Mercedes Launches Production of Beefed-Up Vito Van

MADRID – Expanding its capabilities with an eye toward going global, Mercedes-Benz launches production of a new-generation Vito midsize van at its plant in Vitoria, Spain.

The automaker has invested €190 million ($245 million) to reconfigure the plant, which also assembles the Viano passenger van, for Vito production.

The ’14 Vito, focused on the 2.5-3.2 ton (2.25-2.9 t) sector of the market, will have its first public exhibition in the Hannover Commercial Vehicles Show that opens Sept. 25. The van goes on sale in Germany in October, followed  by other European markets and North America.

“But we also plan to conquer new markets, following the steps of the bigger Sprinter range, (in making) the Vito in our second global model,” says Frank Klein, production manager-Mercedes-Benz Vans.

Mercedes says the new Vito the first vehicle in its segment to offer a choice of rear-, all- and newly developed front-wheel-drive.

The FWD version offers a low unloaded weight for an attractive price, while the traditional RWD system is engineered for heavy loads or trailers, and situations where dynamic handling is required. The AWD system is designed to deliver a high degree of traction when required, especially in tough driving conditions and on unpaved roads.

The FWD Vito is powered by a compact, 1.6L transverse-mounted 4-cyl. engine producing either 88 hp or 114 hp.

Rear- or all-wheel drive models feature a 2.15L 4-cyl. diesel powerplant available with 136-, 163- or 190-hp output ratings. Mercedes engineers note the Vito equipped with the 119 BlueTEC engine is the first van in its segment compliant with Euro 6 emissions standards.

The new Vito has a manual 6-speed transmission, but an automatic 7G-Tronic Plus with torque converter is an option for the Vito 114 CDI and 116 CDI variants. In the Vito 119 BlueTEC and the Vito 4X4, the automatic gearbox is standard.

Mercedes notes the new Vito’s average diesel consumption is about 20% below that of the previous-generation van. The Vito 116 CDI equipped with the Vito BlueEfficiency package that is standard on the RWD version achieves 41.2 mpg (5.7 L/100 km).

BlueEfficiency also is standard on all Vito Tourer models equipped with an automatic transmission, those registered as passenger cars and variants powered by the model range’s highest-output engine.

All engine variants have a maintenance interval of two years or up to 24,800 miles (40,000 km).

The new van range provides eight airbags in its Tourer variant. Standard equipment includes the Attention Assist system, tire-pressure monitoring and Crosswind Assist, which compensates nearly fully for strong wind gusts. Optional systems include Active Parking Assist, Collision Prevention Assist, Blindspot Assist and Lane Keeping Assist.

Halogen headlight are standard on the new Vito, but it can also be ordered with the optional LED Intelligent Light System consisting of LED turn signals and LED daytime driving lights, low-beams, high-beams and cornering lights. These headlights can adjust distribution of their beams according to the speed of the vehicle and highway conditions.

Mercedes is striving for market leadership in the midsize van segment with the new Vito. The fullsize Sprinter largely accounts for the van division’s overall sales success, with deliveries increasing 9% to 76,000 units in second-quarter 2014. The Sprinter itself accounted for 48,700 deliveries, up 15% from prior-year.

Deliveries were up 17% in Western Europe, which accounted for 49,600 units, or two-thirds of the van division’s total sales. Notable increases were seen in Germany (16%), the U.K. (28%) and Spain (96%), but the Spanish result is skewed by very low demand in that market in 2013.

Sales in the U.S. rose 18% in second-quarter 2014, to 7,200 units, and climbed 17% in China, to 3,900 units.