The Ecto-1 needs no introduction, but it’s getting some unlikely company in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. We’re talking about a one-off Mercedes Sprinter, which is known as the Ecto-Z.
The model will be used by the Spengler family as they team up with the original Ghostbusters to fight an army of evil spirits, which were released by an ancient artifact. They’re threatening to usher in a second ice age, so the Ghostbusters need all the help they can get.
That’s where the Ecto-Z comes in as it has a pull-out rack with proton packs, ghost traps, and muon scrubbers. Mercedes added the van offers “supernatural storage” and “flexibility for any ghost hunting job, regardless of the prevailing condition.”
While the Sprinter lacks the wow factor of the original ambulance, it’s the “only official engineered Ghostbuster vehicle next to the beloved 1984 Ecto-1.”
Putting that aside, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is slated to be released in the United States on March 22. It picks up where Ghostbusters: Afterlife left off and stars Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts as well as Paul Rudd, Mckenna Grace, and Finn Wolfhard. The movie was directed by Gil Kenan, who also helped to write the script alongside Jason and Ivan Reitman.
As for the Sprinter, Mercedes is trying to get the most out of their product placement. As a result, the company will be running a campaign that promotes both the movie and the van. Details are limited, but we can expect behind-the-scenes footage as well as social media tie-ins.
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The Sprinter starts at $49,900 and is available in cargo, crew, and passenger van configurations as well as a chassis cab variant. Mercedes also offers two wheelbases as well as a high-roof option.
The cargo van comes standard with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine developing 170 hp (127 kW / 172 PS) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque. It’s connected to a nine-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. Customers can also get a high-output variant with 211 hp (157 kW / 214 PS) and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm).