The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light commercial vehicle (van) built by Mercedes-Benz Group AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a large van, chassis cab, minibus, and pickup truck. In the past, the Sprinter had been sold under the Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, and Freightliner nameplates. In the U.S., it was built from complete knock down (CKD) kits by Freightliner. Re-badged and re-engined Sprinters were also sold by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles as the Volkswagen LT and the Volkswagen Crafter. They are now primarily marketed by Mercedes-Benz. In the Mercedes-Benz van lineup, the Sprinter is the largest model offered, followed by the mid-size Vito (aka Viano, V-Class, and EQV) and small Citan. First generation (1995–2006, T1N) Europe The first generation Sprinter was launched in Europe in 1995 to replace the famous but outdated T1 Transporter van dating from 1977. Compared to the T1, the Sprinter had reduced the aerodynamic drag and moved the engine further forward to increase cabin space. It was the first Mercedes-Benz product to carry a name rather than an alphanumeric designation. It was released with four-wheel disc brakes equipped with an antilock braking system and was driven by the most powerful diesel engine in its class, with a power output of . The Sprinter was voted International Van of the Year for 1995. The styling was updated in 2000 and 2002, accompanied by technical changes that included standard electronic stability control (2002). North America The first generation (VA Chassis) North American Sprinter was launched in 2001 in the U.S. and was originally branded as a Freightliner. Units sold to the rest of North America were badged as Mercedes-Benz until 2003 when they received Dodge branding. Rather than redesign the aging Dodge Ram Van which had used the same basic body and layout since the 1970s, DaimlerChrysler chose to discontinue the Ram Van in 2003 and offer the Sprinter instead for the North American market. It was available exclusively with the inline-5 diesel engine and a 5-speed automatic transmission. The Dodge and Freightliner Sprinters were identical except for minor styling details and badging. Units in the United States and Canada, but not in Mexico, could be purchased as a Dodge or Freightliner from 2003. The product was launched and supported by DaimlerChrysler Vans LLC, a small division based in Huntersville, North Carolina. Key individuals from DaimlerChrysler Commercial Vehicle Division and Freightliner Trucks were selected to spearhead the effort and made up the