2011 is an important year for Mercedes-Benz as the company celebrates 125 years of innovation. It was on 29 January 1886 that Carl Benz filed an application in Berlin for a patent on his three-wheeled motor car.

This date has since been considered the official birthday of the motor car. At the same time as Benz, Gottlieb Daimler was developing the first four-wheeled motor car. In this way, working independently of each other, the founding fathers of today's Daimler AG and its globally successful Mercedes-Benz core brand laid the foundation stone for all present-day passenger cars, commercial vehicles and buses.

Ten years later, a second important chapter of history of motorised transport opened: in 1895 the first motorised bus in the world went into service, and in 1896 Daimler delivered the world's first motorised truck. In terms of its payload capacity - 1500 kg - this by today's standards would be regarded as the first van.

The van incorporated influences from both passenger cars and trucks. This has remained the case to this day; the typical modern van aims to combine car-like speed, comfort and handling with the payload capacity and load volume of a truck.
The company that invented the motor car has since that time gone on to shape its development more diversely and enduringly than any other motor vehicle manufacturer - in all relevant areas, from drive technology to comfort and safety through to design.

In celebration of these 125 years, a number of events and exhibitions are underway throughout the year, incorporating an element of pageantry around this important milestone. One of the major exhibits includes a display of the first car, the Benz Patent Motor, and the Benz Velo, the first car in South Africa.

These vintage displays are being placed in various Mercedes-Benz dealerships throughout southern Africa - a roadshow that has been underway since 29 January 2011.

Transporting this precious cargo is no mean feat and, thanks to the Mercedes-Benz Vans division, a Sprinter 518 CDI XL panel van (extra-long version) has been made available especially for this purpose.

The livery on this Sprinter clearly depicts the cargo: "South African motoring history: Exhibit Number One - proudly driven by Mercedes-Benz Vans".

"As the vintage cargo is precious and invaluable, we wanted a reliable and spacious vehicle with solid service support to transport these classics throughout the country. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has the track record to meet the requirements and we look forward to many a successful exhibition and event as they move through the extensive schedule," says Nicolette Lambrechts, Brand Manager, Mercedes-Benz Vans.

The 3-litre, V6 Sprinter 518CDI XL panel van comes standard with a host of safety features including enhanced braking and stability via ADAPTIVE ESP, ABS, BAS, ASR, EBD and Start-off Assist.

In addition to the usual parameters of ADAPTIVE ESP, this system is now also able to determine the mass and the centre of gravity of the load. This and other new functions allow ADAPTIVE ESP to intervene with even greater sensitivity and precision in critical situations.

The Common-rail diesel engine is rated Euro 4 and while offering class-leading power and torque, is extremely fuel efficient with low carbon emission levels.

The rear-wheel-drive chassis is designed to cope with high engine power, ideally suited for large payload variations. The payload of the Sprinter is 2430kg and the spacious body volume of 15.5m3 together with the eight securing lugs, makes for comfortable and safe transportation of these classic models.

Loading and unloading access is convenient with a large sliding door and two rear wing doors which have a 180° opening range. A standing height of 194m makes maneuverability within the vehicle easy.

"All our campaigns, staff and customer activities this year will incorporate an element of celebration around this important milestone, including a prominent display at the Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS)during October 2011. We look forward to seeing a number of our customers and other show-goers during this time," concludes Nicolette.

However difficult it may be to anticipate what changes the future will bring, one thing is certain: the development of Mercedes-Benz and the development of the van will remain as inseparably linked in the future as they have always been.