Starting from December, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class minivan will be available to order with 4Matic all-wheel drive, with the first model to get it being the V 250 BlueTEC.
Making its first appearance at the Paris Auto Show early next month, the V 250 BlueTEC 4Matic is said to provide more traction in all driving conditions and to improve the way the vehicle pulls away and accelerates, particularly on poor surfaces or in bad weather.
The 4Matic permanent all-wheel drive system is based on the 4ETS Electronic Traction System working together with the Electronic Stability Program (ESP). Power is distributed to the front and rear axle in a 45:55 ratio, but if one or more wheels lose traction, 4ETS slows them down in a fraction of a second and automatically distributes power to the wheels with better adherence.
Sourced from Mercedes’ SUVs, the 4Matic system on the V-Class does without conventional mechanical differential locks, thus saving weight and improving efficiency. The system will initially be offered for the V-Class with the range-topping V 250 BlueTEC diesel-engined model, which produces 190PS (187hp) and 440Nm (324lb-ft) of torque. Power is sent to all wheels via a 7G-Tronic Plus automatic transmission, with the transfer case for the all-wheel drive being integrated into the main transmission.
Average fuel economy is rated at 6.7 l/100 km (35.1 mpg US), with CO2 emissions of 177 g/km. The V 250 BlueTEC 4Matic in the “Long” body variant is priced from €53,109.70 ($68,425) in Germany, including 19 percent VAT. Mercedes-Benz says other V-Class models will be available with all-wheel drive in the future.
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