Hartmann tuning's Vansports division has revealed 4x4 upgrades for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, handing the all-wheel-drive variant of the Stuttgart automaker’s bus a suspension lift, underbody protection and all-terrain tyres.

Based on the third-generation Sprinter, the Vansports-tuned model offers 110 mm more ground clearance up front, while the rear suspension has been lifted by 80 mm, as well as a more favourable approach angle. Riding on a set of 18-inch solid, five-spoke lightweight alloys, traction has improved, too, thanks to the fitment of thick all-terrain tyres.

Aluminium underbody panels protect the engine, transmission and rear differential when traversing rough terrain, while fender guards, which the firm says “blend harmoniously” with the slab-sided bodywork, protect it from unwanted stone chips and scrapes. Side strips can be specified, too.

According to the company, the Sprinter can now be utilised as a “workhorse in fields and forests, on construction sites, or as a 4x4 motorhome”. To test this claim, the German tuner took the modified Mercedes to the ADAC Driving Safety Center in Grevenbroich.

How much does all this equipment cost? Provide Vansports with a donor vehicle and the tuner will convert your standard Sprinter to an off-roader for €7 780. At the current exchange rate, translates to around R155 000.

Original article from Car