‘We have a strategy to grow our volume, both new and used. We want to be number two by 2016, so we are aspiring to substantially increase our van sales,’ says Lawson.
Mercedes will sell around 20,000 Sprinter vans and chassis cabs in the UK this year, from a total LCV volume of closer to 30,000 vans, including Vito and Citan.
So far this year the order uptake has grown rapidly and Sprinter registrations are up 7.8%, against a van market that was up 6.5% year on year by early September. Bear in mind that result has been achieved with an outgoing van, as the updated Sprinter complete with Euro 6 engines is only now hitting dealer showrooms.
While the Euro 6 driveline, with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and an AdBlue additive, might grab the headlines, few customers are expected to make the change instantly. Mercedes will offer all 2.1-litre four-cylinder engines in Sprinter in both Euro 5 and Euro 6 specification, only making Euro 6 standard on the 3.0-litre V6.
With no major fuel benefit from Euro 6, a premium of around £1,120, plus the added 34kg of AdBlue tank and fluid reducing the van’s payload, there is little financial incentive to change early, although there will always be those fleets that want to be seen as green. Lawson believes that around 10% of Sprinter orders will be for the new engines.
For those not so keen to sign up early, the Euro 5 models have also been improved, with what Mercedes now calls a Euro 5b driveline. This contributes to an average 7% fuel saving compared to the previous model, with Blue Efficiency vans 6% better than that. While much of that improvement is down to the driveline, a 30mm reduction in ride height is said to account for 2% of the economy boost.
Driveline aside, the new Sprinter continues to major on safety, much as the previous models pushed safety systems such as ESP. A new system called Crosswind Assist will be standard on all panel vans, while Collision Prevention Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, High Beam Assist and Blind Spot Assist all join the options list. Bluetooth also becomes standard on the new van and Mercedes will offer a Becker Map Pilot satellite navigation option on Sprinter for £700, considerably less than its own COMAND system.
While it is doubtful that many customers will be ticking all the boxes, there are plenty who trust the Mercedes safety message.
‘We secured our business with construction company Balfour Beatty on the safety of the vehicle,’ said Lawson.
‘Additional safety equipment improves resale value too.’
This is becoming an increasingly important point, as the company and its dealers are taking greater interest in pre-owned vans.
‘There are definitely some fleets that we are targeting that have a used vehicle policy. So our dealer network is very focused on used vehicles,’ he says.
‘We see more and more companies reducing their length of ownership and we are actively recycling to get good used vans. Mercedes-Benz Finance is an integral part of what we do, and that includes used vehicles.’
The dealers are also being encouraged to prepare for sales growth, to cope with Mercedes’ ambitious van plans. Mercedes-Benz currently has 21 franchised dealers with 98 outlets. Don’t be surprised to see that number rise and the LCV offer increase in visibility, as we move towards 2016.
‘We want to be number two and we need to ask our dealers to handle the projected growth too,’ says Lawson.