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Mercedes-Benz is one of the van industry's leading manufacturers, commanding a healthy share of the market across its van range. An estimated 8,000 Vitos were registered in the UK during 2007, giving Mercedes a 10.7 per cent share of the UK's medium-van market.

Duncan Ward, head of commercial vehicle sales at auction company BCA, said: "The Mercedes Sprinter and Vito are both popular because of their high build quality and reliability with rock solid residuals as an added bonus."

Mercedes began initially manufacturing vans during the mid 1950s with the Mercedes Benz L 139 being the first vehicle to be neither derived from a passenger vehicle or a truck.

Powered by a 32 kw four cylinder diesel engine, the L 139 was manufactured from 1956 onwards and aimed at drivers who were looking for a vehicle capable of distributing over short-term distances.

Since then, over 4.5 million Mercedes-Benz vans have been built with the Sprinter proving to be the most popular model, having sold an estimated 1.3 million.

In that time the Mercedes van has gone through various guises such as the Dusseldorfer and the Bremer made during the 60s and 70s to the Sprinter and Vito of the present day.

The Mercedes Vito offers superb performance and a choice of four CDI engines including the 204bhp v6 diesel Vito 120 CDI. According to the manufacturer, its latest technologies offer low running costs and high safety features as well as a choice of three body lengths to suit driver needs.

Research from CAP and Maintbook, from December 2007, shows that the Vito has high residual values and low servicing and maintenance costs.

After three years/60,000 miles, the Vito has a residual value of £5,875 (43.3 per cent of its new price) compared with the Citroen Dispatch HDi 90, which only retained 31.5 per cent of its initial pricing, and the Fiat Scudo comfort multijet 90 bhp which retained 28.2 per cent.

Mercedes van attributes the Vito's success to build quality, long service intervals and highly competitive fixed cost maintenance contracts.

It is proven to be the most fuel efficient van in its class after a Vito 109 CDI, which was entered by rental giant Northgate and set a new record of 55mpg in the 2007 AA/ALD Automotive MPG Marathon.

The annual AA/ALD MPG Marathon promotes 'eco driving' in order to save lives and money, and reduce harmful emissions.

Last year it featured 30 car and light commercial vehicle drivers and navigators who completed a 330-mile round trip between the AA headquarters in Basingstoke and Torquay.

Steve Bridge, van sales and marketing director for Mercedes-Benz, said: "The results of this latest MPG Marathon confirm once again that as well as being safer and better built than competing products, with long service intervals and market-leading warranties, Mercedes vans also lead the way when it comes to fuel economy."

The vehicle's flexibility makes it suitable for a variety of businesses from security services to delivery firms.

Schutzhund Securities' co-director Lee Gay said: "I also wanted a vehicle with a professional image which I could use when meeting clients, yet would still be fully functional as a working dog unit. The Vito Sport-X is a winner on both counts."

Mr Gay has a special edition Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport-X which is powered by a turbo-charged 3.0 litre v6 diesel engine and produces a 204bhp. The Sport-X can outperform many sports cars, reaching 60mph in just 8.3 seconds and a maximum speed of 122mph.

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a slightly bigger and no less impressive van when it comes to residual value and offers.

After three years/60,000 miles, the Sprinter has a residual value of £6,475 (29.5 per cent of its new price) compared with the Citroen Relay 35 l2hi 120 van which only retained 22.4 per cent of its initial pricing.

The Ford Transit 350 lwb hr 110 ps fwd retained 25.3 per cent of its residual value but only £3,744 SMR.

A new Sprinter has the added benefit of receiving a free service after five miles/60,000 miles as well as coming with a three year unlimited mileage warranty.

Mercedes-Benz state that the Sprinter 313 CDI Long Wheelbase Factory Dropside (on its stand at this year's CV Show), had a three-year unlimited mileage warranty covering the body and chassis.

In addition, Mercedes van commit to carrying service and body parts for a further ten years.

"That's a 13-year guarantee to supply support for your vehicle," said a spokesman for Mercedes-Benz at the event.

During the AA/ALD MPG Marathon a 3.5-tonne Mercedes Sprinter 311 CDi saw off competition from five other van models to return a cost per tonne/mile figure of 14.85p, making it the most productive vehicle.

The high-roofed, medium-length Sprinter achieved 43.87mpg in the event.

Mick Spencer, general manager of bell founder Taylors, Eayre and Smith, said that ultimately the Vito and Mercedes-Benz succeed because the vehicles can be used in a multi-purpose role.

"It's comfortable and car-like to drive, but despite its compact dimensions it also offers a very useful load area for carrying the tools and spare parts we need," he told roadtransport.com.

Never one to rest on its laurels the future of the Mercedes-Benz range of vans is ever-changing with the times with news that a 4x4 Sprinter will be available in June and a 3.2-tonne GVW Vito is set to hit British roads in September.

Steve Bridge, said that with the new model "we aim to profitably grow Vito sales volumes to 10,000 plus within the next few years."