Sprinter for the American market under Dodge and Freightliner brands
Sprinter impresses with safety and range of variants
Stuttgart/Charleston , Mar 27, 2007
The DaimlerChrysler plant in Ladson just outside Charleston in South Carolina today officially kicks off production of the Sprinter for the American market under the Dodge and Freightliner brands. The Sprinter has been assembled and offered for sale in the USA since 2001 and has captured a firm clientele not least of all thanks to the proximity to the market. The former plant in Gaffney, annual capacity around 22,000 units, no longer could cope with the growing sales.
A production capacity of 32,000 units now is available at the new plant on the US east coast where 180 employees are working to reassemble the Sprinter on a 42,780 square meter (460,000 sq. ft.) site. $ 35 million, the equivalent of 27 million euros, were invested in the plant.
?The Dodge Sprinter and Freightliner Sprinter set standards in their sector for safety, variability and environmental protection. We are proud to be able to offer our latest product in the van segment also on the American market so soon after its presentation. I thank all colleagues who made the opening of this plant possible today through their personal effort and commitment,? said Wilfried Porth, head of the Mercedes-Benz Vans Business Unit of DaimlerChrysler AG on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony, attended by South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford.
The Sprinter is offered on the American market as a panel van, crewbus and cab-chassis in different variants, in three lengths and three roof heights, and featuring six-cylinder diesel or gasoline engines. The standard equipment includes ADAPTIVE ESP?, which computes the center of gravity of the vehicle when loaded as well as the mass of the load and uses this information to individually adjust the ESP control intervention functions. The familiar, proven safety features ABS, Brake Assist and electronic brake power distribution are incorporated into the new adaptive ESP.
