AUTOS CARS CUSTOM

For starters, Mercedes has revised the European-market Sprinter’s full range of gas and diesel-powered engines to run cleaner without sacrificing performance. The U.S.-market Sprinter has only been offered with one powertrain choice, a 3.0-liter V-6 turbodiesel, which now features an enhanced exhaust cleaning system that sprays AdBlue fluid into the exhaust gas. Benz claims the revised system reduces particulates without reducing the engine’s power rating (188 hp and 325 lb-ft). The automaker has also swapped out the current five-speed automatic for a seven-speed gearbox and made other enhancements to the powertrain including the engine’s injection system and the turbo’s boost pressure. In Europe, the Sprinter will be available with four- and six-cylinder diesel engines plus a supercharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 154 hp.

The European-spec Sprinter also offers a number of new safety items including the standard Crosswind Assist, which is essentially an extension of the stability control system, and should be especially helpful for Sprinter vans that encounter strong gusts on the highway. Other safety features are optional and already used throughout the Mercedes-Benz lineup: Collision Prevention Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Highbeam Assist, and Lane Keeping Assist.

It won’t be tough to distinguish the new Sprinter from the outgoing model. The new Sprinter sports a new front clip with a raised hood, larger grille and headlight units. Benz also improved the interior with new seating surfaces, a thicker steering wheel, a new infotainment head unit, and a few chrome accents.

The revised Sprinter should start arriving in European showrooms by the fall. It comes right at a time when the commercial van segment is benefitting from new models. Nissan, for example, continues to expand its line of NV vans and a new Ford Transit and Transit Connect are just around the corner.

Thanks to: Motor Trend