Renault has updated its Master large van range with improved fuel consumption, reduced emissions and uprated towing capacity.

The current version of the Renault Master was launched two years ago. Although it’s not a huge seller in the UK, it has a 15% share of the large van segment across Europe, making it an important model for Renault.

Given that, it’s not surprising that an updated version is about to hit showrooms.

Save money, save the planet

All Masters come with the same 2.3dCi engine, which is available in three different power outputs(100hp, 125hp and 150hp).

Renault has left these unchanged but has managed to improve fuel consumption by up to 3.8mpg, depending on your choice of model. CO2 emissions are also down and now start at 194g/km, offering an average saving of 16g/km across the range.

To achieve these savings, Renault’s engineers focused on the following areas:

• Thermal management: an improved water circuit for even faster starting;
• New oil and power steering pumps;
• Low fuel-consumption tyres;
• New gearbox lubricant.

Musical upgrades

The changes extend inside the cab, too. A selection of new, easier to use and better-equipped radios are now available and bluetooth and USB connectivity are now standard features across the range. The flagship Sport version comes with a CD player and MP3 playback, as well as a separate display.

Riding on air

Lorry enthusiasts of a certain age will remember when air suspension in lorries was new and impressive enough to be worth boasting about.

That time now seems to have arrived for vans, which are increasingly being offered with air suspension to improve full-load stability and to make loading and unloading easier on uneven surfaces.

Air suspension was previously only available on rear-wheel drive Masters but is now also available on most front-wheel drive models as a £2,000+VAT option. Although it might seem overkill for many van applications, air suspension does offer several benefits:

• Maintain a constant ride-height irrespective of load;
• Correct differences behind the left- and right-hand sides of the vehicle (e.g. uneven/asymmetrical loads);
• Permit the vehicle’s ground clearance or rear clearance angle to be raised temporarily;
• Drop the rear suspension to achieve a lower rear sill height (450mm);
• Manually adjust the deck height at the rear by +70mm or -60mm.

Upgraded towing capacity

The final upgrade to the Master is the option of an uprated towing capacity on rear-wheel drive chassis cab models. The These can now be specified with a 3.5t towing capacity, providing a 7 tonne train weight. Previously the maximum towing capacity was 3t, giving a 6.5t train weight.