2020 4x4 Mercedes Sprinter Van

Chris Tittle, an Emmy award-winning television producer and designer to high-profile clients including Cher, has masterfully transformed this 4x4 Mercedes Sprinter 144 cargo van into a marvel of modern design and functionality, with a playful and innovative touch. His aim was to introduce upbeat whimsy and create unique, original, and ideally poetic solutions to standard van equipment configurations and needs.

The build emphasizes extreme durability, utilizing heavy-duty aluminum framing, laminate panels, bamboo flooring, and scuff-resistant paint. Tittle's design maintains a consistent and contemporary aesthetic, subtly influenced by Danish mid-century modernism. The interior employs a color scheme of bone white, black, and mint, accented with aluminum and featuring warm-toned laminate surfaces beneath minimalist control panel gauges.

Functionality and space maximization are key; houndstooth-cushioned benches convert into a queen-sized bed, while showers, a toilet, tables, and an induction cooktop retract to keep the living area open and fluid. A 20-gallon fresh water tank is seamlessly integrated, with plumbing hidden within the sliding door step. Automatic running boards further enhance convenience and aesthetics: the moment you open the door, these electric-powered running boards extend seamlessly, inviting you to step in. Once the doors are closed, the PowerStep discreetly retracts, improving ground clearance, aerodynamics, and the overall aesthetic—like many other features that disappear when not in use.

Enhancing the van’s utility and living space, a 10-foot retractable awning and a drop-down outdoor table allow the interior comforts to extend seamlessly to the outdoors, ideal for open-air leisure and dining. The van boasts ample storage solutions, including three upper cabinets, a sizable food pantry, five 18-inch deep drawers, a shelf above the front seats, additional storage beneath the seats, and a coat closet capable of accommodating multiple hanging garments. Power solutions include 350 watts of solar panels on the roof, managed by a unit that also charges the house batteries from the van’s alternator, a spare tire relocated to a ladder on the rear door, and a robust aluminum box installed underneath the van—previously the spare tire space—housing two massive 300 amp-hour lithium batteries, accessible through a black marine hatch. The tires have been upgraded to Falken Wildpeak LT265/70R17's, ensuring superior traction and durability, and the factory wheels have been replaced with heavy-duty 17" Black Rhino Arsenal wheels. These thoughtful design elements ensure that everything needed to live comfortably in the van is available yet unobtrusive when not in use.