Mercedes-Benz VLE Should Replace The V-Class

You may want to refrain from purchasing the Chrysler Pacifica or Honda Odyssey if you want a new minivan, as Mercedes has something a bit more exciting in the making. The model is called the VLE and is expected to take the segment by the horns, followed by the VLS, which will be a more luxurious variant.
 

The three-pointed star brand announced these two models at the beginning of the year, confirming that they will be called the VLE and the VLS. A few weeks ago, the automaker took to the World Wide Web to release a set of official ‘scoops,’ and it was this camouflaged prototype that served as a blank canvas for Kolesa’s rendering artist, who analyzed it and came up with the digital illustrations shared above in the gallery.
 
Looking quite compact due to its rather short front and rear overhangs, this imagined Mercedes-Benz VLE features a typical grille up front that has been closed off due to EV reasons. The headlights are slim and resemble those equipping other modern-day Mercedes vehicles. They also have a star-studded design and appear to be linked together by a thin light strip right above the grille. The front bumper is home to a pair of vertical air intakes, and the hood is decorated with the company’s famous star emblem.
 

Moving to the sides, we can see that this vehicle has flush-mounted door handles and a discreet line on the lower parts of the doors. The front and rear wheel arches are quite muscular for a people carrier, and the car has rear sliding doors that enhance ingress and egress for those sitting at the back. The multi-spoke wheels fit the design and are different from the ones equipping the pre-production tester. Out back, it has a very bus-like lighting signature, with extremely tall vertical taillights that are joined by a strip above the rear windscreen. The big tailgate holds the license plate, and the bumper does not have anything special about it.
 
But what exactly is the upcoming Mercedes VLE and its more luxurious version, the VLS? Well, as mentioned above, a minivan, although one that is expected to replace the V-Class while also being a more premium take on the next Vito. It should ride on the VAN.EA platform with front- and all-wheel drive, boasting the 800-volt technology. The Level 2 semi-autonomous hardware should be on deck, with a Level 3 system perhaps making its way to this model by the end of the decade. The vehicle should offer seating for up to eight people, and both the VLE and the VLS will be released in the United States and Canada when the time comes. So, what’s your take on the design as imagined by the quoted outlet?