Mercedes-Benz Sprinter City 75: the best of both worlds – with a new variant and additional equipment it is even more attractive

• Mercedes-Benz minibuses: four model series for all types of operation
• Even more flexible and efficient: overland seats with three-point seat belts
• Numerous new options including a partition for the driver's seat
• Sprinter City 75: attractive body and unique technology 

The Mercedes-Benz minibuses supplement the range of large touring coaches, city and inter-city buses from Daimler Buses, so it now includes a complete range for all fields of application. They offer the best of two worlds because they combine the extraordinary characteristics of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with great expertise in buses. Thanks to a new seating variant and numerous other features, the compact Sprinter City 75 regular service bus is now even more versatile and attractive. It is the ideal solution for regular-service bus routes on which a Mercedes-Benz Citaro would be too big.

Mercedes-Benz minibuses: four model series for all types of operation

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter celebrates its silver anniversary this year: for 25 years, its extraordinary qualities have not only made a major impact on a whole vehicle segment but have also led to the vehicle lending its name to the segment. As a platform for minibuses, it does an equally excellent job. Minibuses based on the Sprinter have been part of the range of Mercedes-Benz buses for more than 20 years. In Europe they play a leading role in the minibus segment with a permissible gross mass over 3.5 tonnes. As before, the new generation consists of four model series. The specialised Sprinter City covers urban and suburban regular-service, the flexible Sprinter Transfer takes care of inter-city routes, school bus services, excursions and shuttle services; the Sprinter Mobility transports passengers with restricted mobility, and the Sprinter Travel stands for tourism.

Even more flexible and efficient: overland seats with three-point seat belts

The Mercedes‑Benz Sprinter City 75 is the pride of the Mercedes‑Benz minibuses for regular-service bus routes. The 8.5-m long regular service bus can seat up to 38 passengers and is thus the link between the minibuses and the Mercedes-Benz Citaro. The Sprinter City 75 is suitable for routes in the narrow streets of historic town centres, for bus services with low passenger numbers, for use at weekends and off-peak times as well as for connecting villages and small towns and taking passengers to rural areas.

The new Inter Star Sprinter inter-city seating makes the city bus even more versatile as the Sprinter City 75. The upholstered seats have a firm, high backrest and in addition to their comfort offer maximum safety thanks to the three-point safety belts fitted as standard equipment to all. 

The Sprinter City 75 derives its seating layout and thus the number of seats from the city bus: 12 seats are arranged in the high-floor area, with seven more in the low-floor section. They are made up of three double seats on the left-hand side and one single seat on the right, facing forward. The double seats are attached with a quick-change system. Should an increased number of standing places be required, they can be removed quickly. Of the three double seats in the low-floor segment, the front one can be removed using the quick-release mechanisms to make a safe space for a wheelchair.

Numerous new options including a partition for the driver's seat

There are now also numerous new options available for the Sprinter City 75. Upon request, drivers can also benefit from a frequent-stop brake as well as a hand control lever for the retarder. Bus drivers inevitably have frequent direct contact with their passengers. During the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, the new full-width glazed driver’s partition is therefore of particular importance. It will be available from the end of this year and protects the driver from infection while an opening allows the sale of tickets.

The list of additional optional equipment fitted around the vehicle includes an electrically operated cassette ramp as an alternative to the folding ramp, double-glazed side windows, and hinged windows for ventilating the passenger compartment. A fire-extinguishing system in the engine compartment further increases safety. An optional additional tank increases the fuel volume to 96 litres and in turn the vehicle's range.

The passenger compartment can be upgraded with stainless-steel grab bars, additional USB ports at the passenger seats and in the low-floor area for passengers' end devices as well as the pre-installation for a 21-inch TFT monitor.

Sprinter City 75: attractive body and unique technology

The innovative body of the Sprinter City 75 skilfully takes up the fundamental design traits of the Sprinter. The two sidewalls have an asymmetrical design. On the driver’s side, the cab and the body fuse into a single unit. The glazing of the body, optionally available with double glazing, has a distinctive arrow shape at the front. It is different on the entrance side: the rising window railing aft of the A‑pillar drops down to the low beltline. At the rear, the Sprinter City 75 terminates in a distinct bus rear end.

Passengers enter the passenger compartment of the Sprinter City 75 through a double-wing electrically operated outward-swinging door aft of the front axle. Like the single-wing rear door, it is powered by the twelve-volt technology of the Sprinter. The passenger compartment of the Sprinter City 75 has a low-entry design. The low-floor zone has a highly variable design. For operation in urban traffic, it offers room for up to five folding seats on the driver's side and two more on the door side, alternatively for a wheelchair and/or pram. If the seats are not in use, the minibus offers standing room for up to 26 passengers. Seating with a quick-change system and up to three double seats on the driver's side is also possible. Two very flat steps in front of the rear axle lead to the raised seating area at the rear.

Like the design, the technical concept of the Sprinter City 75 is completely new. It is based on the chassis of the Mercedes‑Benz Sprinter, but only up to the B‑pillar. Aft of the B-pillar is a self-supporting integral minibus skeleton. The new city bus has a unique wheelbase of 5100 mm. It thus surpasses the longest wheelbase version of the new Mercedes‑Benz Sprinter by 775 millimetres. The gross vehicle weight rating of the two-axle vehicle is 6.8 tonnes and offers large reserves. The basis of the high permissible gross weight is a high-load rear axle with air suspension developed exclusively for Mercedes‑Benz minibuses. The dual-tyre assembly has an axle-load rating of 4.8 tonnes.

With further seating and new options, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter City 75, unique in both its technology and appearance, is more than just a customised and flexible solution for regular service operations when a Citaro is too large.

Further information is available here: d.ai/NOWandNEXT2020-pressmaterial