British Press put Binz through its paces at Millbrook

A blustery day in late May saw Binz bare all to assembled UK motoring journalists at Millbrook Proving Ground, just outside Milton Keynes. The event organised by the Society of Motoring Manufacturers and Traders saw Binz’s coachbuilt six door limousines and the iF Design Forum award-winning 5 seat hearse put through their paces alongside production luxury saloons from Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Bentley – as well as new kids on the block from Chrysler and Cadillac.

Binz CEO Peter Smith said, "It is an interesting venue for us because not only do we have the chance to take our vehicles over a series of very demanding test routes, but also gain valuable feedback from members of the press who as a matter of course get privileged access to new models from major car makers.

"One correspondent even went so far as to sit in the rearmost seats of the limousine, and had to reluctantly conclude that the ride was far better there than that of at least one highly-respected – and very expensive – newly released prestige model." A comment that underscores Binz’s long coachbuilding experience, which on these E-Class based vehicles led it to carefully position the axle centreline so that road shocks are not transmitted directly up the spine of a seated passenger.

Facilities available to journalists at Millbrook include a high speed banked bowl circuit, and a so-called ‘hill route’ featuring tight hairpins and abrupt crests and dips. Kevin Smith, sales director commented, "You could watch a journalist’s reactions start to change from apprehension to becoming more confident, as they discovered that the handling and braking of both vehicles was on a par to that of the original Mercedes-Benz models upon which both are based".

Binz hearses and limousines are hand built with full Mercedes authorisation on extended chassis E-class Mercedes chassis in Germany. The vehicles come with full European Type Approval and 5 Star NCAP crash testing. Unlike some other conversions the co-operation with Mercedes gives the Binz engineers full access to engine and chassis management data to ensure that every Binz performs as Mercedes engineers originally specified the original vehicle.