Scotland’s leading business van hire specialist, TOM Vehicle Rental, has taken delivery of 100 new Mercedes-Benz Citan small vans.

Supplied by Dealer Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles Ayr, the latest additions to the TOM fleet are all 109 CDI models powered by high-torque 1.4-litre engines rated at 90 hp. Customers can choose between Long and Extra-long versions, according to their cargo-carrying requirements.

To enable its customers to benefit from improved fuel efficiency and a lower carbon footprint, TOM chose BlueEFFICIENCY specification for a significant proportion of the new Citans.

The Citan BlueEFFICIENCY offers an economy figure of 65.7 mpg, and CO2 emissions as low as 112 g/km, thanks to features including low rolling-resistance tyres, an optimised battery and alternator management system, and the ECO start/stop function, which automatically cuts the engine when the vehicle is stationary and restarts it as the driver prepares to move off.

TOM Group Operations Director James Rafferty says:

“As a rental operator we want vehicles which are reliable and cost-effective over their whole life. The Citan offers a class-leading warranty which will protect our maintenance position and ensure that we are covered for the working life of the vehicle.

“Equally important, the Citan is also extremely fuel-efficient, which makes it a highly attractive proposition for customers – these new vans are already proving very popular, with many having been snapped up for long-term contracts by established customers.”

TOM was founded in Airdrie some 20 years ago, and still has headquarters in the town. The firm only hires vehicles to business users and now has a fleet of more than 6,000 vehicles, the vast majority of them vans.

A market leader in Scotland, TOM last year opened a depot in Trafford Park, Manchester, and continues to march southwards, recently picking up business as far away as London.

The Mercedes-Benz Citan is the manufacturer’s first small van and has a volume carrying capacity of up to 3.8 m³, with a maximum payload potential of 735 kg. Citan panel vans are also available in Compact length, while the Citan Traveliner is based on the Long wheelbase and has a folding rear bench seat, allowing it to carry the driver and up to four passengers. The Citan Dualiner has the same seating configuration but, because it is based on the Extra-long format, also offers a practical cargo space.