A NEW luxury V-Class MPV from Mercedes has just been unveiled prior to its launch in the UK next year.

It takes over from the Mercedes Viano which was mainly used for transporting VIPs from top class hotels to airports or business meetings.

The new V-Class will still be a top choice for the fleet market, but this new Mercedes comes more luxuriously equipped and is also aimed at families who need space and seating when embarking on sporting, holiday or leisure activities.

It has room for up to eight people as an option and they will be travelling in the lap of luxury with leather-covered seats kitted out with full lumber support plus individual climate controls.

V-Class customers will be able to choose between long or extra-long wheelbase models depending on their use.

The standard V-Class comes with four individual luxury seats with armrests and an optional folding table can be installed between the first row or as an alternative it can be fitted with three-passenger bench seats.

All seats can be easily moved around or completely removed to give you the ideal configuration for your needs.

For easy loading and unloading, the V-Class now has a separately opening rear windscreen attached to the upper tailgate frame.

It can be opened and closed independently of the tailgate. This makes loading and unloading easier.

UK buyers will get the up-market Avantgarde specification V-Class which has standard equipment including a free-standing seven-inch central display, three-spoke steering wheel with 12 function keys and gearshift paddles on the automatic version, luxury seats, electric parking brake, LED lights and laminated glass.

Two state-of-the-art engines will be available at launch - both 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbodiesels.

The V220 CDI 163bhp has a claimed fuel consumption of 50mpg which is around 15 per cent more efficient than the outgoing model. This engine range comes with a six-speed manual transmission.

The more powerful V250 BlueTEC 190bhp, which is equipped with seven-speed automatic transmission, also shows a fuel saving of 28 per cent over the previous six-cylinder version but it still offers the same performance and you can expect around 47mpg.

Mercedes has always been at the forefront in the latest technology and the V-Class uses them to the full for driver assistance and safety.

No fewer than eleven high-tech systems are fitted on the V-Class which use radar, cameras and ultrasound sensors which were recently introduced to the E and S-Class models and called Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive.

Standard equipment includes Crosswind Assist and Attention Assist, which can warn of inattention and tiredness.

There's also an Active Park Assist which is useful for slotting such a large MPV into tight spaces.

Also optionally available are the 360-degree camera, Distronic Plus proximity control in conjunction with Collision Prevention Assist, Traffic Sign Assist with wrong-way warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Assist, the LED Intelligent Light System and Adaptive Highbeam Assist. Most of these assistance systems are available in this segment for the first time.

The V-Class offers Agility Select, which is available on the automatic version. At the push of a button the driver can select from four driving modes: economy, comfort, sport and manual, depending on the conditions.

As far as exterior styling goes the new V-Class has a more car-like appearance, especially at the front with its upright grille with three-dimensional central Mercedes star and sloping LED headlights.

Mercedes in the UK hasn't yet revealed prices for the V-Class but expect a starting price of around £35,000 and it is scheduled to go on sale in Britain early in 2015.