Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2001 10:19:24 +0200
Reply-To: OOMKES Robin <robin.oomkes@SWIFT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: OOMKES Robin <robin.oomkes@SWIFT.COM>
Organization: S.W.I.F.T. sc
Subject: Re: Mercedes Sprinter sighting
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
The VW LT and Mercedes Sprinter are siblings. They have slightly different styling, and the VW still has the old dash, but
essentially they're the same. Rear wheel drive, longitudinally mounted engines (almost all diesel).
The Fiat Ducato/Peugeot Boxer/Citroen Jumper are roughly the same size. They are identical to each other except for some engines,
and have front wheel drive and transverse engines. The Ducato is the favourite choice for European RV builders; almost all
motorhomes here are built on Ducatos. Usually with a 2.8 TDi, 125 hp engine. Very noisy but fun and easy to drive; dash-mounted
joy-stick gearshift, good roadholding and steering feel.
I'm hoping to get a used Mercedes Westfalia James Cook 316 CDi one day - the only downside seems to be (at least that's what the
magazines say) that due to its high top (3m or 10 ft) and soft suspension, it can be a bit wobbly through the turns... (the 3 in 316
means 3 metric tons, or a GVW of 3500 kg, and the 16 means 160 hp. This works for all Mercedes trucks; a 2443 is a 24 ton machine
with a 430 hp engine.) The 316 CDi is electronically limited at 160 km/h or 100 mph but would probably go faster, certainly as a
freighter without the high top!
In Germany, prices start at around 90000 DM so Stan wasn't too far off with his 40K USD.
Robin
90 Vanagon Atlantic TD 70 hp
The Netherlands
Zoltan wrote:
> Yes, VW has almost exactly the same van too. So does Peugeot, Fiat and God
> knows who else, because it is a very practical size.
> Zoltan
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Charles McGehee" <chasm@ELLTEL.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2001 10:05 PM
> Subject: Re: Mercedes Sprinter sighting
>
> > VW already has a big van in Europe that looks just like Sprinter. I
> wonder
> > that VW didn't see the market here. Does Mercedes know something VW
> > doesn't or does VW know something Mercedes doesn't?
> >
> > Charles
> > '85 Westy
> >
> > At 03:03 AM 9/6/01 +0000, Hermann the German wrote:
> > >Saw a Fed-Ex high-roof Mercedes/Freightliner Sprinter today. Drove home
> from
> > >school in my Westy (required content) and was passed by a brand spanking
> new
> > >Diesel Sprinter.
> > >Questions: How much are they? Will Mercedes offer a passenger van? Any
> word
> > >from Sportsmobile et al. whether they want to use the Sprinter as a base
> > >model?
> > >TIA
> > >Cheers,
> > >Hermann de Boer
> > >87 Westy
> > >Kansas City,MO
> > >
> > >_________________________________________________________________
> > >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at
> http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
> > >
--
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