This Affordable Luxury Vehicle Isn’t a Car or an SUV

by Gabrielle DeSantis

When it comes to finding an affordable luxury vehicle, there are actually several compelling cars and SUVs on the market. But there’s one model that might surprise you. The 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris isn’t a car or an SUV––it’s a van. 

2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris | MB USA

Whether you want a passenger van or a cargo van, the Metris van has you covered. Car and Driver places it at the top of its class. It also tips its hat to the 2021 Mercedes-Benz on its list of affordable luxury vehicles. 

Is the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris worth it? 

OK, so this is still a Mercedes. It’s no shocking truth that it’s more costly than its competitors in the small cargo and passenger van class. In fact, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris starts at $32,630 for the cargo version and $36,840 for the passenger van, according to the Mercedes-Benz website. 

On the other hand, the 2021 Ford Transit Connect starts at $24,655 for a cargo van and $27,400 for the passenger version, according to Ford. However, compare the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris to virtually any other luxury SUV that can accommodate up to eight passengers and you’re looking at a much pricier luxury vehicle. The Metris combines versatility and luxury in a way that other affordable luxury cars just don’t do. 

Is it worth it? Of course, that depends on the buyer. But overall, it outshines others in the class and offers drivers a luxury vehicle that is part minivan and part premium passenger car. 

What engine does this small Mercedes cargo van have? 

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris runs a turbocharged 2.0 liter 208 hp 4-cylinder engine that manages 258 lb-ft of torque. This engine is mated with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Car and Driver reports that this is a cargo van that clearly stands out. 

The powertrain offers stout acceleration, enabling the Metris van to move people and things with robust confidence. In addition, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris provides handling that Car and Driver says reaches “a higher level of refinement than is typical for this class.”

“Its steering was light, and we could easily maneuver into tight spaces. Plus, the van was very controllable at highway speeds. The optional air suspension allows for adjustable ride heights and should proffer an even smoother ride.”

Car and Driver

How much can it tow? 

A Mercedes-Benz Metris towing a camper in a parking lot
Mercedes-Benz Metris Towing | Metris Forum

The Metris van can tow 5,000 lbs and it has a payload capacity of 2,425 lbs. Being both a cargo van and passenger van, it’s important that prospective buyers gain an understanding of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris’ capabilities. 

The other star contender in the class, the Ford Transit Connect, tows up to 2,000 lbs and hauls up to 1,550 lbs. So, it’s easy to see that the Metris van is a class leader, making the higher price more forgivable. 

The Mercedes-Benz Metris van is an affordable luxury vehicle

A white Mercedes-Benz Metris cargo van on display at an auto show.
Mercedes-Benz cargo van | Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris is an affordable luxury vehicle starting at $32,630. It’s not a car or an SUV. In fact, there’s really nothing conventional about the Metris van when it comes to buying luxury-branded transport. Still, it’s worth considering if your primary goal is to carry lots of people and stuff in a vehicle with some premium accouterments.

RELATED: 5 Luxury Cars That Are (Mostly) Vegan

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This Little Cutie Is the Least Expensive Camper Van

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The camper van market has completely blown up. It is the automotive craze of the decade, without a doubt. While there is no shortage of super-lux RVs, badass overlanding camper trucks, and massive motorhomes, it can be tough to find a small affordable camper van. Well, thankfully, this cute little Caravan Outfitters Free Bird is the least expensive camper van on the market – and it’s actually affordable.

How much does the least expensive camper van cost?

The Caravan Outfitters Free Bird is the least expensive camper van on the market. The Free Bird is built using the Nissan NV200 as a base. It is small, light, and compact but it’s cheap.

Unlike many larger camper vans and motorhomes, the Free Bird can accommodate two people fairly comfortably. There isn’t room for much else. This Caravan Outfitters offering is simple and small, but that is what it takes to provide the least expensive camper van on the market. The Free Bird’s price can vary slightly depending on the configuration, but the starting price is $37,665. 

Is the Caravan Outfitter Free Bird a good camper van?

According to Trail and Summit, the Free Bird is a multi-functional camper van that was designed to be as functional for everyday use as possible. It comes stocked with Caravan Outfitter’s Slide and Glide floor, which allows you to quickly install all of your van’s components in just minutes. 

This huge opening helps you empty the van quickly to use it as a cargo van if necessary. This is a truly unique feature of this cute little camper van. 

As far as functionality goes, the Free Bird camper van is fitted with full electrical wiring, including LED lighting, USB charging ports, and a 31-quart fridge. Of course, as any good camper van would, the Free Bird comes with a portable butane stove and plenty of storage space in the kitchen to give you the perfect place to cook up a home (van) cooked meal. 

By day the cabin area behind the driver’s seat is a small dinette with two seats. By night, the little dinette converts into the bedroom, giving way to a full-size bed. The windows also come with beignets so you can open your windows for ventilation without letting any critters in. 

Optional extras include a batwing awning for outdoor living space and a rooftop storage pod for all your outdoor gear. 

There are some other affordable camper options out there

Nissan NV200 | Caravan Outfitter

Although the Caravan Outfitter Free Bird might be the cheapest factory option out there, there are other ways to get into a camper van without spending a bazillion dollars on an EarthRoamer.

Don’t forget about conversion camper vans and overlanding rigs. There are plenty of clever people who have converted cheap old cargo vans into beautiful and even luxurious camper vans for even less than the Free Bird. 

The internet is full of people’s builds that prove that creativity and ingenuity can take you just as far as throwing around money can. The camper van DIY community is strong and if you have the time and interest, building a seriously cool camper is not out of reach. 

RELATED: 5 Affordable Camper Vans That Are Actually Cool

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Do F1 Drivers Still Have to Use a Clutch?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Even ignoring the cost disparity, Formula 1 cars often look like rocket ships compared to most road cars. And some Formula 1 tech is genuinely beyond the reach of the average consumer. But even so, on a fundamental level, F1 cars have many of the same parts as road cars. They both have steering wheels, tires, brakes, transmissions, and so on. However, does that mean you’ll find an F1 driver wrestling with a clutch come race day?

Modern F1 cars do have clutches

AvtoVAZ clutch flywheels | Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Unless your car is a single-speed EV or has either a torque-converter automatic or a CVT, it has a clutch. Or, in the case of a dual-clutch automatic, two of them. It’s what lets power go from the engine to the transmission and onto the drive wheels. And engaging it breaks the connection between the engine and gearbox, which is what lets you shift gears, Car and Driver explains. This also lets you smoothly start off and stop without stalling the engine or damaging the transmission.

On a basic level, that last part is exactly what an F1 clutch does, Bleacher Report says. It disconnects the transmission from the engine and KERS and lets the racer smoothly set off and stop. And just like in DCT-equipped road cars, when F1 racers flick their shift paddles, a computer operates the clutch to change gear.

However, there are several key differences between the clutch in an F1 car and a road car. For one, the former isn’t operated by a pedal, and it’s not always controlled by a computer. Sometimes, racers have to control it with their hands. Or rather, the fingers of one hand.

Why is an F1 clutch operated by hand some of the time?

An illustration of Fernando Alonso's 2017 F1 car steering wheel with the clutch paddles highlighted
Fernando Alonso’s 2017 F1 car steering wheel with clutch paddles highlighted | Giorgio Piola via F1

Looking at a modern F1 steering wheel reveals a kaleidoscope of LEDs, knobs, switches, and dials. And you’ll also find some paddles attached to it. However, only one pair is used for gear-shifting. There’s another set that controls the clutch, often shaped to the driver’s fingers to provide more feel and control.

But why do F1 cars’ clutches use hand-operated paddles? Firstly, it cuts down on how many pedals the drivers have to keep track of, Road & Track explains. Rather than dealing with three pedals, there’s just the accelerator and the brake pedal.

Secondly, most of the time, a computer controls the clutch, not the racer. In a typical F1 race, the driver only directly interacts with the clutch during starts, to find the bite point, and to warm up the tires, The Drive says. Why devote valuable weight and cockpit real estate to controlling something that rarely needs interaction?

A ZF Sachs F1 carbon clutch
A ZF Sachs F1 carbon clutch | ZF

Besides the paddle-operated part, an F1 clutch also isn’t built quite like a road car’s clutch. True, on a basic level, both have flywheels and plate-shaped friction material. But that’s roughly where the similarities end.

F1 clutches have to withstand substantially higher forces, temperatures, and levels of abuse than road-going ones, R&T explains. And they have to weigh as little as possible and fit into as small a space as possible. In short, they’re built differently.

Whereas the average road car clutch has one clutch plate, F1 clutches have multiple, stacked plates, not unlike a motorcycle clutch. The plates themselves are typically made of lightweight carbon fiber. And for additional weight savings, F1 clutches have titanium housings and, to paraphrase supplier ZF, aviation-grade alloy components.

That being said, one car’s clutch came close to F1-spec: the Porsche Carrera GT. To keep the supercar’s weight and center of gravity low, and let the V10 rev quickly, Porsche used a multi-plate, small-diameter ceramic-composite clutch, MotorTrend explains. And while the clutch was finicky and expensive, it worked as intended.

But other than the Carrera GT, no road car is designed to accommodate the clutch from an F1 car. German supplier ZF confirmed as such when one M3 owner accidentally received one of the company’s F1 clutches, The Drive says. Still, for anyone struggling to master the manual, know that F1 drivers deal with something similar, too.

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Your Used Honda Civic Is Making Money Just Sitting There

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The semiconductor shortage has forced the used car market into chaos of late. Some are benefitting and others are losing millions. It’s an uncertain time to be sure, but Honda Civic owners seem to be in the latter camp. Frankly, this should come as no surprise. The Civic has long been a solid buy, but generally because of its excellent reliability. Now, the vehicle’s resale value is in the spotlight, and for good reason.

Honda Civic values are on the rise

A 2015 Civic coupe | Kevin Hagen via Getty Images

According to a recent study by iSeeCars, used Honda Civic models are currently appreciating to over what new models are worth. As mentioned above, the semiconductor shortage is largely to blame. Consumers are turning to the used market in the face of dealership shortages and price hikes. Logic being, why wait an unknown amount of time for a new car when you can go buy a car that’s a year old?

However, it’s not as if a used 2020 Civic is suddenly worth $10,000 more than a brand new one. These appreciation rates are relatively timid for now. However, they could continue to rise if supply chains fail to stabilize. Currently, a newer model used Civic is worth about 2.8% more than a new one. Put into good ol’ U.S. dollars, that’s roughly $727.

It’s rare for a used vehicle to appreciate

A lot full of Honda sedans ready for export in Japan
Hondas ready for export to the U.S | Andrew Matthews via Getty Images

That may not seem like much, but it’s hard to stress just how rare the current circumstance is. It’s nearly unheard of in the auto industry. Sure, some enthusiast cars like the Porsche 911 may be worth more than their newer counterparts, but even then it’s a very uncommon occurance. For an economy car to see that kind of trend? Genuinley shocking. However, it’s not just Honda Civic models that are becoming worth more than their new counterparts.

For example, the study lists 16 other models. Among those on the list is the incredibly popular Kia Telluride, as well as the Toyota Tundra and Tacoma. Clearly, supply chain issues are shaking up the used market. It’s simple supply and demand. The demand for new cars is high as economies begin to recover from the last year, but the supply chain has simply not caught up yet.

Should you be selling your car?

The Civic's interior photographed at an auto show
The Civic’s interior | Jim Watson via Getty Images

Does this mean that you could be laughing all the way to the bank if you own a newer Honda Civic? Sure, but it’s important to keep in mind that most everyone is aware of the current market situation. Given that, you could very well have a hard time selling despite what your Civic is now worth. However, it’s hard to think of a better time to sell. It’s unlikely we’ll see something like this happen again in the near future, so best to take advantage if you can, and sit tight if you can’t.

RELATED: The Honda Civic Is All the Car You Need for $15,000

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