The little-known Mercedes-Benz Viano people-mover has become more of a talking point with the fitment of a potent new turbo-diesel V6 engine in place of the previous four-cylinder unit.

Based on the Vito van, the single-model Viano luxury MPV comes standard with seven seats but can be ordered with eight.

It costs a considerable $74,990, which places it up against the higher-end versions of the Toyota Tarago, VW Multivan and Chrysler Grand Voyager.

The new V6 diesel has a healthy 165kW and 440Nm, which allows it to dash from 0-100km/h in 9.1 seconds.