Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: Start of Production in China at Fujian Daimler Automotive (FJDA)

• First Mercedes-Benz Sprinter line roll-off event celebrated at Fujian Daimler
• Sprinter is the thrid premium brand product after Viano and Vito in China’s fast growing large van market
• Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans: “At Mercedes-Benz Vans we are consistently pursuing a worldwide growth strategy and putting our motto into practice every day: Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global! In China we are still the only premium automaker with its own van production. And I am all the more delighted that we are now offering a bus version of our Mercedes-Benz Sprinter on the Chinese market.”

Peking / Fuzhou - The production line roll-off event for the first locally produced Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van was held at the Fujian Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd (FJDA) plant in the end of October.

“At Mercedes-Benz Vans we are consistently pursuing a worldwide growth strategy and putting our motto into practice every day: Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global! In China we are still the only premium automaker with its own van production. And I am all the more delighted that we are now offering a bus version of our Mercedes-Benz Sprinter on the Chinese market,” said Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, at the production line roll-off event in Fuzhou.

“Local vehicle production is a cornerstone of Daimler’s commitment to the Chinese market and an important part of Daimler’s China strategy,” said Ulrich Walker, Chairman and CEO of Daimler Northeast Asia. “Thanks to the start of production of our Mercedes-Benz Vito and Viano multi-purpose vehicles at Fujian Daimler in 2010, China has instantly become a top-5 market for the Mercedes-Benz Van Division. I am convinced that the locally produced Sprinter will add another chapter to the success story of our joint venture in Fuzhou.”

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is the third premium vehicle after Viano and Vito on the van market in China and fills a gap in the large vans segment. And the Sprinter is the third vehicle manufactured by Fujian Daimler for the Chinese market. The production location is the FJDA plant in Fuzhou, which has been building the Mercedes-Benz Vito and Viano multipurpose vehicles since April 2010. There are three Sprinter models coming to the Chinese market with three different body lengths and different kinds of seating arrangements accordingly. Depending on their different needs, customers can choose between 14-seats, 17-seats, and 20-seats for reliable and safe people transportation.

”Fujian Daimler continues to upgrade its models to meet the growing demands of Chinese customers, as evidenced by the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter which diversifies our product line and enhances our competitiveness in the chinese market,” says Rene Reif, President and CEO of Fujian Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd. “As the first luxury brand entering the large van segment in China, the Sprinter brings superior quality and safer mobility to the discerning Chinese consumer. The locally-produced Sprinter inherits German craftsmanship and advanced technology, and is fully adapted to the needs of local customers, setting the new benchmark vehicle model in the large van segment here in China.”

In accordance with Daimler’s and Mercedes-Benz’s core principles, the highest level of passenger safety is assured with a range of electronic safety features like the most advanced ESP (electronic stability program) in its segment as well as the latest technology in passenger safety cell design. The aviation cabin-like interior brings airline travel quality to the road, with fully adjustable passenger seats with dual color leather and elegant trim and star logo.

Daimler is the only foreign company that has forged joint ventures to locally produce trucks, vans and passenger cars in China and the Sprinter convincingly extends the audience for more people to enjoy the luxury of Mercedes-Benz in China.

Fujian Daimler Automotive Ltd. (FJDA)
Established in Fuzhou in October 2007, Fujian Daimler Automotive Ltd. (FJDA) is a joint venture between Daimler AG, Fujian Motor Industry Group Company (FJMG) and the Taiwan-based China Motors Corp (CMC). The FJDA plant construction was completed in a record 18 months, starting production in April 2010, followed by the China national market launch of Vito and Viano multi purpose vehicles in June that year. The first Sprinter van rolled off the production line in October 2011.

FJDA is located in Qingkou Investment Zone of Minhou County, Fujian, with a total area of about 330,000 square meters. With a technical capacity of 40,000 vehicles, FJDA is a world-class facility incorporating the latest technology, Mercedes-Benz Production System (MPS), and strict quality control measures. Professional talent from China, Germany, and other countries work together in a dedicated and efficient international team, incorporating Daimler’s 125 years of heritage and automobile expertise.