds on a Metris Weekender? However there’s not a whole lot of draw back for Mercedes. They already promote the Metris right here, and in the event that they promote some extra as Weekenders possibly that additionally means different manufacturers will up their camper dialog innovation sport. And that might undoubtedly be factor now wouldn’t it.