Fife Council has purchased a further 30 Volkswagen Crafter large vans, as part of its vehicle replacement programme.
Andrew Salmond, Fife Council’s Fleet Officer, cited the Crafter’s quality, towing ability and size as key factors in the decision to buy the vans, which will be used by the Council’s Parks and Countryside department as part of its ground maintenance fleet:
“The capacity and reliability of the vehicles was instrumental in the procurement process. We have a number of vehicles in use across the region and have always been pleased with the performance of the Crafter.”
The Crafter is the largest model in the Volkswagen van range, offering load volumes from 7.5 m3 to 17 m3, payloads from 1,544 kg to 2,693 kg, and efficient BlueMotion and BlueMotion Technology engines delivering combined fuel consumption of up to 39.8 mpg and a potential range of over 650 miles.
One of Kirkcaldy-based Fife Council’s requirements is that it is suitable for towing — presumably small plant trailers and the like. As a rear-wheel drive model (it’s based on the Sprinter platform), the Crafter should perform well as a towing vehicle, offering superior traction and stability when compared to front-wheel drive models.
Retail prices for the Crafter range start from £21,050 (plus VAT), or from £309 a month (plus VAT and initial rental) with the current contract hire and finance lease offer, including a £1,000 initial rental contribution from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Finance. The Crafter range includes panel and window vans, single or double chassis cabs, and tipper or dropside bodies.