Latest news with #VLS
TimesLIVE
4 days ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Mercedes Vision V is an ultra-luxury van for the well heeled
The next-generation V-Class will have a flagship chauffeur-driven VLS model that redefines luxurious people carriers, says Mercedes-Benz. The opulent four-seat grand limousine is essentially an S-Class van and is due to be launched in 2026. An electrically powered concept version called the Vision V has started a global tour after its world premiere at last month's Auto Shanghai show in China, with its first stopover in Dubai this week. Regular versions of the next V-Class will carry a VLE badge and carry up to eight people, acting as leisure vehicles for families or exclusive VIP shuttles. But the four-seater VLS will take it to the next level with top-shelf exclusivity and an unprecedented immersive, digital experience for one percenters. The Vision V concept car has a luxurious 'private lounge' rear cabin decked out like the first class section of an aircraft. The two-seater rear lounge has a huge 65' cinema screen that can be extended and retracted from the floor, operated via a touchpad in the centre console. The ultra-sized cinema screen with 4K resolution combines with a 42-speaker surround-sound system with Dolby Atmos along with seven projectors in the headliner and floor to transform the interior into a unique immersive space. Passengers can choose seven different worlds of experience: Entertainment; Relax; Gaming; Work; Shopping; Discovery; and Karaoke. An intelligent, switchable glass wall separates the private lounge from the driver's area. The glass can be changed from transparent to opaque, either completely or in sections. 'The Vision V is a luxurious and elegant chauffeur-driven limousine that allows one to pamper themselves in a whole new world of comfort,' says a Mercedes Vans spokesperson. 'Analogue craftsmanship merges with an immersive user experience to create a holistic experience with a cocooning effect.' Aided by illuminated and retractable running boards, passengers enter the luxurious rear sanctum through a large side door that automatically slides open. The rear seating area is exceptionally spacious, with décor that blends elegance with technology. Traditionally crafted materials blend with hyper-modern, tech-savvy design elements. Crystal white Nappa leather and shimmering white silk contrast with large decorative elements made of open-pore burr wood. Display cabinets are set into the dark wood trim along the side walls and ambient lighting creates an individualised and cosy living-room atmosphere. The centre console between the two individual seats is a display cabinet. It has a touchpad for operating the infotainment system as well as a fold-out table imprinted with a high-quality chessboard. The futuristically designed seats can recline into beds, and a fragrance dispenser is housed in an elegant, polished aluminium bottle behind the centre console. The Vision V's design features an illuminated Mercedes star on the bonnet and chrome radiator grille with illuminated glass louvres. The headlights have the three-pointed Mercedes star. When the passengers approach the Vision V, they are greeted by a dynamic and artistic light show in all the louvres. The 24' wheels feature illuminated louvres and the large rear window is framed by a light band that serves as a tail light and brake light. It is not known which of these dazzling exterior features will make it into the production model. Mercedes hasn't provided details on powertrains and specifications, but petrol and electric options are expected to be carried over to the next generation.
IOL News
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Mercedes V-Class of the future: Vision V concept is a lounge on wheels with immersive cinema screen
The Mercedes V-Class has become an aspirational and sought after people mover, both in South Africa and abroad. But its successor could take things to another level. The German company is set to introduce its brand new electric architecture that was developed exclusively for battery-powered vans, and the new Vision V concept car that you see here gives us a good idea of what to expect. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The show car points to a flagship version of the new electric van range, likely wearing the VLS badge, and it's being described as something of a 'private lounge' on wheels. Its 'immersive' cabin includes a retractable 65-inch high-definition cinema screen as well as a Dolby Atmos surround sound system with 42 speakers. Additional projectors cover the side windows to create a 360-degree viewing experience. The cabin boasts an immersive digital experience. 'The cinema screen comes to life and transforms the interior into an immersive world of experience, the likes of which have never been seen before in a car,' Mercedes said. Feeling like a disco? The immersive ambient lighting system also adapts its colours to the beat of the music. Front and rear cabins are separated by glass partition with variable transparency. This rear lounge has two individual reclining chairs, separated by a centre console that doubles as a display cabinet, and which also features a fold-out chess table as well as a gaming console and a touchpad for operating the infotainment system. To maximise the luxury vibes the cabin is finished in a combination of white Nappa leather and silk, with display elements and cabinets made of open-pore burr wood. This vehicle was intended to be chauffeur-driven, and to that end, the cabin is separated from the 'private lounge' area by a glass partition with variable transparency. The driver's view. This concept, of course, previews the most luxurious version of the upcoming battery-powered van range, but the model series will encompass a wide range of variants, including entry-segment family vehicles and exclusive VIP shuttles. However, this doesn't necessarily spell the end for the existing Vito and V-Class models. The internal combustion engined (ICE) vans are expected to continue alongside their new electric counterparts for the foreseeable future.
Asia Times
22-04-2025
- Science
- Asia Times
Japan's railgun ready to zap Chinese hypersonic missiles
Japan's ship-mounted railgun offers a cost-effective and rapid response to potential missile saturation threats by utilizing electromagnetic energy to launch projectiles at hypersonic velocities. This month, Naval News reported that the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) disclosed the deployment of its advanced railgun aboard the test ship JS Asuka, marking a significant milestone in electromagnetic weaponry. Developed by Japan's Ground Systems Research Center (GSRC) under the Ministry of Defense's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA), railgun research began in 2016 and achieved its first shipboard firing test in October 2023. The weapon system demonstrates enhanced muzzle velocity, reaching 2,000 meters per second, and stability for firing up to 120 rounds, overcoming challenges of rail erosion and projectile flight stability. Current research aims to transition to a complete 'gun system,' integrating continuous firing, flight stability improvements and a tailored fire control system. Japan's railgun could bolster naval missile defenses, provide new options for land-based artillery such as counter-battery fire and coastal strikes, and theoretically contribute to intercepting specific high-speed missile threats. However, a miniaturized power supply remains pivotal for practical deployment. Japan also collaborates with France and Germany's Research Institute of Saint-Louis to advance railgun technologies, reflecting international scientific cooperation. This breakthrough positions Japan's railgun as a cornerstone for future defense systems, promising technological and operational maturity through FY 2026. Unlike the US Navy, which halted its railgun project in July 2021 because of significant power, overheating and rail wear challenges, Japan continues to pursue the technology to address the possible shortcomings of missile-based defense and strike capabilities. Missiles offer powerful long-range strike options but are extremely expensive and limited by shipboard magazine capacity. US Navy destroyers and cruisers carry only 96–122 missiles in their Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells. During operations against Houthi rebel forces from 2023 to 2025, the US expended hundreds of difficult-to-replace, multi-million-dollar missiles to down relatively cheap drones and ballistic missiles, highlighting an unsustainable cost curve and dangerously shallow magazines. Japan faces a similar problem. In December 2022, Kyodo News reported that Japan had only 60% of the interceptor missile stockpiles deemed necessary for national defense. Underscoring the missile threat, Newsweek reported in March 2025 that China has significantly increased the number of its missiles capable of hitting Japan. According to the report, new bases in China's Jilin and Shandong provinces house three types of missiles—the DF-17 medium-range ballistic missile and the CJ-10 and CJ-100 ground-launched cruise missiles (GLCM), which can penetrate Japan's existing missile defenses. Beyond limited magazine depth, the inability to reload VLS cells at sea presents another major constraint. In a March 2024 article for the Georgetown Studies Review, Tyler Koteskey mentions that despite their effectiveness, US Mk41 VLS must be reloaded in port. Koteskey notes that early attempts to install foldable cranes on US vessels failed, given the challenges of loading heavy canisters of munitions in rough seas. He adds that, depending on the availability of such facilities, returning to a port capable of reloading VLS can take weeks. He stresses that large-scale missile salvo attacks could rapidly deplete US VLS magazines in a high-end combat scenario. Japan is already building large Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEVs) to compensate for magazine limitations. However, concentrating so much capability on a few high-value ships makes them prime targets for North Korea and China attacks. Railguns may offer a critical solution to these missile defense bottlenecks. In a December 2011 Proceedings article, Maxwell Cooper notes that railguns can deliver many rounds at distances comparable to most missiles with the same lethality and accuracy, while at lower costs and greater quantities. Cooper explains that railguns fire projectiles at hypersonic speeds, with the round itself using its massive kinetic energy for destructive effects—no explosive filling is required. He also suggests that rounds could be equipped with GPS units for greater accuracy and that the absence of explosive propellant frees up some magazine space. However, while railgun rounds are smaller and cheaper than missiles, they still require substantial onboard power and projectile storage. Further, Cooper mentions that the lack of a capable multi-mission gun has forced US Navy commanders to use expensive, limited, high-end missiles for all types of targets, creating a gap in the ability to economically engage lower-end threats such as patrol boats, undefended coastal targets and basic ballistic missiles, which would otherwise be engaged with low-cost gun rounds. Railguns could also provide an economical means to counter saturation missile attacks. An April 2022 US Congressional Research Service (CRS) report mentions that it takes 300 seconds to detect a missile launch signature, track the projectile, and calculate a vector for defensive projectiles. The report states that an 11-kilogram railgun projectile can disperse more than 500 three-gram tungsten impactors capable of destroying incoming missiles through sheer kinetic energy. While railguns offer promise, Japan still faces critical questions: Can Japan integrate and scale the technology fast enough to counter China's growing missile arsenal? And, can it avoid concentrating too much capability on a few vulnerable ships?
TimesLIVE
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Mercedes-Benz unveils new 'Vision V' luxury electric limousine
German carmaker Mercedes-Benz unveiled on Tuesday a new all-electric luxury limousine segment called 'Vision V', which it said marked the expansion of the top end of its van portfolio. CEO Ola Källenius told an event in Shanghai that models under Vision V would range from VLE to VLS and would be produced in China.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The Mercedes-Benz Vision V Is a Luxury Van with a Catfish-Like Maw
Mercedes-Benz has big plans for its upcoming platform, a modular electric vehicle architecture designed for a wide variety of van applications. Most cars built on the new platform will be destined for life as typical passenger haulers or commercial machines, but some will have the chance to live the luxurious life of the limo-like luxury cans growing in popularity in a few global markets. This concept, the Vision V, demonstrates what a platform vehicle built for those uses might be like. The Vision V is a four-seater, configured like the most plush variations of the Lexus LM with two seats in the front and two seats well in the back. A photo shared by Mercedes shows a back seat somewhere between a Maybach and a classic stretch limousine, complete with reclining seats, massive wood panels, and glass-enclosed shelves for a chess set or a VIP's beverage needs. A driver's compartment, complete with a full-length dashboard screen consistent with the new CLA, is divided from the passengers by a two-part glass-and-metal partition. Outside, the van stands out with metal trim along the windows, big, block-y wheels and a, well, catfish-like faux grille. The chunky transporter looks like an ultra-luxury product on a van footprint, ideal for the sort of customer that wishes their next Maybach product could have the same basic shape as a Toyota Sienna. (Notably, the car does not feature any Maybach branding, and the brand's press release contains no indication that this particular van is part of that family of ultra-luxury Mercedes offerings.) Mercedes has says that the brand plans to sell "grand limousines" under the VLS and VLE badges. This concept seems to be a preview of a VLS model, which would slot in alongside the S-Class, GLS, EQS, and EQS SUV along the top line of the brand's luxury offerings. That said, it may be a moot point in the U.S., as limousine-style vans built by major manufacturers have not typically made their way to America in the past. Hopefully, Mercedes will break this trend and bring a luxurious MPV Stateside should the Vision V reach the Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
