The van-living market is booming, especially right now.
In Germany, according to the German Caravaning Industry Association (CIVD), new registrations reached a new record in 2020 with around 80,000 newly registered motorhomes.
The situation is similar in the rest of Europe and in the United States and the forecast for 2021 is also very promising.
Compact motorhomes in particular are driving growth, being suitable for both travel and everyday use.
Mercedes is well aware of this and focuses on a varied range ready to meet the needs of space and comfort for every type of customer.
'' We are very satisfied with the current order situation for our Marco Polo camper family: in 2021 we want to sell around 25% more of these vehicles.
To do this, we will surprise our customers with new product features, '' says Klaus Rehkugler, new Head of Sales and Marketing.
The Marco Polo family, consisting of the fully equipped Marco Polo camper and the Marco Polo Horizon and Activity with folding roof and seat / berth combination, will be available on request with new equipment from spring 2021. 230 volts which now also facilitates extended camping stays in the Marco Polo Horizon and Activity and also makes them more comfortable.
Available in all variants, the Urban Guard alerts you acoustically and visually when a theft or break-in is detected.
In the event of theft, the stolen vehicle can be traced and located via Mercedes me connect.
In addition to its own Marco Polo family of motorhomes, Mercedes-Benz Vans works closely with motorhome manufacturers.
'' Vanlife is trendy and popular all over the world.
Increasingly, the trend is geared towards motorhomes suitable for everyday use.
We will respond to this request, not only with our Marco Polo family, but increasingly with our medium-sized vehicles such as the Vito and the V-Class which play a particularly important role thanks to their compact exterior dimensions, '' says Klaus Rehkugler .
In 2021 Pössl, a motorhome manufacturer from Upper Bavaria in Germany, will launch two new motorhomes based on Mercedes-Benz V-Class and Vito on the European market: the Campstar and the Vanstar.
And also in the United States, Mercedes-Benz midsize vehicles are entering the motorhome segment.
One of the first US manufacturers in this segment, Driverge Vehicle Innovations of Charleston, South Carolina, is counting on the Vito, launching the Metris Getaway.
"Since 2018, numerous new Sprinter-based motorhomes have been unveiled, and this all over the world. In the last six months alone, more than ten new models have celebrated their debut; from motorhomes to semi-integrated and fully integrated motorhomes. models of traditional companies such as Bürstner, Carthago, Eura Mobil, Frankia, Hymer, Kabe or La Strada. However, the Sprinter also impresses start-ups, such as Alphavan from Wangen in the German region of Allgäu. This shows how innovative our great van ", emphasizes Klaus Rehkugler.
Great innovation for the Sprinter, in 2021, is the implementation of the new generation of the OM 654 engine, combined with the 9G-Tronic automatic transmission as an alternative to the 6-speed manual transmission.
Further Sprinter innovations in 2021 concern the Mercedes me connect basic services are available free of charge for the Sprinter basic camper.
In addition to maintenance, accident and breakdown management services as well as remote diagnostics and remote vehicle diagnostics, vehicle configuration and monitoring services are now available free of charge as standard for three years.
Mercedes-Benz Vans is not only represented in the medium and large vehicle segment, but also in the small segment.
In the small van segment, Mercedes-Benz will present the successor to the Citan in the second half of 2021, as part of the Mercedes-Benz Vans product portfolio.
The new Citan is a completely new development.
The vehicle will have the typical DNA of the brand, in terms of distinctive design, safety and connectivity.
The compact exterior dimensions, coupled with a generous amount of space inside, also open up a wide range of possibilities for the new small vehicle in the RV conversion segment.
Wide-opening sliding doors on both the left and right sides of the vehicle and a low load sill allow for convenient access to the interior and easy loading of the vehicle.