Mercedes Two-Tone Van--& Not Just Any Van

Maybe we’re behind the times vis-à-vis exterior paint trends, but apparently in the world of luxury vehicles, two-tone paint is de rigueur. The latest is the Mercedes-Benz Viano Vision Diamond show van that’s being revealed this week at the Beijing Auto Show.

This vehicle has a two-tone paint job (black and “diamond white”) and, if you look really closely, you can see that there is a two-tone effect on the rims of the five-spoke wheels. This whole notion of vehicular opulence is further underlined on the exterior by (1) a painted diamond on the B-pillar and (2) the words Mercedes-Benz in gold on the brake calipers.

There is special glass used for the rear windows and for the glass that separates the rear from the chauffeur’s area (yes, this is a vehicle that you are driven in; given that you’re going to be availing yourself, no doubt, of the vehicle’s silver Champagne flutes having removed the bottle of bubbly from the cooled Champagne bottle retainer, you don’t want to be behind the wheel); the color of the glass is changed via a push button, as the glass is based on a liquid-crystal system.

Speaking of the separation between the porcelain-white passenger’s compartment and the chauffer: there also happens to be a 40-inch screen that can be lowered behind the chauffer’s seat, providing an opportunity to watch Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps or perhaps do some business on E*Trade.

It’s how the other half drives—or is driven.