Freightliner LLC plans to assemble and market the Sprinter commercial van in North America in cooperation with Mercedez-Benz. With this van, Freightliner makes its first major expansion into the lighter-duty segment of the North American commercial vehicle market, a segment with volume of about 360,000 units annually in the U.S. and Canada. The Freightliner Sprinter, a class 2 – 3 product that will be offered initially in cargo and passenger van configurations, is a versatile van for a wide range of uses, including: -- Parcel, package and normal delivery. -- Passenger transportation for municipalities, airports, and shuttle services. -- Light construction and a full range of services from utilities to landscaping. The Sprinter van complements Freightliner’s existing line of class 3 – 6 walk-in van class products, which captured 65 percent of this diesel van market in 2000. Sprinter is destined to compete with a broad range of Class 2 – 3 products. The Freightliner Sprinter will be available in three basic configurations - - cargo van, passenger van, and cab chassis - - with three wheelbase lengths, two GVWs and two roof heights. The Sprinter cargo van configuration will be available starting in June, with the passenger version being available in September. A cab chassis will be available in 2002. The passenger van carries 10 people and has a GVWR of 8,550 lbs. The passenger and cargo configurations will be available in three wheelbase lengths: 118, 140 and 158 inches. Both the cargo and passenger models are available in two roof heights: 64 and 73 inches. The heart of the Sprinter van powertrain is its Mercedes-Benz 5 cylinder in-line turbo-charged diesel engine, which delivers better fuel economy, longer maintenance intervals and better durability.