Mercedes-Benz Vans celebrated an important milestone with its van, the Sprinter. Since its market launch in 1995, the division has delivered 3 million units of its "world vehicle" to customers. The large van is driven in more than 130 countries. 

In the year of its 20th birthday, sales of the Sprinter rose by 4% to 194,200 vehicles. Mercedes-Benz Vans is expecting further overall growth in demand in 2016. Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, handed over the three millionth Sprinter to Bernhard Kibler, Managing Director of camper-van manufacturer Hymer, at a press event today. Hymer, a bodybuilder partner to Mercedes-Benz Vans, will turn the anniversary vehicle into one of its premium-segment HYMER ML-T camper vans.

"Three million Sprinters in just 20 years is a sign of great success," said Mornhinweg. "The Sprinter was the founder of the segment for large vans and remains highly successful to this day - throughout the world. The Sprinter, with its six production plants worldwide, is a shining example of our growth strategy 'Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global'. And, we still have many plans for our flagship in the future, as well. We aim to continue the success of the Sprinter series in 2016."

The Sprinter is one of the most successful commercial vehicles of all time and a best-seller in the Daimler product portfolio. Following a record year in 2015, it has made an equally promising start to 2016. Right at the beginning of the year, it was able to assert itself as the market leader in numerous countries around the world, including Germany, China, South Africa, and Argentina. The most important markets for the Sprinter up until now have been in Western Europe, account together for 55% of unit sales. The U.S. has become the second-largest single market for the Sprinter in terms of unit sales, after Germany. In 2015, Mercedes-Benz delivered some 28,600 units to customers in the U.S., 11% more than in the previous year (25,800 units).

An important bodybuilder for Mercedes-Benz Vans is the caravan and camper van manufacturer Hymer, based in Bad Waldsee in Baden-Württemberg. The company, which was founded in 1957, is the European market leader in the premium segment. It is part of the Erwin Hymer Group, which comprises several vehicle brands and is also leading in the areas of consultation, lease hire, sales, and after-sales service.

Hymer is an official "VanPartner by Mercedes-Benz," which means the company belongs to the exclusive circle of bodybuilders that Mercedes-Benz Vans audits and certifies as meeting its high standards in respect of quality, sales and after-sales. Hymer has relied on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as the base vehicle for its premium-segment camper vans since 1995. The collaboration between the two companies goes back more than 40 years now: the first Hymermobil was based on a Mercedes-Benz van.

The HYMER ML-T, for which the three-millionth Sprinter is to serve as the basic vehicle, is the first partially integrated camper van to be equipped with the innovative Crosswind Assist system from Mercedes-Benz Vans. Mercedes-Benz Vans is the first van manufacturer to offer Crosswind Assist as standard. The Hymermobil ML-I is the first fully-integrated camper van to have Crosswind Assist fitted. It is also based on the Sprinter.