New Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: Australian details

The new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter will launch in Australia from next month (October 2018) priced from just over $46,000 plus on-road costs.

Front-, rear- and all-wheel drive versions will be available with payloads of up to five tonnes depending on the model. The maximum load capacity is 17 cubic-metres.

With up to 1700 Sprinter combination variants possible, pricing for the new model is varied, ranging between $46,008 and $76,069. Stay tuned for our Australian launch review in October for the full list.

The big van will be offered with a range of new equipment including the latest-generation MBUX infotainment system with 7.0-inch screen.

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) will be offered, along with blind-spot assist and lane keep assist, which steers the vehicle back into its lane if the driver isn't paying attention.

The new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter cab chassis and panel van will launch first in October, followed by minibus and tractor head variants in early 2019.

Two engine sizes will be offered with various outputs: a 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (84kW/300Nm to 120kW/360Nm) and a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel (140kW/440Nm).

Manual gearboxes will be available alongside six- and nine-speed automatic transmissions, depending on the model.

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has been at the pointy end of the segment in terms of sales for some time and the brand will attempt to maintain its popularity by tweaking the running costs.

New Sprinter service intervals are now two years or 40,000km, whichever comes first, and the three-year warranty extends to 200,000km.

Benz will also offer its "ServiceCare" system that features "pay as you go and pre-paid capped priced servicing options", while three years of roadside assistance is standard on all models.

Stay tuned for more details from the local Australian launch in late October.