(February 4, 2012) The small delivery van market in the U.S. is still a niche segment currently dominated by the Ford Transit Connect. It's big business in Europe where around 700,000 units are sold annually. So it stands to reason that luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz would seek a slice of the pie.

Enter the Citan. It's the name of the new urban delivery van from Mercedes-Benz. The name was announced for the first time last week at the Mercedes-Benz Design Centre in Sindelfingen, during a symposium on brand competence and city logistics.

The name Citan is derived from the words "City" and "Titan", so emphasizing the vehicle’s role as a high-calibre specialist in city logistics, designed specifically for the rough and tumble of everyday working life. Mercedes says it is the ideal partner in urban traffic.

Its design is correspondingly robust and durable. At the same time it manages to meet the requirements of customers across the service industry, retail sector and a broad spectrum of trades: a generous load compartment with compact dimensions, allied to typical attributes of the
brand such as quality, economic efficiency, safety and dynamic driving, all combined with low fuel consumption and the low CO2 emissions to match.

The choice of drive systems comprises a broad range of economical and low-emission diesel and gas engines — including a BlueEFFICIENCY package. A version powered by an electric engine is already being planned.

The controls, the interior and the quality of materials and workmanship in the new Citan are at the high level that has become the hallmark of all Mercedes-Benz vans. The urban delivery van was developed and tested to the same standards as its larger Sprinter and Vito siblings and is in no way inferior to these.

Market launch of Citan in Europe is fall  2012. It will be on display to the general public for the first time in September at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hanover, Germany.