Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van · Sprinter
W903
The Sprinter generation that conquered fleets worldwide.
- Production
- 1995–2005
- Body
- Van / commercial
- Chassis
- W903
The W903 was the core mid-weight class of the first-generation Sprinter T1N — the Baureihe most commonly seen in 308, 311, and 313 CDI guise across European fleets from the late 1990s through the mid-2000s.
Its payload class covered the heart of the commercial van market: large enough for serious cargo, compact enough for urban routes. OM611 and OM612 CDI engines arrived with the 2000 model-year update, bringing the diesel performance and efficiency that made the Sprinter the default choice for demanding operators.
Built from 1995 to 2005, the W903 was the workhorse of the T1N Sprinter family. Reliability and parts availability kept these vans in service long after production ended.
Every model.
9 model designations across 1995–2005 — engines, chassis codes and production figures for the W903.
| Model | Lata modelowe | Zbudowano | Podwozie | Silnik | Skrzynia biegów | Razem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 308 CDI | 2000–2005 | 2000–2005 | 903 | 611.987 | — | |
| 308 D | 1995–1999 | 1995–1999 | 903 | 601.943 | — | |
| 311 CDI | 2000–2005 | 2000–2005 | 903 | 611.981 | — | |
| 313 CDI | 2000–2005 | 2000–2005 | 903 | 611.981 | — | |
| 310 D | 1995–1999 | 1995–1999 | 903 | 602.980 | — | |
| 312 D | 1995–1999 | 1995–1999 | 903 | 602.980 | — | |
| 316 CDI | 2000–2005 | 2000–2005 | 903 | 612.981 | — | |
| 314 | 1995–1999 | 1995–1999 | 903 | 111.979 | — | |
| 314 | 2000–2005 | 2000–2005 | 903 | 111.984 | — |
Year by year.
Diesel-generation and safety changes across the core 3-series first-generation Sprinter.
- 1995
- The Sprinter launched in January with the W903 308 D, 310 D and 312 D diesels plus the petrol 314.
- 2000
- Common-rail CDI engines replaced the indirect-injection diesels: four-cylinder OM611 power created 308/311/313 CDI models and the five-cylinder OM612 powered the 316 CDI.
- The update brought a deeper hood and grille, a redesigned dashboard with integrated gear lever and optional Sprintshift automated manual transmission.
- 2003
- The safety facelift added clear-lens headlamps, a modified grille and revised interior details.
- Non-adaptive ESP availability expanded, with fitment depending on body type and gross vehicle weight; load-adaptive ESP arrived only with the successor Sprinter.
