A £276,000 Mercedes Sprinter: Clive Sutton reveals the ‘First Class’

What do you get if you cross a premium airline suite with a commercial van? The Clive Sutton ‘First Class’ Sprinter — a VIP shuttle to replicate the luxury usually limited to the skies.

Following premium conversions of cars from Bentleys to vintage Mustangs, luxury vehicle specialist Clive Sutton seems to be playing by the old adage of ‘never let them know your next move’. The latest vehicle to receive the VIP treatment? The Mercedes Sprinter. 

Perhaps last year’s opulent V-Class conversion was a sign of things to come. Yet, we’d still be lying if we said a big commercial van jumped to mind when looking for “a level of luxury and convenience that surpasses what is available in the standard luxury vehicle market”. But the London based specialist is out to change that with the airplane styled ‘First Class’ Sprinter.

Passengers will find themselves cruising at a considerably lower altitude than 30,000 feet, but the 15,000-litre lounge — leather-clad and wooden veneered — certainly evokes that of a high-class airliner. Each of the seven deeply padded seats feature electric leg rests, recline and slide functions, temperature control, as well as massage functions. Plus, some very jetliner-esque armrests.

These cream coloured thrones are pointed towards dual 43-inch 4k screens which are backed up by a surround sound system to create an immersive cinematic experience, while the vibes can be tweaked with the mood lighting setup. These screens feature Apple TV connectivity or can be hooked up via HDMI, and for those ready to live out a childhood dream of ours, there’s even an onboard PlayStation 5. 

There’s no drinks trolley coming down the aisle as far as we’re aware. But refreshments can still flow, primarily from the two drinks fridge compartments which wouldn’t look out of place on a private jet. 

There’re some benefits to not actually being on a plane, such as the panoramic glass roof which provides a source of natural light in between movie screenings. And, although there are window blinds which can be opened at arrival and departure to keep things authentic, the luxury Sprinter is also fitted with dark privacy glass as standard. This allows travelers to remain incognito on the road and adds a stealth-based security measure to conceal the quarter-million pounds worth of tech inside. Plus, it keeps the paparazzi at bay, if necessary. 

The pilot and copilot are also treated to leather seating, fully carpeted flooring, and the same wooden veneer and Milano suede design elements to match the rear compartment. Those riding in the front cabin can be kept separate from the passenger lounge thanks to an electric partition providing further privacy, which means that the rear area isn’t limited to being used as an airline cinema on wheels. 

For example, Clive Sutton himself reckons it’s “supremely adaptable to different uses” with features like the on-board Wi-Fi providing a hub for business meetings when the van isn't in theatre transport mode. As with many trending ‘van life’ Sprinter conversions, there’s a coffee machine built in; although in this case it may be used to fuel ‘outside the box thinking’ and to tackle ‘low-hanging fruit’ in the rolling meeting room, rather than featuring in aesthetic day-in-the-life vlogs. 

We’d say Clive Sutton’s Mercedes Sprinter First Class has certainly achieved the goal of creating an airline styled luxury shuttle, and is certainly a unique addition to the catalogue. But are you tempted to hand over £276,000 to get your hands on one?

Hero image credit: Newspress UK