Sportsmobile Sprinter 4x4
- Thread starter Scott Brady
- Start date
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
I think the accepted explanation is that the profits to be made in the United States by a 4WD Sprinter are not great enough to overcome the cost of doing the multi-million dollar certification tests required before a vehicle can be sold here. My understanding is that different drivelines count as different models and require testing, even if the "base" model was accepted. This problem also accounts for the US not having many other 4WD trucks that are common in other world markets.
Avoiding this tariff already makes the Sprinter situation ridiculous--build the van, take it apart in the German disassembly factory, ship the pieces to the US, put it back together at the US reassembly factory, ship it to a dealer--and it could also be that MBz isn't looking to make things any more complicated. This convoluted system also accounts for why it takes four to six months from ordering to get a Sprinter delivered and why they are more expensive than they should be. A 4x4 Sprinter with normal (not plush) options could easily cost $60K over here; lots of current passenger models are already listing for over $50K.
Sportsmobile and Mercedes
We here at Sportsmobile have recently met with Mercedes regarding the possibility of importing the 4x4 Sprinter to NA. We were thinking along the same lines as Adam...but let me tell you the magic number is quite a bit more than 100 vehicles. It is actually quite a bit higher than 1,000 vehicles:Wow1:
This is something that Sportsmobile would really like to see happen in the near future. We will all have to be patient on this one as the testing alone for getting that vehicle into the US would take at least a year from the time the decision is made to tap into the US market. Mercedes is very protective over their product and will not allow the installation of any system that will compromise the safety features of the vehicle. The engineering head for Mercedes recently visited our facility and met with us about the importance of doing the system correctly. The only way Mercedes will allow a 4x4 system on their Sprinter is if it is engineered by Mercedes. So our best and only option at this point is getting Mercedes to import their system.
Expedition Portal members will definitely get a heads up as soon as any news breaks. And believe me...we are working on it!
Jonny
We here at Sportsmobile have recently met with Mercedes regarding the possibility of importing the 4x4 Sprinter to NA. We were thinking along the same lines as Adam...but let me tell you the magic number is quite a bit more than 100 vehicles. It is actually quite a bit higher than 1,000 vehicles:Wow1:
This is something that Sportsmobile would really like to see happen in the near future. We will all have to be patient on this one as the testing alone for getting that vehicle into the US would take at least a year from the time the decision is made to tap into the US market. Mercedes is very protective over their product and will not allow the installation of any system that will compromise the safety features of the vehicle. The engineering head for Mercedes recently visited our facility and met with us about the importance of doing the system correctly. The only way Mercedes will allow a 4x4 system on their Sprinter is if it is engineered by Mercedes. So our best and only option at this point is getting Mercedes to import their system.
Expedition Portal members will definitely get a heads up as soon as any news breaks. And believe me...we are working on it!
Jonny
dzzz
™
Ford does offer different drive configurations on most Transits in Europe. Perhaps there long-term plan is to replace larger cargo vans in the U.S. with this model. The problem is likely that Ford can continue to cheaply build E series cargo vans. Likely ford is watching how many sprinters sell at the these higher price points.
V8 gassers in moderate size delivery/service vehicles seems antiquated.
V8 gassers in moderate size delivery/service vehicles seems antiquated.
Mike
Thanks for the info on the “chicken tax”. Did some reading up on it from your link. Very interesting and protectionist piece of legislation. Its quite a modern method of building vehicles, …., and then taking them apart,……….., and then putting them back together. Very efficient and environmentally friendly manufacturing. I’m sorry, but stuff like that just drives me crazy. I agree with you Mike, no matter what, a 4x4 will be over 60K.
A number of threads on the Sprinter forum, indicate the testing has been done or is not required for the 4x4, because the Sprinters are built over and above the NA standards. But, whoever knows the real facts, is not speaking out.
I still maintain that given the population base in NA, there is a large market for a 4x4 van. I think MB is missing a big opportunity here.
Jonny,
Thanks for the response from SM. Without a doubt, MB does not want to compromise the safety features of their product and neither should we, the potential owners. I hope the SM people did not dupe you, the 4x4 Sprinter systems have been around for many years, and to my knowledge available through 2 manufactures in Germany. In my limited view of the car world the MB 4x4 system does not need any engineering, it just needs assembly. Surely, all that is really needed is a MB business decision at this time to roll the production plant for a week or two with NA spec’ed 4x4’s and ship them to NA. If not in Germany, why not here, is there no skilled labor this side of Atlantic to assemble these 4x4 units. I don’t know if they will ever sell a 1000 4x4 units per year in NA, given that they never quite reached 30,000 sales a year thus far. Given that they have to deal with “chicken tax” , and they have to find ways around it, such as Ford. Given that this invariably drives the price up, and they have to say competitive. I do know, that if MB will not offer any choices, and soon, including a simple standard transmission, the public, and probably SM, will move on to some other interesting vehicle that hopefully will come along soon from another manufacturer to fill in the void. Thanks for your efforts this far, SM.
Here is a question, maybe not the most appropriate for this form; any one knows of sure methods for bringing in a Sprinter from Germany for personal use through “quiet” channels and not getting the vehicle NAFTA compliant, but licensed?
AdamK
Thanks for the info on the “chicken tax”. Did some reading up on it from your link. Very interesting and protectionist piece of legislation. Its quite a modern method of building vehicles, …., and then taking them apart,……….., and then putting them back together. Very efficient and environmentally friendly manufacturing. I’m sorry, but stuff like that just drives me crazy. I agree with you Mike, no matter what, a 4x4 will be over 60K.
A number of threads on the Sprinter forum, indicate the testing has been done or is not required for the 4x4, because the Sprinters are built over and above the NA standards. But, whoever knows the real facts, is not speaking out.
I still maintain that given the population base in NA, there is a large market for a 4x4 van. I think MB is missing a big opportunity here.
Jonny,
Thanks for the response from SM. Without a doubt, MB does not want to compromise the safety features of their product and neither should we, the potential owners. I hope the SM people did not dupe you, the 4x4 Sprinter systems have been around for many years, and to my knowledge available through 2 manufactures in Germany. In my limited view of the car world the MB 4x4 system does not need any engineering, it just needs assembly. Surely, all that is really needed is a MB business decision at this time to roll the production plant for a week or two with NA spec’ed 4x4’s and ship them to NA. If not in Germany, why not here, is there no skilled labor this side of Atlantic to assemble these 4x4 units. I don’t know if they will ever sell a 1000 4x4 units per year in NA, given that they never quite reached 30,000 sales a year thus far. Given that they have to deal with “chicken tax” , and they have to find ways around it, such as Ford. Given that this invariably drives the price up, and they have to say competitive. I do know, that if MB will not offer any choices, and soon, including a simple standard transmission, the public, and probably SM, will move on to some other interesting vehicle that hopefully will come along soon from another manufacturer to fill in the void. Thanks for your efforts this far, SM.
Here is a question, maybe not the most appropriate for this form; any one knows of sure methods for bringing in a Sprinter from Germany for personal use through “quiet” channels and not getting the vehicle NAFTA compliant, but licensed?
AdamK
cwsqbm
Explorer
Getting it here wouldn't be the challenge. A used 4x4 Sprinter could easily be imported for a year by a foreign resident - that's what European overlanders do all the time when visiting the U.S. Its the licensing that impossible.
EDIT: If I had cash to burn, I'd have someone bring a late model 4x4 over and then swap everything onto a NA-spec sprinter. At that point, I'd figure out if it's worth putting the 2wd parts back on the euro-spec and exporting it, or just crush it/keep it for spare parts. At that point, it might make more sense to ship a NA-spec sprinter to Europe or South Africa and have it converted there.
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
Yeah, although five-plus years ago, Creative Mobile Interiors, on my behalf, could not talk Oberaigner into doing that. Oberaigner's concern, probably justified, was that they weren't in a position to know everything about the vehicle's computer programming and how a NAFTA Sprinter might be different from European models. In addition to which, reading between the lines, they had ways to make the same money with a lot less hassle.
Scott Brady
Founder
Thank you Jonny!
Pathfinder
Adventurer
I shopped a Sportmobile in Huntington Indiana just last fall, and the deciding factor for my ultimately deciding to forgo it, was the lack of 4WD. Too bad, I would have purchased one otherwise, I really like the Sprinter van. And so did my wife.
expeditionist
Observer
I drive these Sprinters daily for work as my company has a fleet of 10. They are very comfortable, quiet, reliable and easy to drive. The turbo diesel has plenty of get up. The tall roof makes for an ideal camper, however, with a fully loaded roof rack, I might be a little nervous driving a 4wd version of one of these 'too tall' vans offroad.
4x4kayaker
Observer
sprinter 4x4 I want one
It's 2011 still no go on getting a 4x4 sprinter camper with locking diffs?
I want one. If no go I'll be on the hunt for a toyota Hilux and off road camper trailer combo
Kiwi
Olympia WA
It's 2011 still no go on getting a 4x4 sprinter camper with locking diffs?
I want one. If no go I'll be on the hunt for a toyota Hilux and off road camper trailer combo
Kiwi
Olympia WA
Pathfinder
Adventurer
That's what I am doing.
LukeH
Adventurer
Hi guys.
Something similar has been mentioned earlier but I'm coming back to it out of curiosity.
What ARE the regulations regarding retrofit conversions in the US?
Because if someone in Europe were to find a 4x4 sprinter and strip it, depending on volume, the parts could either go into one of the many overland trucks that roro from Europe to US, or into one of those mini containers.
http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/showDetails.html?lang=en&id=140546956&pageNumber=1&scopeId=C&sortOption.sortBy=searchNetGrossPrice&sortOption.sortOrder=ASCENDING&makeModelVariant1.makeId=17200&makeModelVariant1.modelId=116&makeModelVariant1.searchInFreetext=false&makeModelVariant2.searchInFreetext=false&makeModelVariant3.searchInFreetext=false&vehicleCategory=Car&segment=Car&siteId=GERMANY&features=FOUR_WHEEL_DRIVE&damageUnrepaired=ALSO_DAMAGE_UNREPAIRED&export=ALSO_EXPORT&customerIdsAsString=&categories=Van&tabNumber=1 is complete, but patience could root up a crashed one for less.
Taking the above one as a reference; 8000 euros plus shipping and a bit of time stripping: say 10000 euros to get it onto American soil plus whatever customs formalities you do on your side.
Is that worthwhile? Genuine Mercedes parts, full wiring loom, dash buttons and everything.
I'm not going to have the kind of time for that sort of thing before this autumn but I think it would be a fun project. I wouldn't do it for profit, it would be a sort of expo collaboration project but the buyer would be obliged to invite me for a campfire dinner.
We'd have to find a foaf who knows the ins and outs of customs clearing in the US.
Is my view on life far too simplistic and innocent, or is it that it's just toocomplicated to do all the modifications stateside?
Something similar has been mentioned earlier but I'm coming back to it out of curiosity.
What ARE the regulations regarding retrofit conversions in the US?
Because if someone in Europe were to find a 4x4 sprinter and strip it, depending on volume, the parts could either go into one of the many overland trucks that roro from Europe to US, or into one of those mini containers.
http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/showDetails.html?lang=en&id=140546956&pageNumber=1&scopeId=C&sortOption.sortBy=searchNetGrossPrice&sortOption.sortOrder=ASCENDING&makeModelVariant1.makeId=17200&makeModelVariant1.modelId=116&makeModelVariant1.searchInFreetext=false&makeModelVariant2.searchInFreetext=false&makeModelVariant3.searchInFreetext=false&vehicleCategory=Car&segment=Car&siteId=GERMANY&features=FOUR_WHEEL_DRIVE&damageUnrepaired=ALSO_DAMAGE_UNREPAIRED&export=ALSO_EXPORT&customerIdsAsString=&categories=Van&tabNumber=1 is complete, but patience could root up a crashed one for less.
Taking the above one as a reference; 8000 euros plus shipping and a bit of time stripping: say 10000 euros to get it onto American soil plus whatever customs formalities you do on your side.
Is that worthwhile? Genuine Mercedes parts, full wiring loom, dash buttons and everything.
I'm not going to have the kind of time for that sort of thing before this autumn but I think it would be a fun project. I wouldn't do it for profit, it would be a sort of expo collaboration project but the buyer would be obliged to invite me for a campfire dinner.
We'd have to find a foaf who knows the ins and outs of customs clearing in the US.
Is my view on life far too simplistic and innocent, or is it that it's just toocomplicated to do all the modifications stateside?
LukeH
Adventurer
I must have some troll blood because I'm putting this up here just to annoy Americans who can't get these:
http://www.leboncoin.fr/caravaning/176724217.htm?ca=22_s
Sorry about that.
http://www.leboncoin.fr/caravaning/176724217.htm?ca=22_s
Sorry about that.