The 4×4 version of the 2015 Sprinter goes on sale in the United States in the first quarter of calendar year 2015. Both 144-in. and 170-in. wheelbases will be available in both low and high roof configurations, and available body styles for the United States will include the Passenger Van, Crew Van (mixed two-row passenger and cargo application), and Cargo Van (both 8,550 and 11,030 GVWRs). The exclusive powertrain for the 4×4 option will be the more powerful of the two BlueTEC clean diesel powertrains available in the U.S. Sprinter, which is the 3.0L V6 BlueTEC with 188 HP and 325 lb.-ft.

According to Mercedes-Benz, the Sprinter 4×4 will be a commercial van, while not officially considered an off-roader, will certainly be appreciated on construction sites, oil fields and in foul weather. The all-wheel drive system can be activated at the push of a button, for which torque is then distributed at a ratio of 35:65 between the front and rear axle. At this point, the Electronic Traction System (4ETS) takes over, and the tech takes care of the rest for the driver in various conditions. This combination of all-wheel drive technology and active safety is only available in the Sprinter in this segment.

The Sprinter 4×4 can also be equipped with an optional low range gear that makes it even more sure-footed in difficult terrain. When the driver pushes the low-range button, the gearing is shortened by 42%. Tractive power increases accordingly.

Mercedes-Benz also noted that a key focus in developing the Sprinter for the model year 2014 product revision was on a whole range of new assistance systems. New available features that premiered on the Sprinter were Collision Prevention Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Highbeam Assist and Lane Keeping Assist. New for model year 2015 is Crosswind Assist, which is a standard feature on 2500 models.

Crosswind Assist

The Sprinter is the first van to feature Crosswind Assist, available in North America in MY2015 as standard equipment on 2500 models. At highway speeds, Crosswind Assist helps compensate for the effects of gusts of wind on the vehicle, within the bounds of physical possibilities. The need for counter-steering in response to sudden gusts is markedly reduced, relieving the strain on the driver, said Mercedes-Benz. Crosswind Assist is based on the standard-fit Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and is activated at speeds of 50 MPH and over.

Crosswind Assist detects forces acting on the vehicle as a result of crosswind and gusts by reference to the data supplied by the sensors for yaw rate and lateral acceleration which form part of the standard ESP system. In response to such effects, the assistance system specifically brakes individual wheels on the side facing towards the wind. This leads to a steering effect and prevents the vehicle from drifting dangerously off course as a result of yawing or rotary movement.

Crosswind Assist helps the driver to remain on course in the event of sudden crosswind—e.g. on bridges or when overtaking trucks. The influence of the wind is noticeably reduced, said Mercedes-Benz.

The sensors of the ESP system are able to identify the strength of constant crosswind as well as sudden gusts and additionally record the angle of attack. The reaction by Crosswind Assist also accounts for the vehicle’s speed, vehicle load, load position and the driver’s steering behavior. If the driver carries out manual countersteering, Crosswind Assist will automatically reduce its level of intervention accordingly.

The assistance system is tailored to the individual Sprinter model and its surface area. An indicator lamp informs the driver of intervention by the assist function, thereby also keeping him informed about the driving situation.

Brake Assist

Similar to ESP, this function cannot be switched off by the driver. It is continuously active in the background, monitoring the current operating conditions and the current driving situation. Support from Adaptive Brake Assist is triggered after the dynamic proximity warning when the distance between the Sprinter and the vehicle ahead closes too rapidly and driver initiates panic braking.

Adaptive Brake Assist is able to support emergency braking according to the relative speed/relative acceleration and the distance from the identified object. When the driver fails to apply sufficient brake power, Adaptive Brake Assist provides additional boost to generate just enough additional deceleration to help avoid an accident. This also gives the traffic behind the longest possible response time to avoid a rear-end collision, said Mercedes-Benz.

The driver can override the intervention by adaptive Brake Assist at any time. For example, if the driver initiates harder braking than the system identifies as necessary, the driver’s action will take priority. Conversely, intervention will be stopped if the driver carries out an evasive maneuver, takes his foot off the brake pedal or presses the accelerator pedal.

Additionally, the latest-generation Adaptive ESP (seen above) already combines a diverse array of functions. The vehicle dynamics control system includes: