DaimlerChrysler is aiming to increase its UK market share of the medium commercial vehicle market from 15.2% to as high as 20% during the next four years.

Dr Rolf Bartke, head of Mercedes-Benz UK vans business unit, said the facelifted Sprinter would take a further percentage point of market share in 2000 on top of the current 10.3%, despite the launch of the new Transit model.

Growth would also come from Vito, currently sold as a single model.

“The next range will come on to the market within two years and offer a number of variants with different wheelbases and roof heights,” said Dr Bartke.

“We expect this broader model range to take a similar market share to Sprinter within four years.”

Dr Bartke said the task was to defend market share from the market-leading Ford Transit. Sprinter would do this by offering innovation and a balance of performance versus cost. He dismissed the new Transit as “merely a facelift”.