END OF YEAR UK - MERCEDES VANS - The commercial arm celebrates 7 years of growth.

• Seventh Consecutive Year Of Growth, 13 Industry Awards And 36,952 New Registrations: 2016 Adds Up To A Record Success For Mercedes-Benz Vans

Mercedes-Benz Vans UK Ltd has continued to keep Britain’s businesses moving in 2016 with the brand reporting some seriously enviable numbers including a record 36,952 registrations, marking the seventh consecutive year of growth.

Increases can be seen across the board, from an impressive 13 industry award haul in 2016 including Fleet Van of the Year at the Motor Transport Awards and Van Manufacturer of the Year at the Commercial Fleet Awards, to a 30% rise in Citan registrations.

Mercedes-Benz Vans also celebrated record sales in March (+18% year-on-year), November (+26%), the first quarter of 2016 (+11%), the second quarter (+1%) and the last quarter (+3%), as well as best ever retail sales (+8%), leading to an increase of 7% in the number of new customers choosing Mercedes-Benz Vans.

In terms of used vehicles, the brand has seen a 9% year-on-year growth for used van sales from the Dealer Network, who have themselves, grown massively in 2016. One Mercedes-Benz Vans Dealer sold more than 4,000 vehicles last year – for context, that is more than the Mercedes-Benz Vans sales across Ireland, Hungary, Greece and Luxembourg combined.

In addition, 2016 has seen some significant Dealer investment across the 116 site nationwide Network, with two dedicated Van Centres opened last year – Euro Commercials in Cardiff and Roanza in Liverpool. Rygor Commercials also launched a new, purpose-built Van and Truck site in Gloucester, and there were site redevelopments from Mertrux Nottingham, Orwell Truck & Van Ipswich and Northside Truck & Van Sheffield.

Over 15,500 Service Plans were activated last year, representing more than a 250% increase since 2012, with 109,000 vans going through the Mercedes-Benz authorised repairer network last year.

MobiloVan, Mercedes-Benz Vans’ free UK and Europe-wide roadside assistance, continues to keep customers moving, with an attendance time of still less than an hour and a roadside fix rate of almost 80%.

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services (MBFS) also had another record-breaking year, funding £298m vans in 2016. More new and used vans have been funded than ever before with over 1,000 more vans financed last year than in the previous record year. MBFS continues to fund one in three Mercedes-Benz Vans in the UK.

Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans UK Ltd, said: “Our focus to keep our customers’ businesses moving has been unrelenting this year, and it is a focus that we are very proud of; I don’t want us to be seen as another vehicle manufacturer – we are a commercial partner, working hard to support Britain’s businesses.

“Offering the best products is nothing without the service of the best team, and that is something that we have both at Head Office and across our nationwide Dealer Network. I am genuinely humbled to have received the awards and accolades that we have had this year to reflect this, with many judged by van buyers, users and operators. It makes me exceptionally proud to be considered Van Manufacturer of the Year by Commercial Fleet and as I have said before, this is an award that belongs to each individual that works for and on behalf of Mercedes-Benz Vans.

“The motivation for us remains our customers, and I thank them all for their business in 2016, from the one van purchase through to the large fleet deals and the existing van operators that continue to choose our Dealer Network for their maintenance.”

Mercedes is now part of the London Skyline with the Vito Van now a capable Black Cab.

Offering unrivalled levels of space and refined comfort for the driver and up to six passengers, as well as being fully-wheelchair accessible, the new Mercedes-Benz Vito Taxi sets the benchmark for London’s black cabs, and is now available to hail in the capital.

Tested by real ‘cabbies’ at VanExperience Live in June 2016, and most recently as part of the marketing campaign around the city, the London edition of the new Vito Taxi uses the low-emission 114CDI Euro 6 engine, offering 136 hp.

In conjunction, the fuel-efficient 7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speed automatic gearbox also comes as standard. Controlled via a steering column-mounted lever, this transmission reduces driver fatigue by offering easy gear selection and smooth gear changes, enabling the driver to remain aware of their busy surroundings.

The London-specific model comes with a Compact body length and incorporates a rear steering axle that allows it to meet the famous 25ft turning circle rule as prescribed by the Public Carriage Office so it can execute a U-turn in London’s congested streets.

Standard equipment also includes fuel-saving BlueEFFICIENCY measures like the engine Start/Stop function, air conditioning for the driver and passengers, electric folding mirrors, electrically operated sliding doors on both sides and an electrical nearside and off-side step.

The new Vito Taxi comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage manufacturer’s warranty and MobiloVan back-up, which includes free, round-the-clock emergency roadside assistance.

Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, commented: “We know that the London taxi fraternity has been waiting in anticipation for us to bring the new Vito Taxi to market – our previous cab took the industry by storm and has sold in excess of 3,000 units since its launch in 2008.

“After a significant period of testing, I’m delighted to be announcing the start of sales today – I know there has been a bit of a waiting period while we put the new Taxi through its paces and I thank London’s cabbies for their patience.

“The new Vito Taxi is quite simply a game-changer in every sense of the word and I’m very proud that our black cab helps to keep businesses moving – both the businesses of the taxi drivers, and the businesses of their clients. I look forward to hearing the feedback of how it is improving the fuel-economy and comfort for our hard-working professional drivers.”

Mercedes Van range is already ahead of the full year 2015 with one month to go.

• Unit sales up 13 percent to around 324,000 vehicles in the first eleven months of 2016
• 2016 already the most successful year for Vito (+26%), V-Class (+64%) and Citan (+18%)
• Sprinter sales continue at previous year's record level
• Especially strong growth in segment of privately used and fleet vehicles as well as in key volume orders
• Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans: "With our growth strategy 'Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global' and a convincing product portfolio, we have clearly extended our leading position in the market this year."

Mercedes-Benz is set to post several sales records this year: just like the passenger car brand, Mercedes-Benz Vans will set a new record for unit sales in 2016. 

From January to November this year, the business division delivered more vehicles to customers than in the whole of the record-breaking year 2015. 

To the end of November, Mercedes-Benz Vans increased its unit sales by around 13 percent against the same period of the previous year to around 324,000 vehicles. This means that one month before the end of the year, sales are already almost 3,000 units up compared with the whole of 2015. 

The strongest drivers of sales were the current models of the mid-size segment - the Vito van and the V-Class MPV – which, together with the Citan urban delivery van, have already recorded the most successful year in their history. 

Especially the growing share of privately used models also of the Vito Tourer and the Citan has had a positive impact on the unit sales figures. 

Sales of the large Sprinter van have continued at the record level of 2015. The final figures for the whole of 2016 will be announced at the annual press conference of Daimler AG on 2 February 2017.

Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans: "The fact that we have set a new full-year record already in November is a great achievement on the part of our global team. 

With our growth strategy 'Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global' and a convincing product portfolio, we have clearly extended our leading position in the market this year. 

Alongside strong growth in the private segment, key contributions have been also made by a steadily growing number of volume and fleet orders from around the globe."

"We are continuing to set the pace and, with the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, the first pick-up from a premium manufacturer, we aim to conquer new markets around the world starting in late 2017," adds Mornhinweg. 

"With our strategic initiative 'adVANce', we will in future have an even broader presence in the marketplace and will evolve from a manufacturer of globally successful vans to a provider of integrated system solutions. 

We are taking pioneering new approaches to digitisation, automation and robotics in vans and are also developing a range of innovative mobility offerings. 

With this, we aim to make the transport of goods and people even more efficient while offering our customers not only economic benefits, but also entirely new possibilities for their own business."

Most successful year for the current mid-size models Vito and V-Class

The completely revised products in the mid-size segment are now available in a total of over 90 countries around the world. Since spring and autumn, respectively, of 2016, Mercedes-Benz Vans has been marketing the latest V-Class and Vito models also in China, the world's largest automobile market. 

"Made in China for China", the vehicles are produced by the local Daimler joint venture Fujian Benz Automotive Co. Ltd (FBAC) in Fuzhou. 

Alongside the V-Class MPV, which is aimed mainly at the private market, and the mostly commercially used Vito van, the mid-size portfolio also includes the Marco Polo and Marco Polo ACTIVITY camper vans, which also record a high demand. 

From January to November 2016, the business division sold around 127,000 vehicles in the entire mid-size segment – some 21,800 units more than in the whole of the previous year and more than ever before. To the end of November, growth compared with the same period of the previous year came to 37 percent. 

This means that, in addition to the Sprinter, the mid-size segment has developed into a second main pillar of Mercedes-Benz Vans' global growth strategy.

With its attractive design and wide choice of variants, the new Vito sets standards in its segment. 

The extremely versatile vehicle is a practical mid-size van that combines spaciousness, high quality and great versatility. In the first eleven months of 2016, sales of the Vito were up by around 26 percent against the same period of the previous year to around 82,600 units, which is already a new full-year record.

The V-Class impresses with its unique concept, which combines the functionality of a classic van with the typical strengths of a Mercedes-Benz sedan. 

With the launch of the V-Class AMG Line in 2016, the MPV is now also available with distinctive design elements from the Mercedes-AMG performance and sports car brand. 

The V-Class EXCLUSIVE, which also came out this year, raises style, comfort and functionality to a yet higher level with its high degree of exclusive features. To the end of November 2016, sales of the V-Class were up by 64 percent on the previous year at approximately 44,300 units – another new record.

Sprinter sales continue at record level

In 2015, the Sprinter celebrated its 20th birthday and also by far the most successful year in its history so far. 

In the first eleven months of 2016, the Sprinter followed on seamlessly from the record-breaking previous year with around 174,800 units sold (+/-0%). In the whole of 2015, Mercedes-Benz Vans delivered around 194,200 units to customers.

The Sprinter established the eponymous large-van segment in 1995 and has dominated it ever since. It is available in over 130 countries and has now sold well over three million units. 

This makes the Sprinter one of the most successful commercial vehicles of all time and a best-seller in the Daimler product portfolio.

The growing camper van market is also of increasing significance for the Sprinter. It is becoming ever more popular with customers as a panel van or as a chassis for suitable extensions and bodies.

Mercedes-Benz Vans manufactures the Sprinter at a total of six plants around the entire globe. 

As the only manufacturer in the large-van segment, Mercedes-Benz Vans will also produce the next generation in Germany at its plants in Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde. In addition, the Sprinter is globally produced at our sites in the USA, China and Russia. 

To be able in future to supply the North American market with the next-generation Sprinter in an even more customised, rapid and efficient manner, the business division is currently adding a new production plant to the existing assembly site in North Charleston (South Carolina). 

Mercedes-Benz Vans is investing around half a billion US dollars in the new plant and will create a total of up to 1,300 jobs at the site. The division celebrated the ground breaking in the summer of 2016.

Most successful year to date for Citan urban delivery van

In 2016, Mercedes-Benz Vans significantly widened the Citan urban delivery van range with new equipment packages for interior and exterior. In addition, the diesel variant will now also be available with a dual-clutch transmission. 

Customers are already impressed: in the first eleven months of the year, a total of around 22,200 Citan vans were delivered – a significant increase of around 18 percent against the same period of the previous year and already a new full-year record.

Increase in fleet and volume orders from around the world

In 2016, Mercedes-Benz Vans recorded continuing global growth of its fleet business as well as a rising number of volume orders. 

In Germany for example, the Bavarian ambulance service, which uses only the Sprinter for its emergency response teams, took delivery in the spring of its 2,500th Sprinter-based ambulance in eight years. In 2016, the British supermarket chain ASDA added 550 new Sprinters to its fleet for use in online food retailing. 

The vehicles were equipped by specialist firms with insulated box bodies and refrigeration systems. In the Netherlands, Mercedes-Benz Vans won the contract to supply 400 vans from all segments – Sprinter, Vito and Citan – in the next four years for use by fire services across the entire country.

Numerous volume orders from outside the western European core market included an order for 360 Sprinters as ambulances for the Egyptian Ministry of Health, the delivery of over 160 Vito vans to the Chinese company Jiangsu Chang Yun for the transport of tourists (through the local joint venture FBAC) as well as the delivery of 120 Sprinter Classic buses to the Russian transport company Randtrans.

The Mercedes-Benz X-Class launches in 2017

With the "Concept X-CLASS", Mercedes-Benz Vans in October gave a highly specific preview of the world's first premium pick-up, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class. 

From its hallmark brand design and comfort to its driving dynamics and safety, it will be the Mercedes among pick-ups. Mercedes-Benz Vans will thus be the first premium manufacturer to cater for the changing needs of customers in the global growth segment of the mid-size pick-up. 

This makes the rugged one-tonne pick-up, which seats up to five people, the first to be attractive as an urban lifestyle and family vehicle. 

The X-Class fills one of the last gaps in the Mercedes-Benz portfolio. It will launch in late 2017, initially in Europe. Further core markets, such as Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Australia, will follow in 2018.

Mercedes-Benz Vans pushes on with the transformation of the van sector

Mercedes-Benz Vans unveiled its strategic future initiative adVANce in 2016. The business division is thus systematically directing its focus at new, quickly changing customer needs and will invest around 500 million euros for this purpose in the period to 2020. 

Unveiled as part of the initiative, the "Vision Van" all-electric concept vehicle with fully automated cargo space and integrated delivery drones embodies the holistic approach behind adVANce. 

Mercedes-Benz Vans also announced the new start of production of an electrically powered van in 2018. In 2011, with the Vito E-Cell, Mercedes-Benz Vans became the first manufacturer to series-produce an electric van.

The business unit Mercedes-Benz Vans

Mercedes-Benz Vans is a global full-line supplier of vans and related services. The global product portfolio comprises – in the commercial segment – the large-size van Sprinter, the mid-size van Vito (“Metris” in the USA) as well as the Citan urban delivery van. 

In the private segment, Mercedes-Benz Vans is represented with the V-Class MPV and the Marco Polo and Marco Polo ACTIVITY travel vans. 

The division has a total of nine production locations: in Germany, Spain, the USA, Argentina, China (joint venture with Fujian Benz Automotive Co., Ltd), France (strategic alliance with Renault-Nissan) and Russia (partnerships with GAZ and YaMZ). With its segment strategy “Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global”, the division consequently taps new growth potentials.

WHAT VAN ? - Mercedes takes teh safety award for the seventh and every year its been around.

What Van? has once again honoured Mercedes-Benz with the Safety Award for 2017 – an accolade that the manufacturer has held for a record-breaking seventh consecutive time.

In fact, since the Safety category was added to the What Van? Awards, Mercedes-Benz has received the honour each year.

This year, there was a special mention for the Blind Spot Assist system. Blind Spot Assist enables the driver to monitor those areas that are not easily visible. 

The system utilises two near-range radar sensors in the rear bumper and covers the area to the left and right in adjacent lanes. If these sensors detect a vehicle in the blind spot while driving, a red hazard warning triangle lights up in the relevant exterior mirror. 

If the assistance system detects that the driver has activated the indicator and wants to change lanes anyway, an audible warning is issued and the red warning symbol starts to flash.

In addition to the Safety Award, Mercedes-Benz Vans was also highly commended in the Large Van Award category for Sprinter and also in the Website Award category.

The What Van? Awards are decided by its expert editorial panel comprising decades of experience in the industry. James Dallas, Editor at What Van, said: “A vast range of effective safety kit in its LCV line-up, including Blind Spot Assist, means Mercedes-Benz continues to be the clear leader in this vital area of the market.”

Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans, added: “Blind Spot Assist is a fantastic example of how our safety systems benefit the businesses that use our vans – by helping to prevent accidents, the driver and other road users remain safe and the van remains on the road and earning its keep.

“It is a small system with a mighty impact and we are very proud to maintain our 100% success in this category.”

Mercedes-Benz shows Growth on the month with additional increases in finance and service plans also shows growth.

Mercedes-Benz Vans is celebrating yet another record-breaking year so far, with 26,267 vans registered by the end of September – an increase of 1.6% on the same period last year.

September has been the second best ever month for Mercedes-Benz Vans in the UK, second only to September 2015, which is a fantastic result for the brand. Last month was also the highest ever Citan sales month in the UK.

Mercedes-Benz parts sales revenue has also increased year-on-year by 2.1%, driven by increased workshop sales. Service Plan sales also are up 31% overall, compared with the same period in 2015.

In addition to this, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services has paid out a total of £214m finance volume so far this year, which is a 5.6% increase on 2015.

Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans, said: “I absolutely believe that we have the right products, people and processes to keep our customers’ businesses moving, and our year-to-date results for 2016 prove that.

“We have also won several high-profile awards again this year, including Fleet Van of the Year at the prestigious Motor Transport Awards, so the industry clearly agrees that Mercedes-Benz Vans is the brand to be with!

“I look forward to sharing our end of year results, which are set to be our best ever.”

UK RECALL #21 - Mercedes recalls the Vito and V-Class for possible reduced braking efficiency.

Vehicle Details
Reference :	R/2016/156
Manufacturer Ref :	SRX1601
Make:	MERCEDES BENZ
Model :	Vito & V-Class
Launch Date :	02/08/2016
Numbers Involved :	9402
Build Start Date :	01/10/2013
Build End Date :	30/04/2016

Recall Details
Concern :	BRAKING PERFORMANCE MAY BE REDUCED
Description :	The brake fluid container may not have been inserted far enough into its mounts or was not secured correctly which can result in it detaching and a loss of brake fluid. The driver could become aware of this by the gradual deterioration of brake performance by having to press the brake pedal further. This can consequently increase the risk of collision.
Remedial Action :	Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and check the brake fluid reservoir on the affected vehicles to ensure it is properly engaged and if necessary fix it in the correct position.
Vehicle Id :	WDF44760123048400 to WDF44781523166075 WDF44760123048400 to WDF44781523166075

Other Vehicles Affected (Click the vehicle to perform an extended search)

MERCEDES BENZ - V CLASS MERCEDES BENZ - VITO

Mercedes-Benz Vans has launched its all-new Vito Taxi; a worthy successor to the vehicle that took the industry by storm.

Mercedes-Benz Vans has launched its all-new Vito Taxi; a worthy successor to the vehicle that took the industry by storm, which has sold in excess of 3,000 units since its launch in 2008.

Vito Taxi offers unrivalled levels of space and refined comfort for the driver and up to six passengers, as well as being fully-wheelchair accessible. 

Available initially in a National specification, customers can choose from the front wheel-drive 109CDI model, with an 88 hp Euro 6 engine, or the 114CDI with a 114 hp Euro 6 engine, which drives the rear wheels. Both come with manual gearboxes (optional seven-speed automatic gearbox is available for the 114CDI models) and in Compact or Long body lengths.

Later in 2016, a London specification version will be available, incorporating the rear steering axle that allows it to meet the famous 25ft turning circle rule as prescribed by the Public Carriage Office so it can execute a U-turn in London’s congested streets.

The London variant is offered with the more powerful engine as standard together with the 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic gearbox, which is now controlled using a steering column-mounted lever; offering easy gear selection allowing the driver to remain aware of their busy surroundings.

Standard equipment on both versions includes the fuel-saving BlueEFFICIENCY measures which features engine Start/Stop function for the 114CDI models, air conditioning for driver and passengers, electric folding mirrors, electrically operated sliding doors on both sides and electrical nearside step; London versions feature an additional off-side step.

Priced from £135 per week* for the Vito Taxi 109CDI National variant, the Vito Taxi comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage manufacturer’s warranty and MobiloVan back-up, which includes free, round-the-clock emergency roadside assistance. Pricing for the London variant is still to be announced.

Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, commented: “We are passionate about supporting the UK’s taxi drivers, and are delighted to be offering the most fuel-efficient, modern, comfortable, reliable vehicle ever seen in the market.

Mercedes-Benz Vans breaks all previous records for 2015 with over 320,000 units sold and turnover topping €11.5 Bn

• Record sales, revenue and EBIT figures in 2015 
• Attractive product portfolio enjoys success in established and new markets
• Further expansion and positive performance planned for 2016
• Volker Mornhinweg: "In 2015 we significantly exceeded our 2014's record figures. I would like to say a very heartfelt thank you to our successful worldwide team for this outstanding performance. In 2016 we want to further continue our growth path."

Mercedes-Benz Vans has reported record sales, revenue and EBIT figures for the financial year 2015. The Vans division delivered 321,000 vehicles to customers as sales figures outstripped previous totals (previous year's figure: 295,000, plus nine percent) – despite an inconsistent market environment worldwide. Revenue also reached a new record level, up 15 percent to 11.5 billion euros (previous year's figure: 10.0). 

Mercedes-Benz Vans' EBIT rose by almost a third to 880 million euros (previous year's figure: 682 million euros, plus 29 percent). The division is anticipating further growth and a continuation of the very positive business trend in 2016.

Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans: "In 2015 we significantly exceeded our 2014's record figures. I would like to say a very heartfelt thank you to our successful worldwide team for this outstanding performance."

"In 2016 we want to further continue our growth path," added Volker Mornhinweg. "First of all we are focused on systematically reinforcing our position as technology leader. And secondly we aim to continue to strengthen our position in the existing markets and to open up additional potential for growth worldwide. The next milestone is the launch of the V-Class in China."

Attractive product portfolio successful in established and new markets

The Mercedes-Benz Vans strategic product initiative proved highly successful, as the market sales figures clearly show. 2015 was the first full year of sales as a full line supplier with a totally revamped product portfolio. In the core Western Europe market Mercedes-Benz Vans' sales increased by ten percent to around 208,500 units (previous year's figure: 190,000). 

The van manufacturer extended its dominance in the mid-size and large van sector with a market share of 18.4 percent (previous year's figure: 18.2). In the domestic German market Mercedes-Benz Vans achieved record sales of 88,400 units (previous year's figure: 79,900).

Despite the difficult economic environment, sales in Eastern Europe rose to 32,200 units – up five percent on the previous year. The Russian market experienced a 31 percent decline in 2015. Nevertheless, the division managed to sell a total of 9,100 vans (previous year's figure: 11,500, minus 21 percent). 

This makes Mercedes-Benz Vans the third biggest supplier in Russia and the biggest to be headquartered outside the country. In 2015 the manufacturer celebrated an important milestone with its partner GAZ in Nizhny Novgorod when the 10,000th Sprinter Classic rolled off the production lines.

Mercedes-Benz Vans was able to reinforce its strong market position in the NAFTA region too. The division increased deliveries by around 29 percent to 40,500 units (previous year's figure: 31,500). 

32,400 of these vehicles were sold in the USA (plus around 25 percent, previous year's figure: 25,800 vans) – a new high. The driving factors here were the continuing success of the Sprinter and the launch of the Metris, the US market's equivalent of the Vito, at the end of the year.

In Brazil the market for large vans declined significantly in 2015, with a drop of around 37 percent. Mercedes-Benz Vans sold a total of 6,500 vehicles here (previous year's figure: 9,600, minus 32 percent). 

However, the division increased its market share in the large vans sector by around three percentage points to 24 percent. In Argentina the market for large vans grew by around seven percent. Mercedes-Benz Vans' products were in very high demand, with 64 percent growth across all segments. In total the division delivered over 6,100 vehicles to customers (previous year's figure: 3,800, plus 64 percent). 

The division has significantly expanded its market share in the large van segment to 43 percent (plus nine percentage points). Mercedes-Benz Vans sold a total of 15,800 vans in Latin America (previous year's figure: 16,100, minus two percent).

Increase in large-scale orders from international customers

The central drivers of growth last year were fleet business and the increasing number of large-scale orders. In 2015 sales of Mercedes-Benz vans to international fleet operators and large customers rose by around 13 percent, topping the record set in 2014. 

In Europe the division reported growth of around ten percent in sales to international large customers. In overseas markets Mercedes-Benz Vans delivered around 40 percent more vehicles to this customer group. The key markets here included the USA, Mexico, Australia, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

Sprinter production in the USA for further growth

2015 was also the Sprinter's most successful year ever: in its 20th anniversary year the “world van” achieved growth of over four percent to around 194,200 vehicles (previous year's figure: 186,300). Since its market launch in 1995 a total of three million units of the large van have been delivered to customers worldwide. 

Demand for the Sprinter among US customers in particular is rising all the time: around 28,600 Sprinter vehicles were delivered to customers in the USA in 2015, eleven percent more than in the previous year (previous year's figure: 25,800). Mercedes-Benz Vans is planning to be able to supply its customers in North America with the next-generation Sprinter even more effectively and quickly in future. 

As announced at the beginning of 2015, the division is to set up a new production location in Charleston in the US state of South Carolina. Over the course of the coming years, Mercedes-Benz Vans will be investing around half a billion US dollars in development of the new plant. The ground-breaking ceremony will take place in 2016.

Further expansion and positive business performance planned for 2016

In 2016 Mercedes-Benz Vans will continue to pursue a policy of international growth, based on its "Vans goes global" strategy. The division is planning significant increases in sales, particularly in the established markets in Western Europe. 

Where the Sprinter is concerned, the division is aiming for further growth, above all in the North American market. Mercedes-Benz Vans is expecting that the availability of the Metris/Vito in North and Latin America will trigger additional demand this year. In 2016 the division will be launching the Vito in China to unlock further potential.

The launch of the V-Class MPV in China, the world's biggest car market, should see Daimler's Vans division attract new groups of customers in the privately used vans segment. 

The Mercedes-Benz V-Class will premiere in Beijing, China on 18 March and will be available from mid-April. It is tailored to the tastes and needs of Chinese customers. It is fitted, for example, witha range of luxurious features. Production of the V-Class at Daimler's local joint venture Fujian Benz Automotive Co., Ltd (FBAC) in Fuzhou has already started. 

This means that Mercedes-Benz Vans is now producing the V-Class on another continent, with uniform Mercedes-Benz production processes and production standards. The plant of Fujian Benz Automotive collaborates closely with the Spanish production site in Vitoria, Mercedes-Benz Vans' global competence centre for mid-size vehicles. The plant in Fuzhou manufactures solely for the Chinese market. 

The V-Class has been available in Japan since January 2016. In spring it will also be available in the United Arab Emirates and other markets in the Middle East.

Where revenue is concerned too, Mercedes-Benz Vans expects significant increases in 2016. Mercedes-Benz Vans has set itself the goal of slightly outperforming last year's EBIT.

Expansion of product portfolio with addition of new Mercedes-Benz pickup

Mercedes-Benz Vans is the first premium manufacturer to introduce a pickup, expanding its product portfolio into a very promising segment. 

As part of the global growth strategy, the pickup offers the perfect way to unlock new customer segments. These versatile vehicles with all-round qualities and a payload of around one tonne are popular worldwide and, as such, offer good sales potential. The initial target markets for the new vehicle are Latin America, South Africa, Australia and Europe.

The Mercedes-Benz Vans division

Mercedes-Benz Vans is a full line provider of vans. Alongside the large Sprinter van and the mid-size Vito van, the division's worldwide product portfolio includes the Mercedes-Benz Citan urban delivery van. 

Mercedes-Benz Vans is also represented in the private segment with the V-Class MPV and the Marco Polo and Marco Polo ACTIVITY camper vans. The division has a total of nine production locations: in Germany, Spain, the USA and Argentina as well as joint venture Fujian Benz Automotive Co., Ltd in China and the strategic alliance with Renault-Nissan in France. 

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Classic is built to order by partner GAZ in Russia. To date, the key markets, with a total of 65 percent of sales, have been in Western Europe. As part of the "Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global" growth strategy, the division is also increasingly opening up the growth markets of South America and Asia, as well as the Russian market, by instigating locally adapted sales and production activities.