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Axel Catton

We’re talking about the new-generation Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van. Recently, The Star was invited to Amsterdam in the Netherlands for a first chance to test the new van – a treat, indeed – and also to test the Mercedes-Benz User Experience system (MBUX), the company’s new infotainment system.

Multitalented – Behind the wheel of the latest-generation Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van

Article by Axel Catton

Images Axel Catton, Daimler Global Media

 

We all know that offering a long list of exclusive choices and options is an established part of Mercedes-Benz’s vehicle-selling strategy. However, “Would you like the long-wheelbase or the extra-long-wheelbase version?” is a question that isn’t generally asked of prospective purchasers in a dealer’s showroom. And if a salesman were to inquire, “Would you want that to be a rear-drive, all-wheel-drive or front-drive option,” you would know something is going on.

 

We’re talking about the new-generation Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van. Recently, The Star was invited to Amsterdam in the Netherlands for a first chance to test the new van – a treat, indeed – and also to test the Mercedes-Benz User Experience system (MBUX), the company’s new infotainment system.

 

What’s new?

 

From the outside, the newest Sprinter looks very familiar; the three-slat front grille, slightly sculpted wheel arches and the ubiquitous box in the back – all standard visual fare. But this impression is not correct, according to Kai Sieber, head of the Sprinter design team.  While the load-area dimensions are almost identical to the previous model (a clear demand from the all-important upfitters), the front and interior are all new.

 

 “There are many subtle clues making the 2019 Sprinter look more attractive and more current,” Sieber said. “We’ve done away with hard-edged wheel-arch extensions and have put great effort into sculpting the fenders, so everything looks like it’s hewn from one block.”

 

On the inside, the 2019 Sprinter has also jumped out of its proverbial box, replacing the old, three-piece dashboard, and offering an optional color touchscreen display that does away with rotary knobs. This is a first for Mercedes-Benz, and it will debut in both the 2019 A-Class and the Sprinter.

 

Screen resolution and image crispness are impressive, and the system’s processing power allows touch-screen control like that on an iPad – for example, changing the scale of a navigation map by pinching with index finger and thumb.

 

A neat feature of the new screen is a 2-D representation of the Sprinter that replaces submenus to access controls and settings. This image of the vehicle can be turned and zoomed at will; once you are looking at the component settings you want to change, just tap the screen to make the desired adjustment.

 

An optional 360-degree camera also displays its images on the new touchscreen; more basically equipped Sprinters get a smaller screen neatly included into the rear-view mirror. The three-spoke steering wheel with its little swipe pads looks straight out of a Mercedes-Benz passenger car. Unfortunately, the swipe direction in the steering wheel pads is opposite to the one in the new touchscreen. Teething problems.

 

Another new feature is the voice-activation system. Much like Amazon’s Alexa, Mercedes-Benz’s works on a voice command, which is “Hey, Mercedes.” Not only does it work with straightforward, clear demands, but it is also able to interpret a user’s intention.

 

For example: “Hey Mercedes, I’m hungry,” prompts the navigation system to suggest nearby eateries. En route, my co-pilot was especially adventurous in testing MBUX by saying, “Hey, Mercedes, I’d like to go dancing.” Believe it or not, our 2019 Sprinter knew the names and addresses of the nearest dance clubs – a query that baffled many of Amsterdam’s locals.

 

Dancing venues probably aren’t a priority if you’re overseeing a fleet of business vehicles, but checking their whereabouts probably is. For that purpose, Mercedes Pro Connect software allows fleet operators to oversee vehicles, not only by location, but also by condition: Service requirements, oil and fuel levels, time away from base and much other data by vehicle can be called up on computer screen in the fleet office.

 

To meet fleet owners’ increasingly diverse needs, the new Sprinter is coming to the United States with two wheelbase lengths: 144 inches and 170 inches, and either as a cargo or passenger van or as a simple chassis cab ready to receive a wide variety of upfitter body modifications back of the B-pillar, ranging from dump trucks to luxury recreational vehicles.

 

There will be two turbodiesel engines: a 3.0-liter V-6 offering 190 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, and a slightly less powerful 2.1-liter inline 4-cylinder delivering 161 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. Both are mated to a 7-speed 7G-Tronic transmission as standard equipment.

 

A new 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine will be a first for the Sprinter and exclusive to the United States. It comes with a 9-speed automatic transmission as standard. Initially, U.S. Sprinters will be rear-wheel drive only, but an all-wheel-drive version will be added to the lineup later.

 

European buyers can also choose a new front-wheel-drive layout with a lower load floor, but higher haulage demands in the United States made this version less attractive stateside.

 

Driving the new Sprinter

 

 In Amsterdam, we were able to sample both diesel engines in a variety of body styles. The seating position is higher and more commanding than that in a sport-utility vehicle. The electric steering directed by the three-spoke steering wheel is very light, the view from the airy cabin perfect. Steering and maneuvering in tight spaces was as easy as child’s play when utilizing the van’s rear camera.

 

The 3.0-liter diesel V-6 is a fabulous engine that suits the Sprinter’s character very well; it literally sprints the (empty) cargo van from a standstill quickly into rush-hour traffic. The 7G-Tronic had no problem selecting the highest possible gear for fuel efficiency, downshifting quickly when needed. At 60 mph, the engine is next to inaudible, though the front picks up some wind noise – typical for aerodynamically challenged vehicles like this. This combination will be the drivetrain of choice for high-end applications such as people-movers or RVs.

 

The 2.1-liter inline-4 diesel, on the other hand, is intended more for fleet use – and the difference is audible. The engine is noticeably less quiet, and when it engages after a start-stop cycle, the lower number of cylinders is obvious. However, for in-town hauling, this power unit should be perfectly acceptable.

 

Models with the new gasoline engine will offer 188 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque and are aimed at money-conscious small enterprises that offer in-town deliveries and similar services. The Star magazine will offer driving impressions for this new model in a later issue.

 

Out on the road, it takes very little time to get familiar with the new Sprinter. Cruising with the 7-speed automatic is a breeze. We particularly liked the Distronic radar-controlled monitoring that was able to safely stop the Sprinter from  highway speeds – easily handling abrupt stop-and-go traffic crawl – very important for those in delivery situations.

 

In addition to many other assistance systems familiar from today’s Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, the Sprinter also comes with Lane-Keeping Assist. We had a chance to check this feature out on highways in the Netherlands. When crossing a solid line, the brakes kicked in quite harshly and whipped the car back into its original trajectory. It’s obvious that these systems are calibrated to handle driving situations with significantly higher vehicle weights than those that cars normally carry.

 

Game changer

 

Jan ten Haaf from MBUSA’s Vans Product Management explained the Sprinter’s market environment. “The Sprinter initiated a change in the U.S. market,” he said. “After decades without change, competitors like Ford with the Transit and Dodge with their version of the Fiat Ducato now have changed to the more European van styles with full height for people to stand in the back.”

 

According to ten Haaf, Mercedes can boast market leadership in the RV segment where upfitters such as Winnebago or Airstream simply buy a chassis cab and construct their motorhomes around them. The large-van market in the United States is about 350,000 units per year, of which Sprinter claims about 10 percent.

 

Built in America

 

Imported U.S. Sprinters will be built at either Mercedes’s largest van site in Düsseldorf or a smaller plant near Berlin where the cab chassis are also made. However, most of the cargo vans will be built in the United States, according to ten Haaf, who said the plant in Charleston, South Carolina, will be responsible for at least half of the expected sales. This way, Mercedes can avoid the so-called “chicken tax,” a tariff imposed on imported cargo vans that does not apply to people movers or chassis cabs.

 

Sprinter Vans are available from approximately 285 Mercedes-Benz dealers, or as a Freightliner-badged version, at about 50 Freightliner dealers in the United States. Pricing has not been announced, but will stay close to the range of the current lineup, which starts at a very competitive $32,500 for the 140-inch-wheelbase entry cargo van.

 

Captions

 

Concept sketch of the sleek new Sprinter. ABOVE: Front view exhibits the redesigned van’s more subtle, flowing, and softly sculpted lines.

 

 

Interior of the Sprinter has been fully redesigned.

 

Axel Catton tries out the commanding driving position, optional color touchscreen and voice activation in the streets of Amsterdam.

 

Three-spoke steering wheel incorporates swipe pads and multiple function controls.

 

Initial engines for U.S. market include a pair of turbodiesels and a turbocharged gasoline unit.

 

 

Short- and long-wheelbase versions of both passenger and cargo vans are available.

TOP: Safe and sophisticated people movers.

 

ABOVE: Four generations of Sprinter, from 1977 (white), 1995 (yellow), 2006 (red), and today (dark grey).

 

The Sprinter continues to embody traits that have made it a worldwide success from the beginning – flexibility, robustness and economy.

 

The 2019 Sprinter is more versatile than ever, with a potential of more than 1,700 possible configurations available worldwide (the final product program for the U.S. has not yet been confirmed).