Torque is a spurious measurement with any well designed transmission. All that matters is that the HP curve is consistent, and average HP in is good. Combined with a transmission with enough range, that means you have power available at any speed. The sprinter in this case makes somewhere north of 100HP between 2,200 and 5,000rpm. With 7 well spaced gears that means you always have 100+ HP available when needed. The turbo eliminates the issue with naturally inducted engines, where HP is linear with RPM. With the turbo you get 50% of the HP before 25% of the peak RPM. This really improves the driving experience. I would say the gasoline engine is on par with the V6 diesel, and is a good replacement for it.
I suggest taking one for a test drive, you may be pleasantly surprised. Now, note that MB ( and most euro MFGs) have wisely decided to avoid the crazy HP wars the big 4 have gotten into with their pickup trucks. No one need 400HP in a light duty pickup truck. This is part of the reason that a big MB van will get similar or better fuel economy.
