The Mercedes-Benz V-Class people-mover has been given the AMG hot-shop once over – but only in a cosmetic sense.
Dubbed the V-Class 'AMG Line', the sports treatment endows the eight-seater van with big wheels, bodywork bling and a variety of interior upgrades, but you won't find a twin-turbo V8 under the bonnet.
Premiering at the 2015 Frankfurt motor show in mid-September and expected to be available in Europe late in the year, the V-Class AMG Line equipment package adds new-look front and rear aprons, side skirts and 19-inch alloy wheels to give it a more street-savvy look.
Other options include a large panoramic glass roof, cup holders with heating/cooling functions, rear-seat iPad holders, air-conditioning for all rows of seats and a cooled central storage compartment.
It will be offered in Australia in 2016, with the cost to be determined at a later date.
Mercedes-Benz Australia says the AMG Line package will be pitched at hire and chauffeur companies rather than family buyers, noting that the previous Viano model's optional 19-inch wheel package found favour with hire car companies.
Volkser Monrhinweg, Mercedes-Benz Vans Germany-based chief, sells it thusly: "With the V-Class AMG Line we are now addressing further target groups who are looking for even more individuality and emotional appeal."
In Australia only one variant of the Mercedes-Benz V-Class is available -- the $85,500 V 250 BlueTEC Avantgarde model, so the AMG Line would likely take that price closer to $90,000.
The Avantgarde model already comes standard with Lugano leather seats, a high-end 16-speaker Burmester stereo, intelligent satnav-based climate-control, seat ventilation and plenty more gadgets besides.
It's powered by a 2.1-litre turbo-diesel engine that generates 140kW of power and 440Nm of torque, accelerating to 100km/h in 9.1 seconds. That's hardly worthy of an AMG badge, but then there's always the Brabus version, which pumps power and torque to 173kW and 510Nm, slashing a third of a second off the 0-100km/h time to 8.8 seconds.