Chrysler’s dire financial straits of the late 1970s precluded any major updates for their van line for many years. In 1999 the short lived Daimler Chrysler merger made it possible for Dodge to explore new ideas and the European-styled Mercedes-Benz/ Sprinter line of vans was brought over to the US and given a Dodge styling treatment. The Sprinter has been in service throughout Europe since 1995 and has sold 1.2 million units in 100 countries.

With many of the cargo vans we’ve used over the years, driver/ passenger comfort had been sacrificed in exchange for the utilitarian aspect of the vehicle. This is where the Sprinter shows its lineage and truly shines. The interior of the Dodge is very refined and comfortable, more like a luxury car than a cargo van, making long trips a pleasure. As mentioned, originally a Mercedes Benz, the Sprinter hit US soil in 2003, and was redesigned in 2006 for 2007. Since then the economical, diesel-powered Sprinters have become ever more popular for city usage among delivery companies like FedEx and UPS, so popular in fact that they were hard to get hold of for the public sector until recently.

At $38,600 the Sprinter 3500 is not a cheap way to cart your bike back and forth to the track. Especially when compared to the Ford 350 E-Series Super Duty van which is a full $6,000 cheaper. But if you are a weekend warrior with a good budget it’s worth its weight in gold. If you are a serious racer, it will change your life. Just being able to stand up inside is enough to justify the extra expense. Power windows, telescopic steering column, and the 3L 154hp V6 diesel motor also make the price tag more tolerable. The biggest benefit to the Sprinter is in fuel economy. At an average of 21 mpg you get a lot more miles from a Sprinter tank of gas than you do from the Ford at 16 mpg. 31% better fuel economy will add up very quickly. In addition, the standard 10,000-mile oil change interval under normal driving conditions means Sprinter is not only easy on lubricants, it's easy on your wallet, too.

Having enough room to carry all the gear we bring with us to track is a blessing and makes life so much easier.....................Continued