Introduction
Since its 1995 launch the Sprinter has established itself as the second best selling van on the UK market, shifting more and more units each year. It nestles behind the Ford Transit which is having to work harder in an increasingly busy and competitive sector (look out for a 3.5-tonne group test in Commercial Motor). Although Tranny sales have fallen every year since the Merc was unleashed the ubiquitous Ford still holds the lion’s share of the UK market – a position the Sprinter enjoys in Germany.
Could that many Germans be wrong? Is the Sprinter really worth all the fuss?
Product Profile
Mercedes’ new common-rail engine is the biggest change for the Sprinter; it comes with variable geometry turbochargers in all but the lowest rated (80hp) version. A solitary four-cylinder design powers the bulk of the range up to 127hp, with a five-cylinder unit stepping in for real high jinks at 154hp (there’s also a 141hp petrol unit).
Peak torque is improved over the previous old engines and is available over a wider rev range: in our 127hp test vehicle 300Nm is on tap from 1,600-2,400rpm.
The fun doesn’t stop here. Other changes for the new model include a dash-mounted gear change, an optional six-speed automatic/semi-automatic gearbox called Sprintshift and an engine shutdown feature which Mercedes says can deliver fuel savings of up to 8%...one more thing for us to test.
Anti-lock brakes (ABS) are standard on all models except for the two lowest ratings and come with antis-kid regulation (ASR) to boot; a system which now controls the throttle rather than just braking a slipping wheel. Clever stuff.
The options list is long and includes delights such as an uprated front axle for £342; air conditioning for £1,076; and a full steel bulkhead which we think everyone should fit, even though it costs at least £187. The Sprintshift system costs £770.
Choose from three wheelbases for 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0m; two roof heights; and four gross vehicle weights of 2,590, 2,800, 3,500 and 4,600kg. Payload starts at 795kg and rises to 2,490kg with volumes between 7.0 and 13.4m3. Our test vehicle is the 4m wheelbase van with a high roof, featuring 13.4m3 of space and a 1.33kg payload from a GVW of 3,500kg.
Chassis-cabs in all lengths and weights are available, as are all-wheel-drive variants (from £7,7880 extra) for the more specialist buyer.
All new Sprinters come with a three-year warranty and free servicing for one year or up to 30,000 miles.
Productivity
Given the marked improvement in consumption we experienced with the Mercedes-Benz Vito when it earned its common-rail colours (CM 10-16 June, 1999), we were looking forward to see how much more efficient the new Sprinter would be. In fact the engine returned almost identical results to the old conventional direct-injection model we previously tested (CM 05-11 October, 1995).
The 0.1mpg difference between the two can easily be put down to experimental error, but both CM and Mercedes were not a little surprised that the results were not better. The fact that such a small engine (only 2,151cc) can produce such good results at all demonstrates how remarkable common-rail technology can be. Either way, the figure is still good; it’s only topped by the Citroën Relay which continues to wear the best fuel crown. A rev counter is now standard on the re-modelled dash but unfortunately does not come with a green band to make economical driving even easier.
Payload is down on the competition and a little lower than the previous Sprinter, with our 13.4m3 brute taking up to 1,355kg. The load-bed height is inevitably a little high because of rear-wheel drive, but both the rear and side doors are well able to accommodate a Euro-pallet. Axle tolerance is very good at 340kg, and the load bay is peppered with sturdy-feeling tie-down points.
A handle is fitted to the offside rear pillar for hauling yourself up into the loadbay (a full-width step can be added for £101). A second sliding door is handy on a van like this and is yours for £351, while central locking costs from £216.
A Thatcham approved immobiliser is fitted as standard. The fuel filler cap remains located behind the passenger door. This is a neat security feature – if the doors are locked, you can’t get into the fuel tank – but having the door open when you are refuelling can be a bit awkward on a small forecourt.
It’s difficult for us to tell you how the Sprinter will fare over time until we get a long-term vehicle.
What cannot be denied, however, is that a van this well put together rarely passes through our hands. It’s a world apart from the rest of the market and if quality is rewarded with longevity this one will still be around after the next ice-age has thawed (as long as you remember to change your oil at 22,500km or every two years).
Oh, we almost forgot the really good news. Mercedes-Benz has fitted the new Sprinter with ‘gills’ to increase fording depth from 250-300mm to more than 500mm.
