Immediately following the market launch of the new Mercedes-Benz V-Class in France, Europe's leading car rental company Europcar has added 175 vehicles to its fleet in a move which will enable it to offer the new MPV to its customers just in time for the holiday season.
"We are extremely proud to be able to announce this large-scale order so soon after the market launch of the V-Class. Europcar is a key customer who has relied on our vehicles for many years. Europcar's rental car customers who need a large amount of space but don't want to compromise when it comes to style and comfort will really appreciate the V-Class. And not just during the holiday season", says Klaus Maier, Head of Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Vans.
Didier Fenix, Managing Director of Europcar France, received the keys to the new vehicles from Harry Salamon, General Manager of Mercedes-Benz Vans France, on the occasion of the market launch of the V-Class in France. The French subsidiary of the Europcar group will offer the V-Class primarily at airports in the regions of Ile-de-France (greater Paris area and its two airports) and Provence-Alpes-Côte d¡¯Azur.
Thirty of the vehicles, which will be available to hire from Europcar from 23 June, will be deployed as part of the rental car company's exclusive "Prestige fleet".
According to Didier Fenix, Managing Director of Europcar France: "We are extremely delighted to be adding the new Mercedes-Benz V-Class to our product offering and as such to be able to offer a high-quality MPV to both our private and business customers shortly before the start of the summer holiday season."

Safe, high-quality, functional: V-Class provides comfort for up to eight people
With the V-Class Mercedes-Benz has redefined the MPV. As the latest and largest member of the passenger car family from Stuttgart, it sets new benchmarks in its segment with its design and a host of innovations, such as Crosswind Assist and ATTENTION ASSIST. The V-Class combines room for up to eight people and exemplary functionality with the high-class appeal, comfort, efficient driving pleasure and safety that distinguish automobiles bearing the three-pointed star. In short: it is the Mercedes among MPVs.

Big investments strengthen production plant
Daimler AG invested extensively in the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vitoria, Spain, to prepare the facility for the production of the new V-Class. The investment of around 190 million  Euro primarily covered the modernization and reorganization of the plant's body shop, paint shop, and assembly units. The site's logistics were also optimized. The approximately 600,000 m² Mercedes-Benz plant is the only automotive factory in the Basque region, and with its approximately 3,500 employees it is also one of the largest industrial enterprises in the area. The facility in northwestern Spain was built in the early 1950s. Since 2003 it has been producing the Viano and Vito. Production of the new Mercedes-Benz V-Class MPV began in March 2014. This will be followed in the autumn with the production of the new Mercedes-Benz Vito, the top-of-the-range model for business customers. From Vitoria, vehicles are being exported globally and are sold in Europe, Asia, Russia and Africa. Around 75,000 vehicles roll off the production line each year.