Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

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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 It was launched in Europe in 1995 to replace the famous but outdated Mercedes-Benz T1 van dating from the 1970s and in 2001 in the U.S. (originally branded as a Freightliner there). It is designed primarily for business, not consumer, use. It is currently offered only with a 2.7 liter 5 cylinder inline diesel in the United States and diesel, gasoline or LPG engines in Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. An electric hybrid version may be offered in the late 2000s.

For 2004, DaimlerChrysler introduced a Dodge-branded version of the Sprinter to replace the aging Dodge Ram Van. While the Sprinter is offered to consumers, it is primarily a business model. The Sprinter's main US competitors include the Ford E-Series, the Chevrolet Express, and ironically, older models of the Ram Van. In Europe and elsewhere, the main competitor is the Ford Transit. 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, giving it just 3.5% of the full-size van market. The Ford and GM vans outsold it by a 9:1 margin. This is an decidely unpopular recreation of a full size van for the North American market. There is to be a new model introduced for the 2007 model year. It is unknown if this will resurrect the sales of the full size Dodge Van and how well it competed with the sales leader in its class, the Ford E-Series.

The current model designations are W901, W902, W903, W904 & W905 depending on the maximum permitted weight.

Contents

1 2007
2 Sprinter model Line-up
3 See also
4 Other links

2007

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 cyliner turbodiesel will be replaced in the US with a choice of V6 turbodiesel or V6 gasoline engine. DaimlerChrysler plans to invest $35 million (USD) to prepare the plant for the assembly of Sprinter vans from kits imported from Europe.

Sprinter cargo vans are a popular choice of cargo van expediters. 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 has allowed van expediters to take three 48" X 48" skids or pallets where previously they were confined to two. A Sprinter driver is capable of hauling approximately 3000 lb. of cargo. The pool of Sprinter drivers gives more choice, efficiency and flexibility to trucking companies and their customers.

Sprinter model Line-up

Sprinter Passenger Van
Sprinter Conversion Van
Sprinter Cargo Van
Sprinter Micro Bus
Sprinter Cab/Chassis

Image:Sprinter 314facelift Police HK.jpg|A facelifted Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 of Hong Kong Police. Image:Sprinter 314 Police HK.jpg|A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 of Hong Kong Police. Image:HK Police Van.jpg|A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 of cruising in Hong Kong Police. Image:Fleet of HKPF.jpg|A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 in fleet of Hong Kong Police. Image:Sprinter 416 new HK.jpg|A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 416CDI ambulance with Singapore-built bodywork used by Hong Kong Fire Services Department. Image:Sprinter_416_UVG_HK.jpg|A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 416CDI ambulance with UVG bodywork used by Hong Kong Fire Services Department. Image:Sprinter_414_UVG_HK.jpg|A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 414 ambulance with UVG bodywork used by Hong Kong Fire Services Department. Image:HKFSD-ambulance.JPG|A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Chinese ambulance with FSD markings. Image:London-cc-mobile-l.jpg|A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter used to house equipment for the London Congestion Charge. Image:DHL-Fahrzeug.jpg|A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter used by DHL. Image:Ambulância-urgência.jpg|A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Brazilian ambulance with SAMU markings.

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

2007

Sprinter model Line-up

See also

Other links