Jackson Centre, Ohio - Airstream, legendary maker of igloo-shaped aluminium caravans, and Mercedes-Benz have combined their skills to come up with what must rank as the Lear Jet of the VIP bus world - the Airsteam Autobahn.
Based on the recently-released all-new Sprinter van with a three-litre V6 turbodiesel rated at 140kW and 440Nm, it seats two crew and six passengers in an atmosphere redolent of space, sophistication and handcrafted luxury, including full leather upholstery, polished wood trim, not one but two fridges and a power-operated sliding passenger door.
REMOTE CENTRAL CONTROL
Each of the six passenger seats has its own power-operated footrest, heated seating and a workspace with a functional desk, 120-volt power point and USB port for charging smaller devices.
A 'virtual panel' controls all main cabin lighting, sunshades, heating and air conditioning, as well as onboard entertainment that includes an 81cm liquid-crystal television screen, a Blu-Ray player, Pandora and an Apple TV box with Air Play.
And the whole system can be operated through the onboard electronics, any web-enabled smart device (including smart phones & tablets) or a laptop with wireless capability.
Want one? Airstream Autobahn prices start at $133 024 (R1 419 000) in the US.