Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
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| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter | |
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| Manufacturer | Daimler-Benz (1995-1998), DaimlerChrysler |
| Also called | Dodge Sprinter Freightliner Sprinter |
| Production | 1995–present |
| Predecessor | Mercedes-Benz T1 |
| Class | Full-size van |
| Body style | 4-door van |
| Layout | FR |
| Related | Volkswagen LT |
| Similar | Chevrolet Express Ford E-Series Ford Transit GMC Savana |
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a tall delivery van, pickup truck and minibus built by DaimlerChrysler and sold under its Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, and Freightliner brands. It was launched in Europe in 1995 to replace the famous but outdated Mercedes-Benz T1 van dating from 1977 and in 2001 in the U.S. (originally branded as a Freightliner there). It is designed primarily for business, not private users. It is currently offered with four and six cylinder diesel, six cylinder gasoline or LPG engines in Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. In North America, only the six cylinder diesel and gasoline engines are offered. The body shell is also used in a joint-venture with Volkswagen who made the Volkswagen LT.
The second generation Sprinter was introduced in Europe in 2006.
There is an electric hybrid [1].
The model designations for the first generation Sprinter are W901, W902, W903, W904 and W905, depending on the gross weight rating.
Contents |
[edit] The Sprinter in North America
For 2003, DaimlerChrysler introduced a Dodge-branded version of the Sprinter to the North American market. Rather than redesign the aging Dodge Ram Van which has used the same basic body and layout since the 1970s, the Sprinter offers a more fuel efficient alternative, available with a factory-built tall roof. It coexists with an earlier version badged as a Freightliner. While the Sprinter is offered to individuals, it is primarily a business model. The Sprinter's main US competitors include the Ford E-Series, the Chevrolet Express, as well as older models of the Ram Van.
In Europe and elsewhere, the main competitors are the Ford Transit and the Fiat Ducato. Overall around 1.3 million Sprinters have rolled off the assembly lines. The Dodge Sprinter sold 19,578 units in the United States in 2005, while Freightliner sold approximately 2,500 units, giving it just 3.5% of the full-size van market.
Companies such as Microsoft are replacing van conversions with wide bus bodies with Sprinters with side-facing benches and tall right-side doors as campus shuttle buses. Limited numbers of complete "wagons" (passenger vans) are being produced in Germany and shipped complete to the U.S. market for mostly individual and church van uses. Typical Sprinter Wagons are 8-10 passengers and have glass in all of the normal positions that windows can be factory installed. Vans shipped to the U.S. on spec (Speculation to sell by dealer/distributor) are mostly sent in Arctic White color, but many standard and a few special colors are available on these passenger vans. The Dodge dealer network for Sprinters is limited to certified locations (known as "Five Star" certified dealers) and dealer knowledge is still limited in both sales and service. Special orders typically take 1-3 months for delivery and make stretch out even longer: mid-late 2006 orders are probably going to be for 2007 models and delayed further for production to catch up to demand.
In North America, most Sprinters are sold as cargo vans to expediters in the United States. Such expediters are similar to truck drivers except they take smaller loads and will wait in a town indefinitely after unloading until dispatchers find another customer nearby to transport goods. The advent of the Sprinter van with its cargo space of 13-1/2 feet (4.1 m) has allowed van expediters to take three 48 x 48 in (1.22 x 1.22 m) skids or pallets where previously they were confined to two. A Sprinter driver is capable of hauling approximately 3000 lb (1360 kg) of cargo. The pool of Sprinter drivers gives more choice, efficiency and flexibility to trucking companies and their customers. They have become popular delivery and supply vans, with DHL, FedEx and Benjamin Franklin Plumbers shifting their fleets away from trucks and more-and-more towards smaller, more aerodynamic and more fuel-efficient Sprinters. Trade workers and others who spend time in the cargo bed of the Sprinter find the added roof height, an option on all Sprinters, a more comfortable alternative to traditional North American vans; even a six-footer can stand upright inside.
Another market in which Sprinters are gaining ground is as van conversions and mini-motorhomes They have adopted as a smaller high-end fuel efficient van-based RV chassis, rather than replacing Ford and GM chassis.
Dodge Sprinter owners have been discussing a possible flaw in the "Turbo Resonator". Apparently, they are made of plastic and the seal at a seam fails, causing boost pressure to be lost and making the computer detect a catastrophic turbo failure. The engine computer then switches into "Limp Home Mode", limiting the vehicle speed to about 35 mph (56 kph). Because it is a seam leak, it is not visually obvious when the engine is off, yet it still causes the computer to detect a failure during operation. Some claim that DaimlerChrysler knows about this problem, but as of July 2006 there has not been any service bulletin to their dealers on this issue. Currently DaimlerChrysler is encouraging owners who have experienced Limp Home Mode to contact the Customer Service Center with data and particulars which will be passed on to the platform team engineers to facilitate a proper fix.
On the North American market, the current Sprinter will be replaced in early 2007. This model will be assembled for the United States at a plant in Ladson, South Carolina that is currently utilized by American LaFrance, a former business unit of Freightliner LLC. The 2007 version is a complete redesign from the prior model. In 2007, the current 2.7-liter inline 5 cylinder turbo diesel will be replaced in the US with a choice of V6 turbo diesel or V6 gasoline engine. DaimlerChrysler plans to invest US$35 million to prepare the plant for the assembly of Sprinter vans from CKD kits imported from Europe.
[edit] Sprinter model line-up
- Passenger van
- Conversion van
- Cargo van
- Minibus
- Cab-chassis
 A facelifted Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 of Hong Kong Police. |
 A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 of Hong Kong Police. |
 A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 of cruising in Hong Kong Police. |
 A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 in fleet of Hong Kong Police. |
 A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 416CDI ambulance with Singapore-built bodywork used by Hong Kong Fire Services Department. |
 A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 416CDI ambulance with UVG bodywork used by Hong Kong Fire Services Department. |
 A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 414 ambulance with UVG bodywork used by Hong Kong Fire Services Department. |
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 A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter used to house equipment for the London Congestion Charge. |
 A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter used by DHL. |
 A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 416CDI ambulance used by London Ambulance Service. |
[edit] Notes
[edit] See also
- Mercedes-Benz - Worldwide of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
- Dodge - USA & Canada of Dodge Sprinter
- Freightliner LLC - USA & Canada of Freightliner Sprinter
[edit] Other links
- Official International website of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
- Official Dodge Sprinter website
- Official Freightliner Sprinter website
- Discussion of Power-Loss Issues
- Blog about Sprinter Vans and other Conversion Vans
- Discussion Forum on Sprinter Vans and Sprinter Related Conversion Vans
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