Camping in the outdoors is a lot of fun. It’s a time for getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and into the untainted serenity of nature’s oasis. Be it with family, friends, or just that special someone, driving into the midst of nature can be quite a refreshing experience. However, finding a cabin in the woods or setting up a tent can sometimes prove to be an obstacle, which is why the idea of a camper van was invented. So what exactly is new and different with the V-Class Marco Polo?
Well, this latest MPV from the German automobile giant takes the camping experience to a whole new level, bringing along the luxuries and comfort of modern life into the mobile compactness of a camper. Only recently launched in India at an ex-showroom price of ₹1.38 crore, the Marco Polo was one of the major crowd pullers at Auto Expo 2020 held in the NCR early this month. Available in two trims, the Marco Polo and the Marco Polo HORIZON, this generously fitted camper is not only pleasing to look at, with shiny 17” alloys, an easy on the eye and intelligent LED system, and a neat design, it comes with certain camping features that will blow your mind with their unpretentious ingenuity.
For one, there’s a pop-up roof that extends from the top to accommodate a roof bed, as well as a comfort berth to allow space for up to four people to sleep in the Marco Polo (and up to five people in the Marco Polo HORIZON). There is also an awning provided, complete with camping chairs and a table stowed away in the boot. And for those not wishing to step out of the camper, the interiors are pretty plush and comfortable too, with exquisitely crafted upholstery, yacht styled flooring and piano lacquer finishing to add to the appeal.
The interior space has been made excellent use of, providing for a refrigerator, a kitchenette complete with two gas burners, kitchen drawers, a folding table, and a sink. There’s enough space for storage even apart from the boot, with a roof stowage compartment and wardrobe with a clothes rail to hang your dresses from. The front seats swivel around so that everyone in the camper can have a nice time together. There’s a 10.25-inch touchscreen that lets you control all of the functions, or you could just use the Mercedes Benz Advanced Control (MBAC) app to do that. It does really seem like they thought of just about all of your camping needs.
As for its engine specifications, the V-Class Marco Polo is powered by a BS-6 compliant 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine with BlueEFFICIENCY technology that produces 163bhp and 380Nm of torque and is mated to a 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission that intelligently manages your engine speed and fuel consumption, keeping them at optimal levels. Given the success of the V-Class and the V-Class Elite in India, the Marco Polo seems all set to make its mark on the MPV scene in the country, for there’s enough drive for adventure and the outdoors in the hearts of the people here.
