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The little van with a surprisingly firm grip
Page 32
Page 33
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Need a full size 3.5-tonne 4x4 van? The Sprinter isn't just a contender
— it's the whole damn match. Colin Barnett slides through the mud.
If you need a panel van, and you need it to have all four wheels driven, then you're part of a market sector that accounts for just a few hundred units a year in the UK. Your choice will be correspondingly small.
Gone are the days when conversions such as County's Ford Transit and Dangel's French models were available. This summer Volkswagen will be happy to sell you a fo ur-wheeldrive Transporter T5 but,if you need a full-size 4x4 van of 3.5 tonnes G'VW or more,your only choice is Mercedes-Benz.
It's maybe not at the top of everyone's shopping list as far as 4x4 is concerned, but the German company actually produces a wide range from saloon cars to the G-Wagen, not forgetting the Unimog. In the. UK van market, it sells a handful of Vario DA models and around 250 Sprinters. We've been to the depths of rural Northamptonshire to sample the off-road Sprinter's abilities
Versatile partner
Mercedes is quite clear about the intended purpose of the Sprinter 4x4. Bad weather and mild off-road running are within its scope; serious mud-plugging challenges are not. Public utilities and blue-light services are the obvious targets, but anyone needing to carry a decent payload beyond nice solid asphalt could find a use.
But with the option costing the thick end of ten grand, it's not one for the hobby poseur.
There are three versions to choose from: selectable 4x4 with and without low range, and a permanently engaged system.All-wheel drive is available on 3 and 4-Series Sprinter vans and chassis-cabs with all but the 82hp engine rating.
They all have a rear-axle differential lock; the permanent system also has a lockable centre cliff. On all versions the various controls are managed by dash-mounted rocker switches. Heavy-duty front axles are fitted and the ride height is increased by 110mm on the front and 80 and 55mm at the rear of the 3 and 4-Series respectively. Apart from a slightly increased turning circle, the rest of the spec is standard Sprinter.
With Merc's stated limitation for the Sprinter in mind, then,it was brave of t hem t o let us loose on a deeply rutted and undulating muddy track to try out the Sprinter on a steep hillside, with more deep mud. As well as a clutch of smaller off-roaders from DaimlerChrysler's Jeep brand,two Sprinters were available.The smaller was a 313 crew-cab panel van; the other a 413 crew-cab tipper with twin rear wheels. And even more brave, or foolhardy, was the fact that both were unladen.
Intact, while we had some difficulties negotiating the deeper ruts, the increased ground clearance ensured that we managed to get on site with no more difficulty than some of the accompanying Jeeps. When the Sprinter's wheels were actually touching the ground, progress was surprisingly easy. At the test site we limited our trials to circulating across the side of a significantly steep hill. We left the 1-in-1 descent to the dedicated off-road kit.
Push-button driving
Driving the Sprinter 4x4 in tough conditions is simplicity itself,vvith no complicated levers and knobs. Just press the appropriate button according to the severity of the conditions, and off you go.The only major limitation was the ability of the road-pattern tyres to grip their way out of ruts. Surprisingly, the twin rear wheels of the 413 tipper, which soon turned into 400mm-wide slicks, weren't the disadvantage we expected.
Overall, the Sprinter more than lives up to its promise of enhanced traction in mild-tomedium off-road conditions. As long as you specify the right tyres for your job, and recognise its design limitations, it should get your workers home for their tea. •