MB Sprinters
 

When did MB dealers start selling MB badged Sprinters in the USA? Saw this ad on Craigslist: http://denver.craigslist.org/ctd/1544576472.html
I thought MB stayed away from selling their commercial vehicles in the US. Will they start selling Unimogs and MB trucks too?

Interesting. I thought they wanted to do that too.

I also laugh a little every time I see a dodge sprinter van.

I wonder what dealership is sellin them..MBZ went with dodge for awhile... I'm curious too.

It's this dealership that's selling them:
http://www.mbwestminster.com/index.htm
according the the Craigslist ad but I couldn't find any reference to Sprinter's on their website.

Sprinter's were being sold at Dodge and Freightliner dealers minus the MB badging.

As of January 1, 2010, select Mercedes-Benz dealers and Freightliner dealers are now selling them. You can now get Sprinter parts from a Mercedes dealer in the US. Anything sold prior to that was either a Dodge or Freightliner that was re-badged back to a Mercedes.

??? They were MB's rebadged to Dodge or Freightliner originally.

I know I've seen several MB sprinters running around. Though not nearly as many as I've seen badged Dodge or Freightliner.

badge engineering for Chrysler. like gm's luv-pup.

Explanation? Doesn't do much good to throw info out with out explaining or backing it up.

Translation: The current dodge sprinter (and freightliner) is simply a mb sprinter van with different labels. The old chevy luv pickup (pup) was an isuzu with chevy labels.

My 05 was a Dodge, but I could buy aftermarket grill and badges that were Mercedes . . .

I've seen manual conversions (delete FL or Dodge grill and insert MB) but I also saw one that probably was delivered MB. It has different back door badging that would have required a lot more modification, as in a new door.

I used to sell hardware to American LaFrance (ambulance maker, owned by Freightliner?) and back in 2001, they had a MB sprinter that was being used as a mock up for a new ambulance. They had the freightliner grille, but thought it looked cooler with the MB. They told me that FedEx was a major force in getting them here in the states.

i thought "badge engineering" was a pretty self-explaining term in the car world since its so common.

Yup, Freightliner vans are just MB Freightliner vans with "Freightliner" or "Dodge" badging. They have all the same MB parts, open the hood and bam you're looking at a MB engine. I've seen some with Mercedes stars and I figured it was just something the owner did... Mercedes did it as a marketing ploy for the US consumer, who couldn't stomach MB making commercial/utility vehicles... only luxury.

Yeah, me too.

i figured maybe the luv truck was old enough that a younger person might not have caught the reference, though.;)