Hi-tech Sprinter motorhomes coming

Those in the market for a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter based motorhome will be pleased to know that a new techno-laden, third-generation Sprinter is due to arrive on our shores later this year.

A popular base for leading Australian motorhome and campervan conversion specialists including Jayco, Avida, Horizon and Trakka, the all-new light 'Benz van represents a fusion of workhorse practicality with cutting-edge connectivity, boasting advanced communications technology that Benz says "takes infotainment systems and telematics applications into a new era".

Externally the new Sprinter benefits from mildly refreshed styling, its centrepiece being a new-look nose with sleeker, narrower headlights, a tweaked grille and a reshaped lower bumper.

The same turbo-diesel powertrain choice remains – four-cylinder or V6 – but the units have been revised while the predominantly rear-drive range has been joined by a front-drive model. The front-drive Sprinter gains a new six-speed manual or, in a first for the segment, a nine-speed torque-converter automatic.

Rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive four-cylinder models can be had with either a six-speed manual or 7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speed automatic with 'Drive Select' manual mode, while V6 models have the seven-speeder as standard.

The front-drive model gains an extra 50kg in payload and it has a load compartment that is 80mm lower, making loading and unloading even easier.

In addition to new, loadable wheel-arches and extended cargo space heights, Mercedes-Benz says the model's maximum loading capacity extends to 17 cubic metres and a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 5500kg – 500kg more than its predecessor.

However, it's when you step inside the new Sprinter that the work invested in this platform by Mercedes-Benz becomes readily apparent.

The cabin is revitalised throughout and now boasts more ergonomically shaped seating with electric adjustment and optional memory function, along with keyless starting and improved air-conditioning.

Dominating the cabin is the new MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) multimedia system – a 10.25-inch high-definition touch-screen unit also found in the new A-Class hatchback.

The system brings the usual wealth of modern entertainment and on-board information options together in a manner that is light years ahead of the outgoing Sprinter's equivalent unit, while MBUX also features an advanced voice-command interface that can, for example, give directions to the nearest service station if its driver says "The fuel tank is empty".

On the safety front, updates include the adoption of radar-based adaptive cruise control, plus autonomous emergency braking and dynamic lane keeping.

Attention Assist reminds drowsy drivers to take a break while a modern parking assistance package delivers 360-degree visibility - ideal for navigating busy caravan parks.

That line-up will also include the all-electric eSprinter, which will arrive in 2019 and could form the basis of Australia’s first electric motorhome if there’s sufficient demand.

Initial Australian deliveries of the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter will begin in the fourth quarter of this year. Local specifications and pricing will be announced closer to the model's arrival.