New Mercedes Sprinter revealed
Mercedes vans has released new sketches of its third generation Sprinter van, ahead of the North American Commercial Vehicle show in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ever since it was launched in 1995, the Sprinter has remained Mercedes' flagship van. Over 20 years later the new Sprinter aims to consolidate its position. Having split from the Volkswagen Crafter last year, the new Sprinter will be a brand new van with a striking appearance.
New Mercedes Sprinter
The Sprinter's modern new look is in contrast to the standard for large vans, very much resembling a futuristic concept vehicle. Mercedes claim that the new Sprinter 'embodies emotion and intelligence'. Make of that what you will, but there is no questioning the new Sprinter's distinctive appearance.
At the front, the new Sprinter features horizontal headlights and a low-sitting nose. This distinct look is enhanced by the height of the windscreen which will offer superb visibility.
New Mercedes Sprinter features
Scheduled for launch 'in the first six months of 2018', the new Sprinter will get a 'comprehensive' range of new technology including driving assistance systems and connectivity services. Also present will be a new telematics unit, which the German manufacturer says is 'a leap forward in efficiency for vehicle and fleet management'.
The number of available variants of the new model will also be 'considerably extended', which means that the new Sprinter will offer even more options to suit specific requirements. Mercedes hopes that the new Sprinter will present a unique proposition as an overall system solution in the van market.
Head of Mercedes-Benz vans, Volker Mornhinweg, said: "We want to more than just build the best vehicles. We want to offer the most suitable mobility solution for every sector and for every transport assignment. And that is precisely our focus with the upcoming Sprinter generation as an overall system solution. It also goes without saying that the new edition of our iconic van possesses the classical attributes of reliability, safety and cost-effectiveness."
The US is the second-largest market for Mercedes Sprinters after Germany, and Mercedes described the US as "one of the world's fastest-growing van markets". It also claimed that it is the undisputed No.1 in the US commercial vehicle market with a market share of over 40%. The fact that Mercedes is looking to reinforce that share with this new model comes as no surprise, then.
New Mercedes Sprinter factory
The manufacturer also announced that it would build a dedicated Sprinter factory in North Charleston to meet demand and - in a move that will appease the current President - adorn the new models with a 'Made in USA' badge. Currently the Sprinter is built in Germany before being disassembled and rebuilt in America.
Further details on the new Mercedes Sprinter will be revealed in the coming months, leading up to next year's launch.
Mercedes Sprinter deals
If you can't wait for a new van, the current-generation Mercedes Sprinter remains a reliable, quality commercial vehicle. It's currently in stock from just £235pm - enquire today!