The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4×4 Diesel is coming to America — Hell Yeah!

By Manuel Carrillo III - March 6, 2014

Vans are pretty awesome pieces of equipment — not minivans, but actual vans. They’re like motorhomes you can drive every day, and that’s pretty cool.

All vans currently sold in the United States are two-wheel drive, but that’s about to change because when the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter BlueTEC 4×4 Diesel goes on sale in the U.S. early next year, it will be the only four-wheel-drive van offered by any automaker doing business in the United States.

It’s a shame four-wheel drive vans aren’t more prevalent in the marketplace; not only can you drive 4×4 vans every day, but also you can drive them virtually anywhere. Back in the 70s, folks used to drive vans on rainbows, clouds and the surface of the Sun … at least that’s where people think they used to drive their vans. Psychedelic substances have a way of altering memories.

Back to standard reality, the 4×4 Sprinter will be powered by a 188-horsepower 3.0L BlueTEC diesel V6. Four-wheel drive can be activated at the touch of a button, with 65 percent of the diesel Sprinter’s 325 lb-ft of torque being sent to the rear wheels under normal conditions. There is a low-range mode with a 42-percent gear reduction, and 4×4 Sprinters get a body lift: 4.3 inches at the front, and 3.1 inches at the rear. The elevation change means a 20-percent-improved approach angle over the 4×2 Sprinter.

The Sprinter 4×4 will be available in 144 and 170-inch wheelbases, but pricing has yet to be announced. Two-wheel drive Sprinter passenger vans start at $40,015, so expect 4×4 models to start around $50,000.