Why the Mercedes-Benz V-Class is the ultimate group experience
Image: Supplied
In a weekend where fashion, culture, and celebration collide, the journey to the Hollywoodbets Durban July has become just as significant as the event itself. This year, that journey was led by a striking Mercedes-Benz V-Class convoy, offering a glimpse into the future of group travel - spacious, stylish, and entirely on your own terms.
Leading the convoy were some of South Africa's most recognisable style and lifestyle voices - Mihlali Ndamase, Lisa Madibe, and Lisa K.V - each behind the tinted windows of their own V-Class vehicle. The road trip kicked off in Johannesburg and wound through KwaZulu-Natal's scenic Midlands, with curated pit stops, content creation moments, and relaxed luxury defining the ride.
What unfolded wasn't just a drive - it was a mobile lounge experience. Think: panoramic sunroofs, plush leather seats, ambient lighting, and unparalleled amounts of space to stretch out, steam an outfit, or shoot a transition reel. Whether used as a glam hub or a private retreat before the buzz of the July, the V-Class offered an environment where creators could connect, rest and express themselves freely - together, yet comfortably apart.
Mercedes-Benz V-Class lineup, Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
Adding a whisper of future-forward intrigue to the convoy was the presence of the new all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQV - a subtle teaser of what sustainable group luxury could look like on South Africa's roads. Silent, powerful, and fully electric, the EQV joined the journey as a preview of what's to come.
'Group travel has evolved - it's no longer about squeezing into one vehicle and compromising comfort. It's about experience, individuality, and sharing the road in a way that feels effortless,' says Natasha Jardim, Managing Executive at Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa. 'The V-Class is designed for this new kind of traveller - one who values space, connection and style. And with the EQV on the horizon, that experience is about to get even more progressive.'
The Mercedes-Benz V-Class convoy to the Hollywoodbets Durban July, Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
From content creators and stylists to families and corporate teams, the V-Class is changing how South Africans move together - with each person's comfort, gear and personality accounted for.
As the Durban July weekend unfolded, it was clear the V-Class isn't just a people mover. It's the ultimate group experience, designed for the kind of travel that values both the destination and everything in between.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Bids amounting to R8m placed in auction of Shawn Mkhize's luxury vehicles to recover unpaid taxes
The Bentley Continental GTC (2019 Edition) were among the vehicles placed on auction. Image: Bidders Choice website Bids amounting to just over R8 million were made in the high-profile auction of luxury vehicles and a tour bus seized from businesswoman and Royal AM Football Club owner Shauwn 'MaMkhize' Mkhize amid ongoing action by the South African Revenue Service (Sars) against her and associated interests. The online auction, which ran from June 27 to July 2 on the Bidders Choice platform, was according to recent reports part of efforts by Sars to recover over R37 million in unpaid business taxes associated with Mkhize, the Shandi Trust, and football club Royal AM. Held under the instruction of a court-appointed curator, the auction included 14 lots, comprising 13 vehicles and one branded bus. Bidders were required to register with a refundable deposit of R50,000 and were allowed to view the vehicles in Durban and Bapsfontein. According to the auction site's website, bids were placed but the sales were still pending. Two lots were withdrawn before the close of the auction. The tops bids were: 2020 Bentley Continental GTC (2019 Edition) – R3,280,000 2014 Mercedes-Benz Marcopolo G7 tour bus – R2,600,000 2018 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Maybach bus conversion – R1,270,000 2018 BMW GT 640i – R305,000 2016 BMW X1 – R112,500 2012 BMW X6 xDrive 40d – R132,500 2019 Toyota Hilux 2.7 VVTi Single Cab – R170,000 2009 Nissan NP300 Hardbody – R40,000 2016 Volkswagen Crafter – R157,500 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 Next Stay Close ✕ The auction followed a preservation order granted to Sars by the court earlier this year after Mkhize's business entities reportedly failed to meet their tax obligations. The Royal AM Football Club, owned by MaMkhize, is currently under curatorship, and some of the seized vehicles were previously used by the club and the Shandi Trust. The vehicles included a team tour bus branded with Royal AM's insignia. Sars has not yet publicly confirmed the final sale values or the total recovered through the auction. THE MERCURY


The South African
14 hours ago
- The South African
Why the V-Class is the New Standard of Taste
A quiet revolution is taking place on South Africa's roads – one where status is no longer shouted but softly stated. As ideas of luxury evolve, a growing number of travellers, professionals and cultural insiders are redefining what it means to move well. At the centre of this shift is the new Mercedes-Benz V-Class: a vehicle that reflects the changing values of South Africans who favour substance, space and understated sophistication. Whether headed to high-profile events like the Durban July, or simply travelling in style across provinces, the V-Class has become a symbol of a new kind of taste – one rooted in comfort, versatility, and modern design. It offers the flexibility to carry people, wardrobes, ideas or equipment – without ever compromising on comfort and experience. This shift aligns with a broader global trend: the rise of quiet luxury and purposeful mobility. Less about performance specs and more about lived ease, the V-Class delivers what many now associate with true luxury – control over one's time, space to think, and the comfort to enjoy the journey, not just the destination. 'Luxury is no longer defined by excess or display,' says Reandren Thulkanam, General Manager at Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa. 'Today, it's about freedom, comfort, and intelligent utility. The V-Class answers that shift – it's elegant, capable and allows people to move with intention. For many of our customers, that is the new mark of success.' The recent V-Class convoy to the Durban July, with a scenic stopover in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, captured this shift in motion – a curated road experience that prioritised personal space, functionality, and the simple joy of travelling well. Also, quietly present in the convoy was a glimpse of the future: the all-new Mercedes-Benz EQV, the brand's all-electric premium van. Its inclusion signals what's next – a move toward sustainable luxury that still delivers on the comfort and presence the popular V-Class has come to represent. As South Africa's definition of success grows more nuanced, the V-Class is finding its place not as a vehicle of prestige, but as a reflection of a deeper understanding: that how we travel is as important as where we're going.

IOL News
15 hours ago
- IOL News
Why the Mercedes-Benz V-Class is the ultimate group experience
The ultimate girls' trip in the Mercedes-Benz V-Class. (From left to right): Lisa KV, Mihlali Ndamase, and Lisa Madibe, Image: Supplied Image: Supplied In a weekend where fashion, culture, and celebration collide, the journey to the Hollywoodbets Durban July has become just as significant as the event itself. This year, that journey was led by a striking Mercedes-Benz V-Class convoy, offering a glimpse into the future of group travel - spacious, stylish, and entirely on your own terms. Leading the convoy were some of South Africa's most recognisable style and lifestyle voices - Mihlali Ndamase, Lisa Madibe, and Lisa K.V - each behind the tinted windows of their own V-Class vehicle. The road trip kicked off in Johannesburg and wound through KwaZulu-Natal's scenic Midlands, with curated pit stops, content creation moments, and relaxed luxury defining the ride. What unfolded wasn't just a drive - it was a mobile lounge experience. Think: panoramic sunroofs, plush leather seats, ambient lighting, and unparalleled amounts of space to stretch out, steam an outfit, or shoot a transition reel. Whether used as a glam hub or a private retreat before the buzz of the July, the V-Class offered an environment where creators could connect, rest and express themselves freely - together, yet comfortably apart. Mercedes-Benz V-Class lineup, Image: Supplied Image: Supplied Adding a whisper of future-forward intrigue to the convoy was the presence of the new all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQV - a subtle teaser of what sustainable group luxury could look like on South Africa's roads. Silent, powerful, and fully electric, the EQV joined the journey as a preview of what's to come. 'Group travel has evolved - it's no longer about squeezing into one vehicle and compromising comfort. It's about experience, individuality, and sharing the road in a way that feels effortless,' says Natasha Jardim, Managing Executive at Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa. 'The V-Class is designed for this new kind of traveller - one who values space, connection and style. And with the EQV on the horizon, that experience is about to get even more progressive.' The Mercedes-Benz V-Class convoy to the Hollywoodbets Durban July, Image: Supplied Image: Supplied From content creators and stylists to families and corporate teams, the V-Class is changing how South Africans move together - with each person's comfort, gear and personality accounted for. As the Durban July weekend unfolded, it was clear the V-Class isn't just a people mover. It's the ultimate group experience, designed for the kind of travel that values both the destination and everything in between.