Above this model sits the 376-hp A45. Most serious van users will specify the Sprinter over and above the competition – even the Ford Transit in the UK which is usually bought as the safe option or because thats whats always been bought. The road performance of the Ford will be better overall, with three additional transmission gears and more HP/Torque than the Sprinter. After all, a FedEx driver can assume that his delivery route won't include muddy routes up a logging route, but it's good to know this upgraded Sprinter provides sure-footed assurance when the anticipated smooth road ahead proves to be anything but. Instead, the caravan of Sprinters was pointed up a steep, active logging route - a 'road' only traversed by huge semi trucks that haul timber down from the mountains. I also knew I'd be going to the middle of nowhere, but I assumed that'd just be a small town nestled in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. There I was, in the middle of nowhere, on the side of a mountain, with a stopped convoy of vans, watching as Mercedes support teams worked together to shovel mud out of the way and direct the stuck vans through the muck.
All that said, there’s no way around mass. That said, you'll also need to shell out $985 for the Sprinter's optional V6, as the 4x4 package is not available on models equipped with the new, 2.1-liter four-cylinder diesel that was introduced during the 2014 refresh. As I said, I assumed I'd test the 4x4 capability on an off-road course designed by Mercedes, but that wasn't the case. What's more, Mercedes lifted the Sprinter 4x4 a bit, increasing ride height by 4.3 inches up front and 3.1 inches at the rear, compared to two-wheel-drive vans. Driver or passenger inside, all would be certain that they would enjoy the ride and isolation provided by a Benz. The narrow footprint made it easy to follow specific paths through the mud, and the light steering effort, good brakes, and ample torque from the turbodiesel V6 meant that, as a driver not used to this sort of terrain, getting through the rough patches was a breeze.
Home base was the CMH Monashee Lodge in Mica Creek, BC - a location so out-there that, according to Wikipedia, it "is no longer incorporated as a village." I had lost cell signal some 50 miles back, and the lodge was the only thing around, with its small staff, my fellow journalists and the Mercedes handlers the only human beings inhabiting the area. Eck concedes that, though also adds in most situations customers won’t be able to feel any difference. The GLEs feel portly, but, no more, truthfully, than the X6. The GLE Coupe hasn’t been crash tested yet, but, the M-Class on which it’s based has done well in the past. Just as the Mercedes-Benz M-Class has been replaced by the new GLE, the smaller GLK-Class is set to be replaced by a new model called the “GLC”. Both the Mercedes-Benz 211 CDI and 515 CDI run on a 2148 cc turbo diesel engine. For example, they have added the Dynamic Select driving modes system, expanded the lineup of engine offerings, and launched a new Motorsport Edition variant that celebrates the success of the Mercedes AMG Formula One team. This is part of a Dynamic Plus package that also adds adjustable sports suspension setup with two-stage adaptive damping, as well as a special Race mode for the Dynamic Select driving modes system that turns everything to the max.
There are no locking differentials, but Mercedes does offer a low-range setup with a 1.42 reduction gear, which can be engaged when the Sprinter is stationary. Of course, this wouldn't be the first time Autoblog has taken a Sprinter far, far off the beaten path, and isn't the first time we've driven this generation of Mercedes' van. The X5 was first launched, with other smaller SUVs in the X-family that followed such as the smaller X3 and X1 while producing niche models like the X6. The base cargo models will retail for $40,985 for the diesel-powered van and $34,985 for the gasoline model. The maximum payload at the important 3.5t GVW is 1,516kg, which applies to 140hp models (badged 314 CDI) with front-wheel drive; the rear-wheel drive equivalent tops out at 1,339kg - which spec-for-spec suggests FWD models can carry nearly 180kg more than RWD models. The ProMaster also comes in a number of different configurations, has WiFi capabilities, and has a decent payload capacity of over 5,100 pounds.
Amazon's order alone equals about 10 percent of the number of Sprinter vans that the company sold worldwide in 2017, its strongest year for that segment. The GLC is slightly larger than the GLK it’s set to replace, though it will still sit in the small SUV segment where it’s destined to do battle with the likes of the Audi Q5 and BMW X3. Maximum networking, the ultimate in adaptability and electric drives: in these three fields of innovation, the third Sprinter generation represents more than the evolution of an established vehicle segment. Complimentary VanCare Lease-End Protection will waive specified charges incurred by lessee for failing to meet the surrender conditions of the vehicle leased, up to the maximum amount waived of $7,500. You and your friends will enjoy the finest luxuries available and arrive at your event in incomparable style. It started with just with Charlize’s family then 16 family and friends joined to helped out. If Mercedes Benz were a person with a split personality, then AMG would be the lunatic version of that person. Because these are first and foremost work vans and shuttles, the interior is designed for utility first and comfort second; hard plastics are found throughout, the comfortable seats are covered in cloth, and technological wizardry is limited to things like a simple version of the Mercedes COMAND system.
