What have Mercedes done to the Sprinter please to endow it with a top speed akin to its name, apparently well in excess of other vans, and with better unladen motorway pickup than some cars, similar unladen? In many respects this is better than a Tranny hogging the overtaking lane for mile after mile as it creeps past whatever is being overtaken with a speed differential of 0.05 MPH, but whatever has been done, it is quite marked.
I ask after seeing yet another courier company Sprinter being driven at warp factor nine, tailgating hard up the jacksy of the car in front. I was cruising at an indicated 80MPH in the inside lane, and both came past me on level ground like I was going backwards (95+ MPH).
It's not just here, but in Germany too that I have noticed The Sprinter Phenomenom.
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I meant to add that whatever has been done is even more impressive given the massive frontal area of the Sprinter variants in courier company use, plus the enormous vertical face on the back creating a considerable vacuum.
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They have the 2.2CDI engine, it is only 4 cylinder too.
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I'm sure some of the larger ones have a turbocharged 5-cylinder engine (presume 2.7 or 2.9-litre). There's no mistaking that uneven growling noise :-)
I thought they had disc brakes all round, too? The way some are driven (usually by courier companies, but not exclusively) they'd better have!
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Whatever they have done, it hasn't made them handle like cars no matter how much the performance may match some... One of our company vans was rolled about 4 times the other week. I was actually surprised it wasn't more badly damaged than it was and the occupants emerged fairly unscathed - just shaken up and a suspect broken collar bone. I'll see if I can get the pics up on the web somewhere if I dare risk management wrath!
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Crikey! I'm surprised it was drivable after the first driver rolled it! And what does it say about your drivers that 4 in succession could take out the same van and all roll it.......???!!!!
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I'm sure I remember reading some years back that the aerodynamics of the Sprinter worked so well that they had to be fitted with a governor to reign in the top speed.
If I remember rightly this aerodynamic sweet spot was hit as much by luck as design and took the mercedes designers quite by surprise.
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Mind you, the focus group that were struggling between naming it the Mercedes Sluglike and the Mercedes Slothfull had to head back to the drawing board....
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I believe some of the Sprinter vans have the 2.9CDi engine. Ive seen several motorhome tests boasting of 95mph cruising ability of this unit.
The brakes of the sprinter,however, are not as keen as one would expect.
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The one I hired about 6 months ago was ridiculously fast, and was certainly capable of leaving most cars I have ever driven behind. The controls were light and positive, the gearchange reasonable, and I actually found the brakes pretty good too. My only qualm was that as a high vehicle with a cart sprung rear axle and skewed weight distribution, the stability at speed (particularly in the xtra lwb version I had) was rather scary. Sweeping curves on a wet and windy M5 had me down to 65 for the sake of my underwear...
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Thanks for the replies.
I therefore take it that the answer to my question is nothing more out of the ordinary than having a modern common rail turbo diesel with more cubes than the competition.
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One of my friends drove one to Poland a few weeks back. He says despite nearly 100k on the clock he was staggered by the loaded performance, and said it cruised at an indicated 90 -100 for miles on a European motorway. Apparently not too noisy either. It can only be much better aerodynamics than the average van (which is what normally kills top speed) plus some better-than-the-average engines.
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All depends on the engine. Whereas the standard transit unit produces 75-80 bhp IIRC the Sprinter comes in 80,100,110,120 & 140 bhp sizes. The only one I have ever driven is the 80 and is was dog slow, top speed on a level road was around 75mph. The 110 & above are very quick by van standards apparently.
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I'm a loser, baby....so why don't you kill me?!
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Still only single tyre per side though...and little Polo mint looking tyres at that...wouldn't want to have to do an emergency brake and steer in one.
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Alot of it's psychological. Most modern mainstream 'family' cars can accelerate from 100mph, but don't . Power/weight ratios are king. It's just that van drivers (..any maybe Sprinter drivers in particular because of the 'badge') tend to be rushing from one delivery/pick-up to another. The old joke about 'what's the fastest vehicle on the motorway' used the have the punchline 'An Astra 1.7D van! (white)'
The accolade has now apparently moved on to Merc sprinters, funny really.
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Cant see how though especially on older models with the cack-handed and contorted way the throttle pedal is placed in relation to your foot!
It is placed too far foward to be comfortable. Drive a Sprinter then a Transit and you'll see what I mean!
I think this could be a trade off of RHD design.
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Many of the Sprinter's are vitually empty - a day's parcels won't come anywhere near the load capacity (weight).
Gearing is fierce at low speeds - the handbook recommends second for standing starts when empty!
They also feel a lot better with 1/2 ton (or tonne if you prefer) in the back and it doesn't dent the performance much.
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Years ago I bought an ex demo Vito on a 'P' plate (should have been called a Vite)...2 litre petrol, and it went like stink. Within 6 months it has also gone like 'vite' back to the supplying dealer for an adjusted refund. Faults too numerous to list , but one letter from my solicitor and the dealer collected and gave me a cheque. I believe they are now much improved...well they had to be!
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They're not quick, they're just driven by prats with ego/size issues.
IMHO.
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"They're not quick, they're just driven by prats with ego/size issues. "
So, if I buy a Perodua Nippa but have an ego/size issue, I'll be able to cruise at 95? Great, I'll rush out.
V
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My tongue was firmly in my cheek! : )
You have to wonder why some of them are so aggressive though.. it can't just be pressure to deliver, surely?
My dyspepsia levels are somewhat high, yeah..... that obvious hey?
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They're not quick, they're just driven by prats with ego/size issues. IMHO.
What could you mean stevied? Still got a bit of post-festive dyspepsia?
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Combination of powerful engine matched to a good gearbox, good (for a van) aerodynamics and light loading compared to the maximum payload means they can really fly.
Add a leadfooted white van man and away you go.
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The Sprinter is truly the Astramax for the 21st century.
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I concur that they are reasonably quick.Whilst on the race team, for years they were often our transport( in passenger van mode)to and from the race circuits.I drove them to virtually every race for two years including a rather large 16 seater version to silverstone that handled like a bus?.I can also confirm that if your brave you can take eau rouge flat in a 8 seater, and that you have to lift at the end of the main straight at Circuit de catalyuna,otherwise you finish up to the doors in the deep gravel trap. Allegedly.
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The gearing is a lot higher than you averadge transit. My current transit is a 2001 new shape 125 ps MWB, flat out at 90mph with foot to the floor. Severe inclines slow things down to 65mph. I am always fuuuly laden.
The trouble with sprinters is the dealers are awkward, the parts very expensive and extra charges for what is standard spec on a ford or renault. Otherwise nice vans.
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Yes Navara I agree with your comments about extra charges. I had a Vauxhall Vivaro for ages which had an outside temperature display, very handy at this time of year especially. I've recently got a new works Sprinter (see other Sprinter thread) and the outside temperature gauge is optional for goodness sake!!
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There's a new kid on the block -- the VW Transporter 172 ... guess how much HP it has :-)
They are VERY quick
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Bit of a Clio rip off though.
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I delivered hundreds of sprinters up to 1992, what an absolute pleasure they were to drive only slightly marred when the floor shift was replaced during an update. Excellent seats and driving position. I used to prefer driving them to the hire cars supplied to get me home.
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Clarkson had one in the new van test on Top Gear last season, the reason he picked it was because it was the fastest, ment to do 120 mph ish flat out.
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There's a new kid on the block -- the VW Transporter 172 ... guess how much HP it has :-) They are VERY quick
Well, indecently quick, but not so much a new kid on the block; here's what I wrote in this very Forum in September 2005:
Having rented the VW Shuttle that I wrote a review about a few weeks back, I then came across droves of them on my drive across Germany to the Czech Republic. Most were TDIs, and the full fat 174PS version at that judging by the way they went; bonkers to see the bluff fronted van in front still accelerating like billy-o at autobahn speeds.
As an example, on cruise control at 115MPH/185kph I came up on a Transporter driving at about 90MPH in the inside lane. Guessing he was about to overtake the car in front of him, I was about to kill the cruise control when not only did he pull out but accelerated like a train had run in to the back of him. I simply carried on at 115 MPH with the van now in front of me. When he pulled back in, purely for kicks I hit the loud pedal and surged past on a wave of torque up to 130MPH or so. When well past, I pulled back in and lifted off to drift back to my cruise controlled/GPS verified 115MPH/185kph. Blow me if a few seconds later the thing wasn't coming back past, maximum attack, driver's foot nailed to the floor!
I also followed one of the V6 petrol engined Transporters, fully laden from the suspension reaction and body lurching, with 130MPH on the clock for mile after mile. I wouldn't like to be paying the fuel bill for it though.
Full thread at www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=34...7
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Unladen Transits were as quick as most average saloons for many years, perhaps due to enthusiastic driving. The V6 was a tyre shredding device, perhaps only exceeded by the V8 engined Sherpa, surely one of the most frightening creations ever unleashed upon her Maj's highway.
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Unladen Transits were as quick as most average saloons for many years,
I know Sprinters are quick but I hired (what appeared to be) a bog standard daily hire diesel Transit (mid roof) a while ago and that had no problems in the cut and thrust of typical 85MPH motorway traffic. Its acceleration was mainly limited by how fast I could change through 6 gears, but starting in 2nd was fine.
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Oh yes, the V8 Freight Rover Sherpa, superb. North Wales plod used to have them as personnel carriers on F and G plates. They were quite a menacing machine, finished in navy blue with just the police crest on the front doors, a huge single blue lamp on the roof and the riot shield above the front screen, no police lettering or other livery at all. I remember one pulling up next to me at a set of traffic lights, then leaving me in it's wake as soon as the green light showed! They didn't half sound good too.
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I remember getting a new Mk 1 Transit in 1973,1.7 V4 engine.It could be pushed to just over 70 mph,but shook and shuddered so much it was frightening.It did fly round country lanes pretty well tho,and was certainly a vast improvement on the BMC/Comma things that were around at the time.
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I remember getting a new Mk 1 Transit in 1973,1.7 V4 engine.It could be pushed to just over 70 mph,but shook and shuddered so much it was frightening.It did fly round country lanes pretty well tho,and was certainly a vast improvement on the BMC/Comma things that were around at the time.
Comma is what you have in a sentence, Commer is what the most characterful van of the seventies was called. Phillistine!!
PS to follow up on the rust thing my 1974 Commer was Ziebarted and still has no rust underneath.
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Yes ,
The Transit was far better than the BMC J2 and J4 vans or the Thames vans with the column gear changes if you could find one of the 3 gears to go forward never mind reverse.
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>>V8 engined Sherpa>>
Good Lord! never knew it existed...
Going around a roundabout in the wet unladen would be er..interesting!
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driving around all the coal mines , in there v8,s caused a lot of proplems ,,
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