Commuters comfort upscale as Mercedes Sprinter fleet size surge 

 For many years, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has remained the flagship model of Mercedes-Benz vans and the model has become a bestseller in major markets around the world with over 20 years since its first production at the Düsseldorf plant in Germany in 1995.

In response to the growing and diverse needs of the Nigeria’s transport industry today, and in an attempt to provide value suited for passengers, drivers and fleet owners, Weststar Associates Limited, authorized general distributors of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and commercial vehicles in Nigeria has taken the delivery of more units of Mercedes-Benz Sprinters.

Already selling fast, the Sprinter 324 KA comes with features like fuel efficient petrol engines, high-performance roof air conditioners, electrical sliding doors, and reverse camera and 14-19 seats depending on customers’ preference.

The exterior comes with a radiator grille frame in the vehicle body colour, 16-inch steel wheels with 18-hole design, daytime running lamps which make it possible for other road users to identify the vehicle faster in the daytime and the electric sliding door on the side which enables comfortable boarding and exit for passengers.

It puts great emphasis on comfort in its interior with features like the high-performance roof air conditioner, seating with adjustable backrest, interior LED illumination, wood flooring and interior design with black Tunja fabric.

Other features are the 14-19 seats depending on customers’ preference, audio 15 multimedia system, instrument cluster with pixel-matrix display, 3-point seat belt and a locking glove compartment with considerable stowage space.

With regards to performance, it is equipped with a M272 petrol engine with 190 kW (258hp) power output and 5900 rpm torque. The engine is also coupled with automatic transmission that is perfectly suitable to the road conditions.

Other key features include crosswind assist which detects track offset caused by strong crosswinds on-time and helps the driver to remain in their lane.

The adaptive brake lights with their conspicuous flashing which help significantly to prevent the threat of rear-end collisions, ABS-the anti-locking brake system which ensures that a vehicle remains steerable even in the event of emergency braking including the electronic stability programme (ESP) which stabilizes the speed and movement during bends by selectively braking one or more wheels and reducing engine torque if required.

There is also the parktronic system which through a series of ultrasonic sensors strategically placed around the vehicle, accurately measures the distance between the vehicle and other objects during parking to prevent collisions.

Speaking on the new units of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter,  Mirko Plath, CEO, Weststar Associates Limited commented; “The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter’s global appeal is one that is recognized by businesses and transporters in the local market’’.

Plath said it is the utmost goal of Weststar to ensure that its customers get a product that is able to meet the challenges they face on Nigerian roads and most importantly add significant value to their businesses.

Building on its success and global appeal, the Sprinter continues to dominate the vans segment and it is the choice vehicle for the transportation industry in Nigeria.