Image: Mercedes-Benz
Let’s face it: limousines are entirely too played out, and you’re not likely to hire one for an interstate drive. That’s where Brilliant Transportation comes into the picture, since they’re offering ultra-luxury transportation cross town, cross state or cross region, as their client’s needs dictate. The concept is sheer genius; turn business or family travel into quality time by recreating the luxury of first class air or train travel. Brilliant Vans are based on Mercedes’ Sprinter platform, and each comes equipped with hardwood floors, flat panel TVs, oversized leather chairs, a refrigerator, cabinets and even folding desks. Want to head from NYC to Boston on your schedule, not Amtrak’s? Want to get work done when you travel from Washington D.C to New York? Brilliant Vans may be the perfect solution for corporate executives who understand that time is indeed the equivalent of money.
Richard Fertig, Brilliant Transportation’s founder, had this to say about his company, started just 13 months ago:
“We’re introducing a new mode of travel we call “Private Motoring¨, that often replaces air and rail transport. Although a number of our clients didn’t realize at first that Mercedes-Benz makes large vans, they know and love Mercedes, which makes our chauffeur-driven Brilliant Vans a natural extension of the way they choose to travel. Our New York-based Sprinters offer a distinct environment for business trips to Boston and DC, social events in Manhattan such as Lincoln Center or family weekends to the Hamptons and the Vermont ski country. With a similar range of use, our just-opened L.A. operation makes frequent trips to Las Vegas, Santa Barbara and San Diego.”
Image: Mercedes-Benz
There’s no word on what a trip from NY to DC in a Brilliant Van costs, but I’d be willing to bet it’s somewhere between a first class train ticket and hiring a private jet. There’s a significant investment in hardware to cover, since each Brilliant Van costs in the neighborhood of $190,000. Still, I see the service as a great way to stay productive on the road, and at the senior executive level you can probably pass it off as a cost savings compared to hiring a private aircraft. Rank, and wealth, both have their privileges.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
