1:18th Mercedes Sprinter LWB high top van

Brand: Norev
Material: Diecast
Type: Opening Parts (5)
Scale: 1:18
Model: Mercedes Sprinter
Limited Edition: No
Release RRP: £89.99

Straight out of the box..

When we look at the 1:18 collectible market, generally speaking we see cars and bikes, but there is a small niche sub section of larger vehicles, including this rather nice Mercedes Sprinter Van which comes in a dealership box. The box is matte black finish with a blueprint style art for the van on different sides of the box. Inside is a nice moulded clamshell box which houses the model, what’s nice is that the model comes with a screwdriver to remove the model form the lower half of the clamshell box. When you take it from the box you’ll notice its weight, its heavy!

In detail the exterior.

So a van, huh, an unusual choice to be sure, but its well crafted and would compliment other models in the scale. The front of the model is what you’d expect it to look like a scaled down version of the real van , this one though does have colour coded front sporty bumper with integral fog lights and a large grille with the Mercedes emblem in chrome. The lights are well done with chrome backing and a nice clear lens. The bonnet has plastic vents in top part, however the bonnet is not openable, unlike the rest of the model. Being a High top body and Long wheel base van its rather imposing from the front angle.

The side of the model features excellent panel stamping and one side has a opening side door and the runners are the same as you would see on the real van, which can be opened by carefully moving the door outwards then sliding the door to the rear of the van. The front doors also opening revealing a nicely detailed cab interior, door handles are excellent and even the sides of the doors when opened have lock and catch details. Black sidings are completed in matte black plastic and run along the bottom of the model and feature orange marker reflectors. Wing mirrors are really nice and have the in-built side repeaters.

The back of the Sprinter has opening doors which when opened reveal the large cargo space, one feature I really love is that the badge opens with the door and remains intact leaving a small recess on the other door, fair warning though, make sure you close the doors in the right order or it could get broken 🙁

The rest of the rear includes tinted windows and high level rear light (painted). The lower section you’ll find a recessed door handle, the sprinter logo in chrome decal and number plate with the sprinter wording. The rear bumper unlike the front one is black with reflectors, and it is finished off with a rear step.

The wheels replicate the van’s wheels with a steel design with plastic center caps and large profile tyres.

In detail the interior space.

The sprinter has two opening interiors, the front cab is accessible through the front doors, whilst mostly black it is a pretty neat interior, door cards are well detailed with switches and controls. The dash has a 3 spoke steering wheel with all the media controls, the center has the large media display , which has the Mercedes brand logo on it. Below that are the heater controls and cup holders. Overall a nicely moulded dash, one single seat and a double seat make this a 3 person cab, ideal for all that furniture removal person power!

when all 3 rear doors are open you’ll have un-fettled access to the inside of the van’s cargo space, I can get my whole hand it in so its pretty spacious. Again there isn’t a lot of detail, that you have to expect, but Norev have put it what you’d would expect on the real van, a bulkhead window, groves in the floor with ratchet strap fixing points and fixing points on the side walls, and rear door cards.

Verdict?

This a model that I believe will be sought after in the future, simply because its got potential for customisation or inclusion into a diorama, they do a white version which could easily be decaled to a company van or for a motorsports team, add a trailer and you’ve got a cool looking set-up with a van full of spare tyres and racing parts and tent. That’s the basis for a good diorama right?

A great model with some real collectability value in terms of uniqueness and versatility, they come in 3 colours, dark grey, weathered and white dealer versions and the newer Norev version which is silver with a black bumper, with the white version being the most sought after and already the most expensive version.