• Exhibit in the Mercedes-Benz Museum with the original equipment of the time
• On missions for the German Red Cross in the Rems-Murr district near Stuttgart for three years from 2001 onwards
• Exemplary safety and a very comfortable ride characterise the Sprinter

 “Close-up” – the name of this series from the Mercedes-Benz Museum says it all. Each instalment tells surprising, exciting and interesting stories about vehicles from the exhibition. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of launching the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, in the spotlight this time: the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313 CDI Ambulance from 2001 in Collection Room 3: Gallery of Helpers.

No. 2/2025: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313 CDI Ambulance

Eye-catching: A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a cubic, white body, blue light system and prominent day-glow colours. This is what a typical ambulance looks like, and this is exactly how it looks in the Mercedes-Benz Museum. The German Red Cross Rems-Murr District Association used this ambulance with the call sign 2/83-2 from 2001 for a good three years. It covered no less than 111,473 kilometres during this time.

New shape: This type of construction is called a “box body” in technical jargon. Compared to a van with a sheet metal body, the effective load space with straight walls is easier and therefore more practical to fit out and also offers more space, including headroom, and insulation. Another important factor for an ambulance is that it is easier to fulfil hygiene requirements. It was built by Binz, based in Lorch, Baden-Württemberg. In 1996, the company presented its first ambulance with a box body, manufactured on the basis of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter at the Ilmenau site in Thuringia. This heralded a new era, as vans converted into ambulances with a standard body had dominated the market until the 1990s.

Namesake of a vehicle category: The first Mercedes-Benz Sprinter had its world première on 23 January 1995. It followed on from the internally named T 1 van series (formerly the “Bremer Transporter”), was an immediate bestseller and even became “Van of the Year 1995”. No wonder, as the new vehicle impressed with a very comfortable ride and exemplary safety. An ABS anti-lock braking system, ABD automatic brake differential and, for the first time in a van, four disc brakes were always on board. It was available in various wheelbases with different body variants. It soon gave its name to an entire category of vehicle – the “Sprinter class”. The second generation of the Sprinter followed in 2006 after several updates, from which the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313 CDI ambulance from 2001 also benefited.

Rolling treatment room: Looking through the open rear double-wing doors of the ambulance, the wheeled stretcher with its bright orange upholstery catches the eye. The stretcher can be detached from the trolley and thus also transported using muscle power, for example on uneven terrain. Right next to it is a blue seat with a seatbelt so that the emergency doctor or paramedic can care for the patient during transport.

Fully equipped: Important rescue equipment is located in the immediate vicinity of the stretcher, such as a defibrillator to stabilise the heart function and a ventilator. Both can also be used outside the vehicle. There is a separate supply of medical oxygen for respiration during the journey. The hand-held cases with medical supplies and medications are also mobile: They are located in the cupboard compartments – equally accessible from inside and outside the vehicle, which has a hatch next to the side door for this purpose. This means that the rescue team can take care of first aid with all the necessary equipment and then continue their work seamlessly in the vehicle. Further material can be found in the extensive drawer and cupboard compartments. A sliding window at the front of the cab enables visual communication with the driver.

Practical orientation: The entire ambulance has a practical and functional interior. This is essential, because minutes can save lives in an emergency. Every move of the team has to be right, and the vehicle has to reach the scene reliably. What’s more, “2/83-2” looks almost clinically clean in the Mercedes-Benz Museum, as if it could zoom off again at any time with flashing blue lights and siren – unlike the Mercedes-Benz 320 Ambulance from 1937, also on display in Collection Room 3. Because it does not yet have a light signalling system and has no horn.

Cockpit workplace: The Binz control unit for the special technology is located between the driver and co-driver in the Sprinter. The blue light and horn can be switched on there, as can the working lights on the outside and inside of the vehicle body, and a holder accommodates the handset of the radio. Two safety helmets hang on the rear wall of the driver’s cab – obviously hardly used and therefore in almost new condition. There is also a portable spotlight as well as a voltage transformer and 220-volt sockets to power standard electrical appliances.

Almost like in a passenger car: Comfortable seats, perfect forward visibility and a comfortable ride almost like in a passenger car – the driver and co-driver are pleased. The four-cylinder engine of the 313 CDI develops 95 kW (129 hp) from a displacement of 2,148 cubic centimeters and enables a top speed of 150 km/h. The automated Sprintshift gearshift system offers further convenience.

Anniversary: To mark “30 Years of the Sprinter”, the Mercedes-Benz Museum is exhibiting a vehicle of the first generation as well as the current Sprinter along with its electric counterpart, the eSprinter, in the atrium and in front of the museum until 31 March 2025