The Mercedes-Benz Vario (model designation BM667/668/670) is a full-size commercial heavy

van A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and bigger than a common car. There is some varying in the scope of the word across th ...

manufactured by

Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquarte ...

between 1996 and 2013.

History

The Vario was launched in 1996 as a facelifted version of the Mercedes-Benz T2. The bodyshell remained relatively unchanged throughout its 17-year production life. The Vario proved a popular base

chassis A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of an artificial object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpar ...

for

minibus A minibus, microbus, minicoach, or commuter (in Zimbabwe) is a passenger-carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, ...

es and mini-

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...

es. When new regulations required

disabled Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, ...

access, a model with a wheelchair lift was made available. The Vario was fitted with several types of Mercedes-Benz engines. Pre-2000 vehicles used a 5-cylinder OM602LA (2874 cm³) and 4-cylinder OM904LA (4250 cm³), turbocharged and intercooled diesel engine. From September 2000, Vario 618D/818D models were equipped with a 4.2-liter turbo diesel engine with intercooler and direct injection with an output of 136 or 150 hp and torque of 520 or 580 Nm, respectively. The most powerful was a 177 hp, 675Nm engine. With the introduction of the Euro 4 emission standards, the Vario began to be equipped with OM904LA series BlueTec4 turbocharged and intercooled engine with working volume of 4250 cm³ and a power of 129, 156 or 177 hp. Set of new manual gearboxes, new automatic gearbox and some optional equipment was added to portfolio. Two types of gearboxes were available, a 5-speed manual (later 6-speed) and on buses, an Allison AT 545 4-speed automatic (later an Allison LCT 1000 5-speed). Maximum payload was 4.4 tons with a load volume of 17.4 cubic meters. A 4x4 model was also available. All models had a suspension on parabolic leaf springs, all ventilated disc brakes and power steering. On 27 September 2013, the last Vario rolled off the production line in

Ludwigsfelde Ludwigsfelde is a town in the north of the district Teltow-Fläming in Brandenburg. Geography Location The town is located south of Berlin in the district Teltow-Fläming on the plateau of Teltow. In earlier times, it was part of the district ...

. Between 1996 and 2013, 90,743 units were manufactured. The Vario was succeeded in

Daimler Trucks Daimler Truck AG (holding company legal name Daimler Truck Holding AG) is one of the world's largest commercial vehicle manufacturers, with over 35 main locations worldwide and approximately 100,000 employees. Daimler Truck AG is headquartered in ...

' model range by heavier versions of the

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light commercial vehicle (van) built by Mercedes-Benz Group AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a large van, chassis cab, minibus, and pickup truck. In the past, the Sprinter had been sold under the Mercedes-Benz, Dod ...

and lighter versions of the Mercedes-Benz Atego.

Engines

Gallery

File:Mercedes-Benz Vario, PKS Tarnobrzeg - rear.jpg, O814D Vario minibus rear in

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula, Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland un ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

in November 2010 File:Western Greyhound 564.jpg,

Western Greyhound Western Greyhound was a bus operator based in Summercourt, near Newquay, which operated services in Cornwall and Devon from January 1998 until March 2015. History Western Greyhound was established in January 1998 to take over the three vehi ...

Plaxton Beaver 2 bodied O814 in

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to ...

in September 2006 File:St Ives Bus Company bus (REZ 8375, ex-P703 LCF), St Ives, Cornwall, 29 July 2013.jpg,

St Ives Bus Company ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

Plaxton Beaver 2 The Plaxton Beaver, originally known as the Reeve Burgess Beaver, is a minibus body built by Plaxton. It was built at the Pilsley, Derbyshire factory of Plaxton's Reeve Burgess subsidiary from 1987 to 1991, at Plaxton's main Scarborough factor ...

bodied O814 in

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a Historic counties of England, historic county and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people ...

in July 2013 File:UPS Truck.jpg, UPS Vario van in Germany in May 2005 File:Entstoerfahrzeug 07-07-01.jpg,

RheinEnergie RheinEnergie can refer to: *RheinEnergie AG, energy company based in Cologne * RheinEnergieStadion, sports stadium in Cologne *Köln 99ers Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhi ...

815D Vario Emergency Service Van in

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...

in July 2007 File:Post Office Mercedes-Benz Armoured Van.jpg, 814D Vario

Post Office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional se ...

Van in Halstead in January 2008 File:Mercedes-Benz 814 DA.jpg, 814D Vario Van with a Truck bed in the Netherlands in June 2012 File:Neugeborenen Notarzt.jpg, 512D Vario Emergency doctor van in Germany in July 2007 File:Compass Bus R81 EDW.JPG, Compass Travel Autobus Classique bodied Vario in

Horsham Horsham is a market town on the upper reaches of the River Arun on the fringe of the Weald in West Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Nearby to ...

in April 2009

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

*
Product Guide (in German)
Mercedes-Benz {{Mercedes-Benz vehicles Vario Vario Police vehicles Vans Minibuses Vehicles introduced in 1996 1990s cars 2000s cars 2010s cars