The production line roll-off event for the first locally produced Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was held at the Fujian Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd (FJDA) plant at the end of October.
“At Mercedes-Benz Vans we are consistently pursuing a worldwide growth strategy and putting our motto into practice every day: ‘Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global.’
“In China we are still the only premium automaker with its own van production and I am delighted we are offering a bus version of our Sprinter on the Chinese market,” said Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans.
“Local vehicle production is a cornerstone of Daimler’s commitment to the Chinese market and an important part of Daimler’s China strategy,” said Ulrich Walker, chairman and CEO of Daimler Northeast Asia. “Thanks to the start of production of our Vito and Viano multi-purpose vehicles at Fujian Daimler in 2010, China has instantly become a top-five market for the Mercedes-Benz Van Division. I am convinced the locally produced Sprinter will add another chapter to the success story of our joint venture in Fuzhou.”
The Sprinter is the third premium vehicle after Viano and Vito on the van market in China and fills a gap in the large vans segment. There are three Sprinter models coming to the Chinese market with three different body lengths and different seating arrangements of 14, 17 or 20 seats.
“Fujian Daimler continues to upgrade its models to meet the growing demands of Chinese customers, as evidenced by the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter which diversifies our product line and enhances our competitiveness in the chinese market,” says Rene Reif, president and CEO of FDA. “As the first luxury brand entering the large van segment in China, the Sprinter brings superior quality and safer mobility to the discerning Chinese consumer. The locallyproduced Sprinter inherits German craftsmanship and advanced technology, and is fully adapted to the needs of local customers, setting the new benchmark vehicle model in the large van segment here in China.”
In accordance with Daimler’s and Mercedes-Benz’s core principles, the highest level of passenger safety is assured with a range of electronic safety features like advanced ESP (electronic stability program) as well as the latest technology in passenger safety cell design. The aviation cabin-like interior brings airline travel quality to the road, with fully adjustable passenger seats with dual color leather and elegant trim and star logo.
Daimler is the only foreign company to have forged joint ventures to locally produce trucks, vans and passenger cars in China and the Sprinter convincingly extends the audience for more people to enjoy the luxury of Mercedes-Benz in China.
