Daimler Vans USA launched its fourth new Sprinter model - the Shuttle Van, which joins the Cargo Van, Passenger Van, and Chassis Cab. The low-floor Sprinter Shuttle Van seats up to 16 passengers. The fuel-efficient Sprinter Shuttle Van is well-suited for use by limousine services, rental car companies, residential care, and community shuttles.

Shuttle Van standard equipment includes an electrically operated split-entry door and step to make it easy on passengers with luggage. Air suspension ensures automatic vehicle leveling, regardless of load.

Mercedes-Benz showcased its 2010 Sprinter van lineup during a presentation for journalists at its Daimler Vans Manufacturing facility in Ladson, S.C.

Daimler took back the distribution, servicing, and marketing of the Sprinter from Dodge on Jan. 1. The Sprinter was rebadged as a Mercedes and continued to be badged as a Freightliner. A new division, Daimler Vans USA, was formed to oversee the sales and marketing of the Sprinter. Located in Montvale, N.J., Daimler Vans USA, LLC is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz USA. Heading up the division is Claus Tritt, general manager of Daimler Vans USA.

Four Shuttle Configurations

The new Sprinter Shuttle Van is available with a choice of four seating configurations:

• Airport Shuttle - Perimeter seating for 15 passengers, plus driver, as well an 80-inch, 2-tier luggage rack.

• Commuter Shuttle - Forward-facing seating for 16 passengers, plus driver, and optional video equipment with monitors ranging from 11 to 17 inches.

• Hotel Shuttle - Forward-facing seating for 15 passengers, plus driver, and rear luggage area with fixed dividing wall.

• Paratransit Shuttle - Available with side or rear wheelchair lift, the ADA-compliant shuttle offers multiple wheel-chair positions and forward-facing seating for up to eight passengers, plus driver.

Hundreds of Custom-Tailored Versions

With the launch of the new Shuttle Van, four Sprinter models are now available through Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner dealers:

• Cargo Van - Available in three different body lengths and two roof heights, the cargo van features a best-in-class payload capacity of 5,375 lbs. and cargo capacity of up to 547 cubic feet. The van also has the largest side- and rear-door openings, as well as the lowest load floor and step-in height of any full-size van.

• Chassis Cab - The Sprinter Chassis Cab is available in two-wheelbase lengths. The Chassis Cab platform can also accommodate the installation of special cargo boxes, ranging from motor homes and medical emergency units to full kitchens and refrigerated compartments.

• Passenger Van - With four rows of seats for up to 12 occupants (each fitted with an individual three-point seat belt and head restraint), the Sprinter Passenger Van is intended for limousine services and airport, residential care and community service shuttles. Sprinter passenger vans can be ordered in two wheelbases and two roof heights.

Both Cargo and Passenger Van models feature a side-door opening measuring 51-inches wide and 59-inches high, with a 71-inch height on high-roof versions. The step-in height is only 19.9 inches.

Rundown of Sprinter Features

Since its introduction in Europe in 1995, more than 1 million Sprinter vans have been sold worldwide.

In the U.S., there have been 130,000 Sprinters sold. The largest fleet customer in the U.S. is FedEx, which has 6,000 Sprinter models in daily operation.

The Sprinter is offered in three vehicle lengths, two wheelbases, and three GVWRs.

All Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Sprinters are powered by a 3.0L V-6 BlueTEC turbodiesel that gets 30% better fuel economy than a comparable gasoline engine.

Daimler no longer offers a gasoline-engine option in the U.S. due to weak demand, Tritt said.

The Sprinter van meets 2010 emissions standards with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system that uses diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) aftertreatment. The Passenger Van and Cargo version are equipped with a 4.9-gallon DEF tank, and the Chassis Cab and Cutaway versions are equipped with a 5.8-gallon tank.

All Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Sprinters are equipped with 5-speed automatic transmissions, four-wheel disc brakes, and independent strut suspension with coil springs in front, as well as a solid axle with leaf springs at the rear. Several choices of springs, shock absorbers, and stabilizer bars provide just the right suspension for each version of the Sprinter van.

Best-in-class honors for the Sprinter include a standing interior height of 6-feet 4-inches, which makes it a mobile workshop, and a tight turning radius of 54.6 feet.

Later this summer, Mercedes-Benz will introduce an extended limited warranty. The program offers one- and two-year/up to 100,000-mile warranty options with no deductibles. To qualify, the Sprinter must be under the original, new-vehicle warranty period.

The lifecycle of the current generation Sprinter will be until 2016.

"Between now and then, the Sprinter will receive a facelift, along with the addition of additional equipment," said Tritt. "It is a commercial vehicle, and we will add options. There are currently 260 standalone options available for the Sprinter."

According to fleet managers, key advantages of the Sprinter are its large door opening, interior height, vehicle quality, driver acceptability, fuel economy, and fuel-efficient diesel engine.

Concerns have focused on the long order-to-delivery time for the vehicle, which is produced in Germany, parts availability, and the dealer network. Some prior Dodge dealers were unable to work on the Sprinter due to height restrictions in their maintenance bays and had a limited number of mechanics certified to service the Sprinter, which resulted in a longer downtime. 

Improved Order-to-Delivery Times

Sprinter cargo vans and passenger vans are produced in Düsseldorf, Germany, while Sprinter Cab Chassis vehicles are made in Ludwigsfelde, Germany.

Sprinter Cargo Vans sold in the U.S. are built from complete knock-down (CKD) kits imported from Germany and sold by Mercedes and Freightliner.

The Sprinter Cargo Vans are partially disassembled in Germany and shipped to a facility in Ladson, S.C., where they are reassembled. The cargo versions, classified as light trucks, are subject to the 25-percent "chicken tax" when imported as a complete unit, but the tax is avoided by the disassembly and subsequent reassembly. Passenger vans are not subject to the same tax classification and are imported as assembled units by Mercedes through the Port of Jacksonville, Fla.

To improve Sprinter order-to-delivery times, Mercedes has implemented a new ordering system. "In the past, once an order went to Germany, it went into a black hole," said Tritt. "Now, with our new ordering system, a customer can change the specs of an ordered vehicle up to 10 days before production."

The ordering system has been fully adapted and tested for the Sprinter van.

"Everywhere in the world, Sprinter is handled by Mercedes. The exception prior to now was in the U.S. with the Dodge brand, which required creating workarounds," said Ernst Lieb, president/CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. "Now, all of that has been eliminated. The entire line now speaks one language. We speak 'Mercedes' with the customer and 'Mercedes' with the factory."

According to Tritt, order-to-delivery for the Sprinter will be 90-120 days. "This is just 30 days longer than the lead time with European trucks. The customers' orders go into monthly production, and there is flexibility to move orders around," said Tritt.

A National Dealer Network

The Sprinter dealer network currently consists of 120 dealers -­ 71 Mercedes dealers and 49 Freightliner dealers. (Both Mercedes and Freightliner are divisions of Daimler AG.) Mercedes-Benz USA plans to add additional dealers to sell the Sprinter.

Dealers must have appropriate-sized lifts and work bays to accommodate the Sprinter. Tritt said dealers are expected to offer extended service hours, but will not be required to build a separate show room facility for the Sprinter. Mercedes technicians are already experienced with the Sprinter's 3.0L V-6 turbodiesel engine since it is also used in other Mercedes models, such as the M-Class and GL SUVs, which will help decrease vehicle downtime.

Last December, Mercedes started a technical training program to ensure each dealer has two technicians trained to work on the Sprinter.

"There will always be two technicians fully trained," said Tritt. "If one is on vacation or calls in sick, there will always be one other fully trained technician on staff."

Another fleet concern fleets was parts availability for Sprinter vans. To address this issue, Mercedes will operate five parts distribution centers (PDC) for the Sprinter. In August, Mercedes will take over two PDCs previously operated by Chrysler - one in Los Angeles and the other in Orlando, Fla. In addition, Mercedes will operate PDCs in Chicago; Robinsville, N.J.; and Houston. 

Vocational Upfitter Programs

Another market in which Sprinter is making inroads in the van conversion and recreational vehicle market. Conversions include limousines, RVs, office vans, wheelchair-accessible vans, and golf vans. 

According to Lieb, another vocational market in the U.S. being examined by Mercedes for the Sprinter is the ambulance market.

Thirty-nine upfitter and body companies are affiliated with the Sprinter. Tritt calls the Sprinter "upfitter-friendly" with near-vertical walls for the Cargo and Passenger models and flat unobstructed frame rails for the Cab Chassis. Mercedes has partnered with 39 upfit and bodybuilding specialists.

Dig Deeper: Sprinter Charges Ahead