Mercedes-Benz Shows Off Viano Vision Diamond Van Concept [Beijing Auto Show]

Mercedes-Benz Shows Off Viano Vision Diamond Van Concept [Beijing Auto Show]:

Introducing the Mercedes-Benz Viano Vision Diamond concept, the fanciest van you’re likely to see this year, which debuted at the Beijing auto show. The luxurious van follows the yacht-themed Viano Vision Pearl concept that debuted in Frankfurt last year. Instead of the Pearl’s maritime ambience, the Vision Diamond gets a subtle nod to the number 8 in the form of eight diamonds scattered about the interior. Why eight? The number is considered lucky in Chinese culture.

This concept gets a slick two-tone paint job—black over diamond white—with gold accents, and the color scheme also carries over to the AMG-like five-spoke wheels; they even painted “Mercedes-Benz” on the brake calipers in the same gold color used on the body. Finally, there’s a diamond painted on both B-pillars.

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Naturally, the Vision Diamond’s interior is where you’ll find the luxury action. The van is set up like a limousine, with rear accommodations for passengers separate from the cockpit. Rear occupants can separate themselves from the driver with a divider that uses Benz’s Magic Sky Control electrochromatic glass, which changes from tinted to clear at the push of a button. Passengers can further distance themselves from their chauffeur by motoring up a 40-inch monitor in front of the partition. Interestingly, all of the rear windows get the two-mode glass, which assuredly isn’t cheap. (The option costs $2500 on the SLK roadster‘s roof, for example.)

Porcelain-white Nappa leather covers nearly everything in the passenger area, with much of it done in a diamond-quilted pattern, and Mercedes threw in champagne flutes and champagne-flute holders for added opulence. For those who want to amp up that atmosphere further, there is chilled storage for no fewer than five champagne bottles in addition to a bumpin’ Bang & Olufsen sound system. The audio gear and the 40-inch monitor can be controlled by an iPhone or iPad, and passengers can watch movies or video conference using the screen as well. We’ll take two.