On The Road
At 3.5-tonnes, the engine on offer for the standard panel van is around the 110hp mark, give or take a few hp. Here we are offered the 109hp version for the 211, 311 and 411 series van and it matches up nicely. With a full load, the engine just about delivers consistent power to keep the vehicle moving up the M20 without suffering too much, and its climb up Titsey Hill was very impressive.
The 270Nm peak torque spread between 1,400 and 2,400rpm is wide enough for the driver to get the best from the driveline. The engine digs in well in the bottom half of the torque band on sharper hill climbs but, if the revs are falling away or zooming through the top end, then you must either exercise self-control or change gear. At either end of the scale, the torque falls away quite quickly so hammering it past 2,400rpm or letting it lug below 1,400rpm is not only futile, but also a waste of fuel.
The five-speed transmission is an overdrive top, with fourth being direct. That means in certain hill climbs on the road, the change between third and fourth can provide a wider gap than intended. Perhaps a good six-speed would be better for an overdrive gearbox to cover all situations.
If you find that the top of third won't leap satisfactorily into the bottom end of fourth, then hold it back till it does. Otherwise the engine will be out of the green zone and working significantly harder with little gain - see the comment on futility and fuel above. It has to be said that this only happened on a severe hill heading back into Sutton.
On the flat, the five-speed box gets you up to the national speed limit without any worries whatsoever, so deliveries should only be held up by the dense traffic in and around the capital and the traditional summer roadworks.
The optional braking package of ABS, ASR and ESP is a fairly tidy deal - the best compliment we can pay it is that we barely noticed the superior braking. It's designed to improve safety but, unless you come haring into a roundabout at 60mph, only to see someone coming from the right, then you shouldn't worry about it.
If you stick to national speed limits, like 30mph in built-up areas and a child does run out in front of you, it's fair to say that the chances of stopping sooner with this system are better. But with the reputation of white van drivers in this country, perhaps it should be standard.
Cab Comfort
The revamping of the interior gives the Sprinter a sleeker look than in the past, with subtle links to the car range. The dash looks compact and smart with chic needles on the counters and subtle background colouring.
The choice of three seat upholsteries, Santos, Carat or the optional Blue-Grey, gives a more sedate interior environment and should age well compared with various attempts at injecting bright Euro-colour fashions in the past.
But the subtle links with the car range pretty much end there, with the bulkhead up against the three seats offering little if any variation of the seating positions for the driver or passengers. The Sprinter is called a three-seater, although your middle passenger would need to be the size of Frodo Baggins. Roomy for two, tight for three. All three-seater vans suffer from this however, and even having a dash-mounted gearstick does not offer much comfort.
For the single driver though, elbow room is pretty good. The seat is comfortable and easily adjusted, and every switch, nook and cranny s within touching distance from the seat without having to over-stretch. Above the windscreen is the optional extra-wide shelf which is ideal for maps, paperwork and jackets. There is even a tendency to forget what you have placed up there because it is out of sight, and therefore out of mind.
Mercedes has added optional extras like the CD system, a full bulkhead, interior shelf above the windscreen, central locking from any key lock, driver's airbag and electric windows. Which certainly improves things for the driver.
