Toyota has released details of a new medium panel van, the ProAce. This will provide a replacement for the discontinued Hiace model.
As I reported in July, the ProAce will be a rebadged PSA Peugeot Citroën. Toyota will use a rebadged Peugeot Expert / Citroën Dispatch as the basis for the ProAce, which will go on sale in the UK in Spring 2013.
According to Toyota, the ProAce will feature bespoke Toyota design details and branding. It will be available in two lengths and heights, giving load capacities of 5m3. 6m3 or 7m3, according to the configuration chosen. This should make it competitive in the medium van market, which will soon become tougher than ever, with the introduction of the new Transit Custom.
Payloads up to 1,200kg can be carried and ProAce will be able to tow up to two tonnes. ProAce can also be specified as a panel van, glass van or crew cab.
To achieve the best usability and capability, two sliding side doors can be specified, and customers can choose between a top-hinged tailgate and dual side-hinged rear doors that open to 270 degrees.
The ProAce will be available with a range of efficient, Euro 5-compliant diesel engines. The 89bhp 1.6-litre engine produces 180Nm of torque and is matched to a five-speed manual transmission. Two 2.0-litre diesel units are offered, with outputs of 126 and 161bhp and peak torque figures of 320 and 340Nm respectively. Both of these engines come with a six-speed manual transmission.
These sound like the standard engines fitted to the Peugeot and Citroën versions of the van, so I assume Toyota will be using the PSA engines to avoid having to find a Euro 5 engine of its own that fits — common sense, really.
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