V 300 d Extra-long VIP, armoured INKAS

The extra-long V-Class is the largest of the three W447 body lengths: 5,370 mm overall for a 3,430 mm wheelbase, compared to 4,895 and 5,140 mm on the other two, with a 3,200 mm wheelbase. It is these extra 23 centimetres between the axles that allow for a true rear lounge and not just a pushed-back bench seat. The car is post-facelift, presented in 2023: grille widened up to the headlights, dual 12.3-inch screens, latest generation MBUX.

The V 300 d is the top of the diesel range: four-cylinder OM654 of 1,950 cm3, 174 kW (237 hp) and 500 Nm, 9G-TRONIC gearbox as standard, optional 4MATIC all-wheel drive. No V6 in this generation. The low-end torque and long gearbox ratios are just what a heavy body requires.

The INKAS armouring brings the van up to CEN 1063 BR6 level, defined by stopping 7.62 x 51 NATO rounds with a lead core. Full cabin perimeter, including floor and roof, resistant to two DM51 grenades under the floor, ballistic rear partition with swing door, overlapping of door joints, multi-layer glazing with original curvature, tank and ECUs under steel protection, polycarbonate inserts in the wheels allowing 50 km at 50 km/h after puncture. The sliding door mechanisms are reinforced to support the weight of the glass without losing electric assistance.

The weight and performance values are those of the standard model and do not take into account the INKAS armouring, which significantly increases the vehicle's weight and reduces acceleration, speed, and fuel economy.

There is a tax lever for this specific size. Article L. 421-66 of the French Code of Taxes on Goods and Services grants, for a passenger vehicle with at least eight seats and owned by a legal entity, a reduction on the emissions used for the CO2 penalty: 85 g/km for a first registration between 1 March and 31 December 2025, 80 g/km before this date, 90 g/km in 2026. A V 300 d is homologated at around 190 g/km, so the reduction brings the base close to the 2025 entry threshold, set at 113 g/km. A seating plan with fewer than eight seats loses this reduction: on a van, the rear configuration is as much a tax parameter as a comfort choice.

In terms of use, the important figure is not power but weight: armouring and conversion add up on the payload, and a van running at its maximum GVWR wears tyres, brakes and rear axle faster than a standard version. The armoured windows only open where the conversion allows, so you have to rely on the air conditioning.