Oberaigner's Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4x4 answers Mark's 'call to traction'

Adventure holiday enthusiast Mark Blunden is planning expeditions to a string of far-flung locations after taking delivery of a purpose-built Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4x4 motorhome.

The keen off-roader purchased his new pride and joy from Surrey and Sussex Dealer Rossetts Commercials. Rossetts is the sole UK agent for German all-wheel drive specialist Oberaigner, which has received extensive publicity for its ultra-capable Sprinter 6x6 conversion.

Mark based his high-riding motorhome on a Medium-length 3.5-tonne Sprinter 319 CDI chassis. The vehicle is shod with cross-country tyres and a snorkel allows it to ‘breathe’ when fording deep water.

Its ruggedly functional interior, meanwhile, is the work of Coastline Campers, of St Columb, Cornwall. Features include ‘flight case’ style units, a large fridge and freezer, a slide-out bed, an Eberspacher heater and dual solar panels. The bodybuilder also added a bespoke, back door-mounted spare wheel carrier, while the Sprinter’s roof rack was custom-designed and fitted by Patriot Products, of Bedford,

“I’m not into package holidays,” said the London-based landscaper and property developer. “But I love having the freedom to go where I want, when I want, and to explore tracks and areas which others have no alternative other than to avoid.

“I’ve made a few 4x4 trips already, some with friends, others on my own, including one to Lapland. Now I’m looking at Morocco and the Black Sea as potential destinations, although I also want to take the Sprinter across to Scandinavia.”

Mark, who lives in Archway, is a confirmed Mercedes-Benz admirer, having relied on vans bearing the three-pointed star for work since the early 1980s. He is a member of the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen Club and still owns the second of the two ‘standard’ Sprinter 4x4s which he has purchased previously.

This model is sold by all Mercedes-Benz Vans Dealers and is a popular choice with building and utilities contractors, and municipal operators, who often have to work on rough terrain and in challenging conditions. It has no differential locks and relies solely on the it has no differential locks and relies solely on Mercedes-Benz 4-ETS (Electronic Traction System), which is integrated with the Adaptive ESP® anti-skid technology, to provide traction management, preventing spinning wheels and guaranteeing equal speed on all four wheels.

The permanent four-wheel drive system on Mark’s latest motorhome, by contrast, features a crawler gear for off-road driving and another for travel with heavy loads or on gradients, as well as three (longitudinal, front and rear) mechanical differential locks. The result is a vehicle which offers exceptional all-terrain capability.

“When the going gets tough my latest Sprinter certainly gets going,” enthused Mark. “The off-road performance is fantastic, while I also like the fact that there’s nothing ‘fluffy’ about the design – I wanted it to be practical and fit for purpose, and am delighted with the result.

“Rossetts were brilliant too,” he added. “I can’t fault the service I received from the Dealer’s Sales Executive Martin Gearing, and the same is also true of the other suppliers involved.”

Operators wishing to arrange a test drive of any of Rossetts Commercials’ all-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz demonstrators, should contact Van Sales Manager Mike Sanders on 07795 564572 or email mike.sanders@rossetts.co.uk