DaimlerChrysler is giving consideration to an aggressive push into the North American commercial vehicle market spearheaded by a new light commercial vehicle (LCV) assembly operation, according to the Financial Times (FT).
The FT report says that DC is searching for a suitable site to manufacture its Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans in the US.
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DC believes that growth prospects for the light duty goods van market in North America are very good, underpinned by increasing shipping demand from mail order and Internet retailing firms.
DaimlerChrysler distributes the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter commercial van in the United States under the Freightliner brand, selling it through both Freightliner and Dodge dealerships.
The Freightliner Sprinter is a Class 2 – 3 product (Gross Vehicle Weight up to 6 tonnes) offered in cargo and passenger van configurations. Made and sold in western Europe by Mercedes-Benz, it is used for a wide variety of commercial applications, including passenger transportation, construction services, utilities services and general light haulage.
The Sprinter van complements Freightliner’s line of Class 3-6 walk-in van chassis products.
It is also possible that a well-appointed, more attractive sub-Sprinter ‘Vito’ variation will be sold through Freightliner and Dodge dealerships after a 2004 redesign.
The FT report adds that several vehicle manufacturers, including Iveco and Ford, are considering introducing similar van products to North America.
