Most people don't think "van" when MB comes to mind, yet their new US import, the Metris, is likely to be big for contractors, group transport, and fleet sales. CNET gave it a great review, and this is a welcome accompaniment to the existing Sprinter line. Good news for MB dealers, and it will be interesting to watch how Ford and GM respond.

"Indeed, Mercedes spokesman Christian Bokich called the Metris' market positioning "an interesting niche, one formerly occupied by the Chevrolet Astro and the GMC Safari." Remember them? Those General Motors twins haven't been on the market in a decade, but they still maintain a fervent following.

By that lens, the Metris isn't a new idea, but it may just be an idea whose time has come... again."