It’s not bad for an 18-year-old four-cylinder bus.
The first-generation Mercedes-Benz Sprinter launched in 1995. It remained in production until 2006. A major facelift was performed in 2000. The so-called Phase II Sprinter introduced a revamped exterior and interior, as well as a new line of common-rail diesel engines. The Sprinter CDI was a popular light commercial vehicle in Europe. It was also sold in the United States bearing a Dodge logo.
Sprinter was more than a passenger or cargo bus. It’s used in its latest version as a base for campervans. In Europe, you can also see Sprinter ambulances and other special vehicles from all eras. This video shows an example of a converted ambulance that was later made into a comfortable camper with a small kitchenette.
This video isn’t about the living space. It shows what the 2003 Sprinter can do at an unrestricted section on the Autobahn. The engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine that produces a peak output power of 129 horsepower (95kilowatts) as well as 220 lbft (300 Newton-meters), of torque at 1,600 to 2,400 rpm. It’s not rocket science, as you probably know from the six-speed automatic manual gearbox.
Although the Sprinter’s top speed should be 96 miles an hour (155 km per hour), it is not as impressive in practice. The fastest speed we could see in the video was just over 81 miles an hour (132 km per hour), but even that speed takes a while for the Sprinter to reach. We also reported almost two years ago on a Sprinter similar to this engine running the Autobahn. It did slightly better.