- Since its debut in 1995, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has been a benchmark for quality, innovation, and variety
- On track to surpass five million Sprinter units sold by 2025
- Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart will feature a unique display of the first-generation Sprinter alongside the current Sprinter and eSprinter
Thirty years ago, Mercedes-Benz revolutionized the light commercial vehicle market with the launch of the Sprinter. As the first Mercedes-Benz van with an iconic name, it revolutionized the light commercial vehicle segment in 1995 – and quickly became the namesake for an entire vehicle class. Then as now, it stands for quality and innovation. The Sprinter continues to impress customers worldwide and enjoys a high repurchase rate, partially due to its popularity among businesses, fleet operators, and upfitters, who continue to customize it for a wide range of applications. Today, 75% of all Sprinter worldwide are customized for specific industry needs. To celebrate this milestone, Mercedes-Benz is featuring a special display of the first-generation Sprinter as well as the current Sprinter and its battery-electric equivalent, the eSprinter, at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. The activations are accompanied by a dedicated marketing campaign, "An Icon for 30 Years," highlighting the vehicle's lasting impact on businesses and industries worldwide.
"With the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, we have had an iconic van in our portfolio for 30 years now. During this time, the Sprinter has written an unprecedented success story and has been sold many times worldwide. We expect to crack the five million mark of sold vehicles before the end of this year. For three decades, it has been shaping people's lives and keeping the world running. Whether in emergency services, delivery services, in the trades or on construction sites - the Sprinter has established itself as the perfect business partner. It has also been available as a fully electric vehicle, operating locally CO2 emission-free."
Klaus Rehkugler, Head of Sales & Marketing Mercedes-Benz Vans
30 Years of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: Key Milestones
For 30 years, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has defined the commercial vehicle landscape worldwide. Manufactured across three continents – North America, South America, and Europe, it has reached key milestones that showcase its innovation and lasting impact:
1995: The Beginning of a New Van Era
The Sprinter celebrated its world premiere in spring 1995. Qualifying for an H number plate in Germany, it marked the start of a new era in the van segment With this launch, it became the first Mercedes-Benz van to have a name instead of numerical and letter codes, succeeding the legendary T1/TN series. While it retained the basic technical concept of its predecessor, everything else was engineered and designed from scratch.
The combination of a self-supporting body, high-traction rear-wheel drive, modern chassis with independent front suspension, and powerful engines made it unique at the time. No other van offered more safety features back then: The first Sprinter was equipped with disc brakes all round, an ABS anti-lock braking system, automatic brake differential, height-adjustable three-point seat belts and seat belt buckles attached to the seat as standard. A driver airbag was available as an option.
The first Sprinter generation was launched in multiple configurations in 1995: as a chassis, flatbed, or tipper, each with a crew cab or single cab, as a cargo van or crewbus with five or nine seats, with a flat or high roof. The wheelbases ranged from 118 inches to 158 inches1. The permissible gross vehicle weight ratings were initially 5,710 lbs., 6,173 lbs., or 7,716 lbs.1.
Mercedes-Benz reinforced its focus on safety with an extensive update in 2000: The driver's airbag was now part of the standard equipment, with an optional front passenger airbag, which protected additional passengers seated in a front row double bench seat. Window airbags and traction control (ASR) were also available from mid-2000. By 2002, the ESP® (Electronic Stability Program) became available, setting a new benchmark for active safety in commercial vans. This innovation reinforced the Sprinter's status as a leader in safety technology within its class.
2006: Technology and Safety Upgrades for the Second Sprinter Generation
The second generation Sprinter was launched in early 2006 bringing customers additional variances: They could choose between three wheelbases, four vehicle lengths, three roof heights and gross vehicle weight ratings from 6,614 lbs. to 11,023 lbs1. In addition, the ESP® (Electronic Stability Program) was introduced as standard on the closed versions up to 7,716 lbs. GVWR1.
By 2008, this feature was standard on all body variants up to the same weight class.
An optional air suspension system to increase comfort and safety, was added to the range from 2008. Another milestone followed in 2009 with the introduction of BlueEFFICIENCY: The technology featured a new six-speed manual transmission and automatic start-stop system increased dynamics and noticeably improved fuel efficiency. In 2013, Mercedes-Benz introduced the Crosswind Assist, a groundbreaking safety system for vans, designed to help drivers maintain stability in strong wind conditions. From 2016, the Sprinter was available with GVWR of up to 12,125 lbs.1.
2018/2019: Connectivity and Variety at the Center of the Third Sprinter Generation
The third-generation Sprinter was launched in Europe in 2018, not only retaining its existing broad range of variants, but also expanding it with the introduction of front-wheel drive, which enabled the addition of the new traction head variant. A major highlight of the 2018 Sprinter was its breakthrough in infotainment and connectivity. It became the first commercial vehicle to feature the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) multimedia system. Since then, the Sprinter has been responsive to voice commands, enabling seamless interaction with its central fleet, vehicle, driver, and location-based services. In terms of safety, Mercedes-Benz once again elevated the Sprinter to a new level, for example with the introduction of the DISTRONIC Active Distance Assist, enhancing driver convenience and safety by maintaining a set distance from vehicles ahead.
The next milestone came in 2019, when Mercedes-Benz introduced the first production-ready eSprinter cargo van in Europe, offering the possibility of locally CO2-emission-free mobility for trade, logistics, and business operations through its battery-electric drive.
2024: More Versatile Than Ever
The combination of efficiency, range and cargo capacity makes the current Mercedes Benz eSprinter a versatile all-rounder. Available in its latest form since last year, the eSprinter now features: two body styles and lengths as well as two battery sizes2 and a range of up to 478 kilometers (WLTP)3 (~297 miles). The eSprinter is based on a modular platform consisting of three adaptable modules that allow for customization of further vehicle variants. This flexible architecture opens completely new possibilities for upfitters and conversion specialists, who can develop industry-specific solutions tailored to various commercial applications. With a cargo volume of up to 488 cubic feet and a gross weight of up to 9,370 lbs., the eSprinter also proves to be just as capable and functional as its internal combustion engine counterpart.
Since last year, both the eSprinter and Sprinter have received updates in connectivity and safety. Both models benefit from an updated MBUX multimedia system and new Digital Extras. The safety and assistance systems have been upgraded with additional and, in some cases, new functions that are already on board for the most part in the standard equipment. For example, the standard Active Brake Assist now includes the intersection function and can therefore also warn of vertically crossing or oncoming vehicles. Among others, customers can now choose to add Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC, Traffic Sign Assist and Active Lane Keeping Assist. Further information can be found here.
Special Presentation at the Mercedes-Benz Museum
From February 4 to March 30, the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart will host a special presentation dedicated to history of the Sprinter family. On display: the first-generation Sprinter as well as the current Sprinter and eSprinter. As part of the celebration, early visitors will receive a special anniversary gift with their ticket purchase. Additionally, a pop-up corner in the museum shop will offer exclusive Sprinter-themed merchandise, allowing fans to take home a piece of the anniversary.
About Mercedes-Benz USA
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Atlanta, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States. MBUSA offers drivers the most diverse lineup in the luxury segment with 18 model lines ranging from the sporty GLA SUV to the flagship S-Class and the dynamic all-electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz. MBUSA is also responsible for Mercedes-Benz Vans in the U.S. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com and www.mbvans.com.
1. Specifications, including configurations, dimensions, and gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWR), are based on the global history of the Sprinter and reflect European figures. U.S. specifications may vary.
2. Two battery options in the U.S. and three in Europe
3. The stated figures were determined in accordance with the prescribed WLTP (Worldwide harmonized Light-duty vehicles Test Procedures) measurement procedure. The values given refer to the German market. The actual range also depends on the individual driving style, road and traffic conditions, outside temperature, use of air conditioning/heating, etc. and may vary.