Chauffeur
S-Class, V-Class, Sprinter VIP: Which Vehicle?
Six key vehicles, three things to decide on: the number of passengers, the amount of luggage, and the kind of journey.
At a glance
Six vehicles side by side
Choose in this order: the number of passengers, the amount of luggage, then the kind of journey. Here are six vehicles from the fleet and their base rates.
- Mercedes S-Class: 4 seats, from 310 € an hour
- Mercedes E-Class: 4 seats, on quote
- Mercedes V-Class: 7 seats, from 250 € an hour
- Mercedes V-Class VIP: 6 seats, on quote
- Range Rover Vogue: 5 seats, package from 1 620 € for 4 hours
- Sprinter VIP: up to 16 seats, on quote
The hourly rates and the Range Rover Vogue package are set out in our guide to chauffeur hire by the hour.
Saloons
S-Class or E-Class: the difference
The S-Class is the benchmark executive saloon. It has four seats and room for two or three suitcases. The cabin is quiet enough to take a phone call on the move without raising your voice. It is the default choice for a transfer after a long-haul flight, a business meeting, or a wedding where you want an elegant car that does not show off.
The E-Class offers most of the comfort of the S-Class in a more discreet car, on a more measured budget. It rides just as smoothly on the motorway, and takes two suitcases instead of three. The difference in comfort from the S-Class is real but modest. The difference in price shows as soon as you add up journeys over a week.
Choose the S-Class for an occasion that matters, or for a client arriving tired after a long flight. Choose the E-Class for repeated business journeys, where discretion counts for more than display.
Vans
V-Class or V-Class VIP: the difference
The V-Class carries seven people and their luggage without anyone having to squeeze in. It has sliding doors on both sides and a deep boot. Its real strength is the balance between seats and luggage: seven passengers with seven suitcases, a combination no SUV can really manage.
The V-Class VIP is the same van, fitted with six individual seats facing each other and a partition from the chauffeur. You can work in it, and talk without being heard from the driver’s seat. It is the vehicle hotel concierges ask for, and the one we recommend for any journey over an hour.
The difference is not about comfort but about use. Seven people and their luggage, with nothing more to ask for: the standard V-Class, which costs less. Six people who want to work or talk in private on the way: the V-Class VIP.
SUV
The Range Rover Vogue: when to choose it
The Range Rover Vogue is one of the SUVs in the chauffeur fleet. It has five seats and the ground clearance to handle steep villa driveways and unmade tracks that saloons avoid. Many prestige villas sit at the end of a track like this. A saloon scrapes its underside, a Range Rover drives up without a second thought.
The boot, square and tall, takes hard-shell suitcases that a saloon’s boot will not. That is why some of our clients now choose it by default for airport transfers of three or four people with bulky luggage, even with no steep driveway on the schedule.
Groups
The Sprinter VIP: when one vehicle is enough
The Sprinter VIP is the largest vehicle in the fleet, with up to sixteen seats depending on the layout. It is the answer for groups, production crews and weddings, when everyone has to arrive at the same time. One Sprinter replaces three saloons: one chauffeur, one arrival, and a group that does not split up on the way.
The VIP fit-out keeps a real level of comfort despite the capacity. It is not an airport shuttle, it is a lounge on wheels. For a wedding with more than eight guests to move, or a crew travelling with its equipment, it is the first vehicle to consider, before you even work out how many saloons you would need.
Luggage
What really decides it: seats and luggage, not just seats
The number of seats is not enough to choose a vehicle. The V-Class has seven seats, and seven passengers with seven cabin bags fit better in one V-Class than in two smaller vehicles combined. The Range Rover Vogue has five seats, but its boot takes hard-shell suitcases that no saloon will.
Before you book, tell us the number of passengers and a rough idea of the luggage, not just the number of people. We ask this every time, and it is the question that avoids a change of vehicle on the day.
See also: rates for chauffeur hire by the hour and private chauffeur services.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the S-Class and the E-Class with a chauffeur?
The E-Class offers most of the comfort of the S-Class in a more discreet car. The difference in comfort is real but modest.
How many people fit in the V-Class with their luggage?
Seven passengers with their luggage: that is the capacity listed for the V-Class.
When should I choose the Range Rover Vogue over a saloon?
For villas at the end of a steep or unmade track, and for bulky hard-shell luggage that will not fit in a saloon’s boot.
From how many people do you need a Sprinter VIP?
When the group is larger than the V-Class can take, the Sprinter VIP carries up to sixteen passengers.
Is the V-Class VIP available for a simple airport transfer?
Yes, but we mainly recommend it for any journey over an hour, thanks to its face-to-face seating and the partition from the chauffeur.
Which vehicle for a wedding with several guests?
The Sprinter VIP for the group, and the S-Class or the Range Rover Vogue for the bride and groom.
Not sure which to choose?
Tell us about your plans
Number of passengers, luggage, kind of journey: we point you to the right vehicle before sending you a quote.