Mercedes-Benz Unveils New Sprinter for North America
DUSSELDORF, Germany — Mercedes-Benz debuted its updated 2014 Sprinter delivery van for the North American market here, which includes a 4-cylinder diesel engine and a suite of safety technology offerings.
Volker Mornhinweg, head of the van unit, unveiled the new Sprinter models at a media event Monday. Most of the Sprinters are built at a factory in Dusseldorf and then shipped to the United States for final assembly.
A Freightliner-branded model of the Sprinter will continue to be produced, the company said. Freightliner Trucks and Mercedes-Benz are units of Stuttgart, Germany-based Daimler AG.
Mornhinweg and Claus Tritt, general manager of commercial vans for Mercedes-Benz USA, said the standard 4-cylinder engine and new 7-speed automatic transmission offer an estimated 18% increase in fuel efficiency over the existing Sprinter. A 6-cylinder engine with 5-speed transmission will also be an option.
The 2014 Sprinter also offers five safety systems to help prevent accidents: collision prevention assist, blind spot assist, lane keeping assist, high-beam assist and the new crosswind assist.
Company officials also touted several visual improvements to the front grill, providing a look more similar to Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. Delivery of the 2014 models is expected to begin in September.
For additional coverage on the new Sprinter from Mercedes Benz, see the May 20 print edition of Transport Topics.
