About this car in Florence

Florence is a city where a large vehicle cannot go everywhere, and that is precisely why a V-Class works so well here. The centre inside the viali is a camera-controlled ZTL, so the van is not for sightseeing: it is for getting eight people and their luggage from Peretola, Pisa or Santa Maria Novella to a villa in the hills, and then out to the vineyards without splitting the group.

The Chianti is the obvious day out. Along the SR222 Chiantigiana to Greve, Panzano and Castellina, wine estates welcome groups for tastings, and with one designated driver everyone else can enjoy the visit. For a longer day, the Val d'Orcia with Pienza, Montalcino and San Quirico is further south; some estates there sit at the end of gravel roads, which a long-wheelbase van takes slowly but without fuss. The 190 hp diesel and automatic gearbox keep the motorway stretches smooth, with up to 1,410 litres for luggage and purchases.

If your hotel is inside the ZTL, it can register the plate for access to its own garage: ask before you arrive. Winter tyres are fitted in the cold season, useful because signed Apennine roads require them from mid-November to mid-April. During Pitti Uomo in January and June, when buyers and press arrive at the Fortezza da Basso, a van for a team is in high demand. Delivery is arranged when you book, with insurance and 24/7 assistance included.

• Eight seats and up to 1,410 litres of luggage
• Villa transfers and group days in the Chianti
• Handover at Peretola, Pisa or Santa Maria Novella