Mercedes-Benz Vito
Encyclopedia
The Mercedes-Benz Vito is a light van produced by Mercedes-Benz
in the Basque town of Vitoria, Spain. From the name of the city Vitoria came the name Vito. The name was also derived from an exemplary, long-standing employee, Vito Rosenstein. Vito's dedication to the company resulted in an unusually high accolade.
It is available as a standard panel van, or with additional passenger accommodation substituted for part or all of the load area. Full information on the passenger-carrier version of the Vito can be found here: Mercedes-Benz Viano
.
The facelifted version of the Vito, due to begin production from September 2010, features restyled front and rear lights, restyled front bumpers, and more significantly, new more-efficient Diesel engines adapted from the Sprinter range. Blue-efficiency technology will be available as a costed option. The range also features a new 6 speed manual gearbox with more economic ratios, which will lead to a 15% reduction in fuel consumption. In addition, suspension, instrumentation, steering wheel and quality of materials is to be improved.
Vito was produced between 1996 and 2003. It is powered either by a diesel engine with up to 120 bhp or a gasoline engine with up to 140 bhp and a front-wheel drive
drivetrain. On the top of the petrol engine was Volkswagen 2.8 VR6 engine.
The body chassis came from the Volkswagen Transporter.
This body was also sold as V-klasse in its more luxurious version while Vito was the "work horse" ( V-klasse was replaced with the Viano-name for gen II of Vito)
Vito is more streamlined than its predecessor, but more importantly is powered by a new range of engines and a rear-wheel drive (RWD) drivetrain.
The angle of the windshield
and A-pillar
is closer to horizontal
; the dashboard
is bigger and the bonnet
(hood) smaller. The newer Vito is available in 3 different lengths and 4 diesel engine versions being the 109 CDI, the 111 CDI, the 115 CDI (all powered by a 4 cylinder 2.2 litre engine) and the more powerful 120 CDI (featuring the 3.0 litre V6 unit). The model numerics conform with the Mercedes pattern that relates to a rough guide to engine power output. In the Vito range currently the 109 has 93 bhp, 111 relates to 116 bhp, 115 to 150 bhp and 120 to 204 bhp.
The 2nd generation Vitos are all Euro
3 compliant (additionally Euro 4 compliant as of November 2006) and therefore exempt from the Low Emission Zone
in London, which requires commercial vehicles (vans) to reach at least Euro 3 standard from October 2010.
On 16 April 2010 the assembly of the Viano W639 began at the Fujian Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd.
plant in Fúzhōu
, China. Forty per cent of the components and automotive parts of the Chinese model version are manufactured by local companies. The Chinese model was launched on the Chinese (Hong Kong, PRC and Republic) and the South Korean market in April 2010.
'. The Vito taxicab includes electric sliding doors, electric steps and seating for six people. The Vito's rear-wheel steering enables it to meet the PCO's strict Conditions of Fitness requirements including a 25 ft (7.6 m) turning circle and wheelchair accessibility. The vehicle, a variation of the 'Traveliner' model, is built by Penso in Coventry. The rear wheel steer system is licensed from one80, and it is distributed through Eco City Vehicles subsidiary KPM-UK Taxis.
Because the Mercedes Taxi has sliding doors the option of opening windows is no longer available to passengers. The PCO (Public Carriage Office) has also specified that the option of sliding windows has also been banned, this is due to the danger of passengers having part of their body out of the windows when the doors open.
The new Taxi doesn't perform the famous U-turn in the same way as the TX and Metro models, instead it incorporates an electrically operated rear wheel system, activated by a button adjacent to the steering wheel. This turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels, thus allowing the Taxi to perform the same tight turning circle as the TX and Metro models. This system is only possible when the vehicle is travelling at less than 5 mi/h, and if the vehicle goes over this speed while the LSM is active, it is deactivated and the wheels straighten up.
It is longer and wider than the TX models, but traveling through tight spaces is aided by the electric folding wing mirrors, from the options list which as of 2009 is standard.
van. Mercedes-Benz expects 100 vehicles to be produced by the end of 2010 and a further 2000 by the end of 2011.
The Vito E-Cell utilizes a specially developed front-wheel drive setup to save installation space for a 36-kWh lithium-ion battery pack housed underneath the van's cargo area. The E-Cell's electric motor
has 60 kW
(80 horsepower
) and 207 pound-feet of torque. The electric van has a range of 81 mi (130.4 km) and a top speed of 50 mi (80.5 km).
The Mercedes Vito Van has now been rolled out to the UK where 50 vehicles have been allocated for the first year. All customers are to be vetted to ensure suitability and must return the van after four years to Mercedes.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
in the Basque town of Vitoria, Spain. From the name of the city Vitoria came the name Vito. The name was also derived from an exemplary, long-standing employee, Vito Rosenstein. Vito's dedication to the company resulted in an unusually high accolade.
It is available as a standard panel van, or with additional passenger accommodation substituted for part or all of the load area. Full information on the passenger-carrier version of the Vito can be found here: Mercedes-Benz Viano
Mercedes-Benz Viano
The Mercedes-Benz Viano is a multi-purpose vehicle based on the popular Mercedes-Benz Vito commercial panel van. The first generation went on sale in 1996; it is presently in its second generation, having undergone a number of changes - including a new name - in 2004...
.
The facelifted version of the Vito, due to begin production from September 2010, features restyled front and rear lights, restyled front bumpers, and more significantly, new more-efficient Diesel engines adapted from the Sprinter range. Blue-efficiency technology will be available as a costed option. The range also features a new 6 speed manual gearbox with more economic ratios, which will lead to a 15% reduction in fuel consumption. In addition, suspension, instrumentation, steering wheel and quality of materials is to be improved.
1st generation W638 (1996–2003)
The first generation Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
Vito was produced between 1996 and 2003. It is powered either by a diesel engine with up to 120 bhp or a gasoline engine with up to 140 bhp and a front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...
drivetrain. On the top of the petrol engine was Volkswagen 2.8 VR6 engine.
The body chassis came from the Volkswagen Transporter.
This body was also sold as V-klasse in its more luxurious version while Vito was the "work horse" ( V-klasse was replaced with the Viano-name for gen II of Vito)
2nd generation W639 (2003–present)
The second generation Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
Vito is more streamlined than its predecessor, but more importantly is powered by a new range of engines and a rear-wheel drive (RWD) drivetrain.
The angle of the windshield
Windshield
The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...
and A-pillar
Pillar (car)
Pillars are the vertical supports of the greenhouse of an automobile — known respectively as the A, B, C or D-pillar moving in profile view from the front to rear....
is closer to horizontal
Horizontal plane
In geometry, physics, astronomy, geography, and related sciences, a plane is said to be horizontal at a given point if it is perpendicular to the gradient of the gravity field at that point— in other words, if apparent gravity makes a plumb bob hang perpendicular to the plane at that point.In...
; the dashboard
Dashboard
A dashboard is a control panel placed in front of the driver of an automobile, housing instrumentation and controls for operation of the vehicle....
is bigger and the bonnet
Hood (vehicle)
The hood or bonnet is the hinged cover over the engine of motor vehicles that allows access to the engine compartment for maintenance and repair. In British terminology, hood refers to a fabric cover over the passenger compartment of the car...
(hood) smaller. The newer Vito is available in 3 different lengths and 4 diesel engine versions being the 109 CDI, the 111 CDI, the 115 CDI (all powered by a 4 cylinder 2.2 litre engine) and the more powerful 120 CDI (featuring the 3.0 litre V6 unit). The model numerics conform with the Mercedes pattern that relates to a rough guide to engine power output. In the Vito range currently the 109 has 93 bhp, 111 relates to 116 bhp, 115 to 150 bhp and 120 to 204 bhp.
The 2nd generation Vitos are all Euro
European emission standards
European emission standards define the acceptable limits for exhaust emissions of new vehicles sold in EU member states. The emission standards are defined in a series of European Union directives staging the progressive introduction of increasingly stringent standards.Currently, emissions of...
3 compliant (additionally Euro 4 compliant as of November 2006) and therefore exempt from the Low Emission Zone
London low emission zone
The London Low Emission Zone is a charging scheme with the aim of reducing the pollution emissions of diesel-powered commercial vehicles in London, England. Vehicles are defined by their emissions and those that exceed pre-determined levels are charged to enter Greater London. The low emission...
in London, which requires commercial vehicles (vans) to reach at least Euro 3 standard from October 2010.
On 16 April 2010 the assembly of the Viano W639 began at the Fujian Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd.
Fujian Daimler Automotive
The Fujian Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd. is a joint venture betwenn the German Daimler AG with the Chinese state-owned Fujian Motors Group and the Taiwanese Mitsubishi Motors subsidiary China Motor Corporation.-History:...
plant in Fúzhōu
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
, China. Forty per cent of the components and automotive parts of the Chinese model version are manufactured by local companies. The Chinese model was launched on the Chinese (Hong Kong, PRC and Republic) and the South Korean market in April 2010.
London Taxi variant
In August 2008 a variant of the Vito was approved by the Public Carriage Office for use as a licensed London 'black cabHackney carriage
A hackney or hackney carriage is a carriage or automobile for hire...
'. The Vito taxicab includes electric sliding doors, electric steps and seating for six people. The Vito's rear-wheel steering enables it to meet the PCO's strict Conditions of Fitness requirements including a 25 ft (7.6 m) turning circle and wheelchair accessibility. The vehicle, a variation of the 'Traveliner' model, is built by Penso in Coventry. The rear wheel steer system is licensed from one80, and it is distributed through Eco City Vehicles subsidiary KPM-UK Taxis.
Because the Mercedes Taxi has sliding doors the option of opening windows is no longer available to passengers. The PCO (Public Carriage Office) has also specified that the option of sliding windows has also been banned, this is due to the danger of passengers having part of their body out of the windows when the doors open.
The new Taxi doesn't perform the famous U-turn in the same way as the TX and Metro models, instead it incorporates an electrically operated rear wheel system, activated by a button adjacent to the steering wheel. This turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels, thus allowing the Taxi to perform the same tight turning circle as the TX and Metro models. This system is only possible when the vehicle is travelling at less than 5 mi/h, and if the vehicle goes over this speed while the LSM is active, it is deactivated and the wheels straighten up.
It is longer and wider than the TX models, but traveling through tight spaces is aided by the electric folding wing mirrors, from the options list which as of 2009 is standard.
Mercedes-Benz Vito E-Cell
In mid-2010, coinciding with a subtle mid-life facelift, production commenced on the Vito E-Cell all-electricBattery electric vehicle
A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or...
van. Mercedes-Benz expects 100 vehicles to be produced by the end of 2010 and a further 2000 by the end of 2011.
The Vito E-Cell utilizes a specially developed front-wheel drive setup to save installation space for a 36-kWh lithium-ion battery pack housed underneath the van's cargo area. The E-Cell's electric motor
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
has 60 kW
Kw
kw or KW may refer to:* Kuwait, ISO 3166-1 country code** .kw, the country code top level domain for Kuwait* Kilowatt* Self-ionization of water Kw* Cornish language's ISO 639 code* Kitchener–Waterloo, Ontario, Canada...
(80 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
) and 207 pound-feet of torque. The electric van has a range of 81 mi (130.4 km) and a top speed of 50 mi (80.5 km).
The Mercedes Vito Van has now been rolled out to the UK where 50 vehicles have been allocated for the first year. All customers are to be vetted to ensure suitability and must return the van after four years to Mercedes.