- A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter stars as Ecto-Z in the new movie Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, out March 22.
- The Ecto-Z is the van version of the iconic Ecto-1 (a.k.a. Ectomobile) that was originally a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance.
- While the black-painted Sprinter isn’t nearly as cool as the Caddy, it does feature a neat rear pull-out rack that holds a load of Proton packs and other gear.
The Ghostbusters franchise is known for three things: ghosts, the team that busts the ghosts, and the Ectomobile the ghostbusters drive to chase the ghosts. Also known as the Ecto-1, one of the most iconic movie cars of all time was originally a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance before it became the ride that Dr. Peter Venkman, Egon Spengler, Ray Stantz, and Winston Zeddemore used to pursue paranormal pests. With the latest installment, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, set to hit theaters on March 22, the film adds a new mechanical character: a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van called the Ecto-Z (named after Zeddemore).
For anyone who’s worried that the new film’s protagonists have abandoned the cool Caddy for the #vanlife, fear not, as the trailer for Frozen Empire reveals that the Ecto-1 still has a starring role. There are several scenes of it racing through New York streets, its blue rooftop lights flashing and triggering memories of its unmistakable siren sounds. Meanwhile, the Mercedes model isn’t as memorable, but we’re not gonna hate on product placement when it’s two things we enjoy—Ghostbusters movies and German-engineered cargo vans.
Despite not having the fins, or the mini side ladder, or the red-and-white color scheme, the Sprinter Ecto-Z is distinctive thanks to the large Ghostbusters logos that appear on the sides and split rear doors. It doesn’t appear to have any sirens, but it’ll definitely ensure that everyone knows who has just been called when it arrives. The van also has a black paint job with matching steel wheels. Our favorite part? Swing open the rear doors, and out slides a rack that’s loaded up with Proton packs, ghost traps, and muon scrubbers.
Mercedes doesn’t say what’s under the hood, but it should be a diesel four-cylinder with one or two turbochargers. The latter setup is featured on the Sprinter’s high-output engine, which summons 211 horsepower and 322 pound-feet of torque and can be paired with all-wheel drive. Should the ghostbusters’ backsides get cold in the “frozen empire,” the good news is that the seats are heated.
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.