A 1.8-litre supercharged engine fuelled by natural gas is amongst the highlights of Mercedes-Benz’ revised 2010 lineup of its hot-selling Sprinter and Vito cab-chassis’ and vans.
Overall, the 2010 upgrades bring enhanced performance, fuel economy and safety for the Sprinter and Vito lineup.
The compressed natural gas (CNG) engine is available in Sprinter 316 (medium or long wheelbase) and 516 (long wheelbase, single cab chassis) models. Called the NGT Sprinter, the new engine uses Benz’ familiar 1.8-litre supercharged four cylinder engine offering 115kW of power at 5000rpm and peak torque of 240Nm between 3000rpm and 5000rpm.
Extra tanks for the CNG are mounted underneath and the NGT Sprinter can run on either petrol or CNG. ‘Benz says the multi-fuel van has a range of 1,200kms using both petrol and gas.
M-B has also introduced a new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine available in two grades – 95kW/305Nm or 120kW/360Nm.
And the 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel has been improved to now deliver 140kW/440Nm.
‘Benz says all engines now comply with the tough EU5 regulations, the Sprinter being the first van sold locally to meet that requirement.
On the transmission front, four-cylinder Sprinter models now come standard with a new six-speed manual – developed specifically for vans – with revised ratios for more fuel-efficient cruising and Start/Stop technology which turns-off the engine when stationary (ancillary functions like the air-conditioning remain operational).
The automatic option remains a five-speeder.
Safety has been boosted with front passenger airbags, adaptive brake lights and enhanced electronic stability control systems now standard on all Sprinter models. Curtain airbags are optional.
Vito, Australia’s only ANCAP 5-star rated van, also gets the passenger side airbag and an auxiliary interface for multi-media devices.
Despite some minor price rises, the extra kit has added to what is already a brilliant van lineup for the German importer.
Make sure to check back soon to see the full reviews on the Sprinter & Vito
