Author Archives: Van Rental

Nissan launches UK-only D-Max Fury

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Isuzu D-Max FuryIsuzu UK will expand its pick-up range during the second half of 2015 with the addition of the D-Max Fury, a UK-exclusive model.

The new Fury is not a vehicle for shy or retiring drivers. According to Isuzu, it boasts a number of unique style enhancements and technology upgrades.

Based on the Eiger double-cab model, prices for the Fury special edition start from just £19,999 (CVOTR), representing a saving of around £2000 compared to buying the accessories separately. Fury is available with either manual or auto transmission.

The attention-grabbing style of the D-Max Fury starts with its unique Magma Red metallic paint finish, while bold 17-inch, five-spoke grey alloy wheels shod with 255/65 R17 Pirelli Scorpion tyres emphasise the pick-up’s powerful road presence.

The exterior upgrades continue with a dark grey metallic finish to the front grille – complete with a fiery red Isuzu logo at its centre – and Cosmic black door and tailgate handles, and black rear bumper, as well as gun metal grey heavy-duty side steps.

Inside, the sporting nature of the Fury is made clear with unique red stitching to key contact points such as the steering wheel and gear knob and the provision of dedicated Fury carpet mats. Customers will also have the option to upgrade the interior upholstery to Limited Edition Black and Red Fury leather.

Isuzu D-Max Fury interior

The, er, bold interior of the D-Max Fury may not suit all tastes…

Fury also features a rear camera to aid easier parking and manoeuvring out of tight spots. With the vehicle in ‘reverse’, the image behind is cleverly displayed in the rear view mirror inside the cabin.

At the heart of the Fury remains the powerful-yet-efficient 2.5-litre twin-turbo diesel engine, producing 163 PS and 400 Nm of torque. Isuzu’s robust diesel will return a highly impressive fuel economy of 38.7 mpg on a combined cycle. Owners of the new Fury will also benefit from a heavyweight towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes (braked trailer) and 1,072 (manual) 1,067 (auto) tonne payload.

William Brown, General Manager at Isuzu UK, said:

“We are confident the Fury will further widen the appeal of the D-Max which already has one of the widest choices of model of any pickup in the UK. The Fury has been designed for those seeking an affordable pick-up with stand-out appeal. It’s certainly a head-turner and, alongside the Blade and rest of the D-Max range, will meet the growing demand for a stylish vehicle which can be used for both work and recreation.”

Fury will go on sale from September priced at £19,999 (CVOTR) for the six-speed manual and £20,999 (CVOTR) for the 5-speed auto. Like all new Isuzu models sold in the UK, the D-Max Fury will come with the company’s pioneering five-year / 125,000 mile warranty.

Vauxhall updates Vivaro and Movano vans with Euro 6 diesels

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2016 Vauxhall Vivaro Combi

The 2016 Vauxhall Vivaro Combi

Vauxhall will update the Movano large van and the popular, Luton-built Vivaro with Euro 6 diesel engines for the 2016 model year, which is now available to order.

However, the updated engines will only be available for passenger-carrying models at this point, meaning that for the time being, the vans will only be available with Euro 5 engines.

I’d expect this to change in the fairly near future, however, ahead of the September 2016 deadline for all light commercial vehicles to be supplied with Euro 6 engines.

In the meantime, here’s what buyers of the Vivaro Combi, Movano Combi and Movano minibus can look forward to:

  • Vivaro Combi: New 1.6CDTi 125PS Bi-Turbo engine offering 320Nm of torque, boasting combined cycle fuel consumption of 49.6mpg and164g/km of CO2.
  • Movano Combi & Minibus: New 2.3-litre BiTurbo diesel engines with a choice of 145PS/360Nm and 170PS/380Nm. Interestingly, Vauxhall says that both offer combined cycle fuel consumption of 42.8mpg and 173g/km of CO2 emissions.

All the new engines have been made Euro 6-compliant with the addition of Vauxhall’s BlueInjection SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) system. This requires the vehicle to be fitted with an AdBlue tank and as such reduces payload slightly and adds a small extra running cost.

New van registrations stall in July

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After storming ahead during the first half of the year, new van registrations stalled in July, falling by 0.9% compared to the same period in 2014.

According to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), July’s flat results mean that van registrations have risen by 17% so far this year, compared to the first seven months of last year.

UK van and truck registrations: 2015 and % change on 2014

July % change Year-to-date % change Rolling year % change
Vans 24,546 -0.9% 210,950 17.0% 352,340 17.5%
Trucks 4,434 39.7% 27,545 40.5% 49,404 -2.6%
Total 28,980 3.7% 238,495 19.3% 401,744 14.6%

Data courtesy of SMMT (www.smmt.co.uk)

According to Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, July’s slowdown may be the result of an exceptional surge in July last year, when several new van models hit the showrooms:

“The commercial vehicle market’s record performance in the first half of the year has been followed by a more sedate July, underpinned by a slight fall in van registrations. This is not surprising given a particularly big uplift in the same month last year on the back of the launch of several new key models.

Demand is still at a very high level, with year-to-date van registrations up 17% as confident businesses continue to invest in their fleets and capitalise on the ongoing trend for home deliveries.”

Mr Hawes singled out the home delivery market as a growth area and the statistics seem to back this up. Registrations of vans in the 2.5-3.5t sector, which are the size used by couriers, rose by 16.2% to 15,599 in July, while registrations of smaller vans fell by up to 34% (2.0-2.5t).

The 2.5-3.5t sector has seen the biggest gains in 2015, with registrations rising by 21% to 122,431 vans during the first seven months of the year.

To finish on a positive note, let’s have a look at this graph, which shows that total CV registrations so far this year are well ahead of the average levels seen before the financial crisis, between 2003 and 2008:

CV reg 7mo to July 2003-2015

CV registrations for the 7 months to July for 2013-2015 and 2003-2008 (courtesy of SMMT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This reassuring graph suggests to me that van buyers are both more confident and perhaps making up for deferred fleet renewals of previous years.

As the second half of the year unfolds, we should get an idea of how sustainable this increased level of demand is. Are businesses really expanding?

Solihull Council powers up Nissan electric van for 2p per mile

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Solihull Council Nissan e-NV200 CombiFancy running a van for 2p per mile and saving an average of £300 per year on running costs?

That’s what Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is expecting to do as a result of swapping a standard diesel van for a new Nissan e-NV200 Combi electric van.

According to Nissan, total cost of ownership is expected to be £1,200 lower than a comparable diesel vehicle over a four year ownership period.

The Combi model was chosen to balance seating capacity with load capacity, and Solihull Council’s first electric vehicle will be used by its Neighbourhood Services team to co-ordinate community projects such as park improvements and sport facilities such as skate parks.

As with so many vans, this e-NV200 won’t stray that far from its base — ever — so the official 106 mile range should be more than adequate.

The council is happy so far and will consider more electric vehicles, according to Councillor Tony Dicicco, who is Cabinet Member for Environment, Housing and Regeneration:

“The e-NV200 has shown us just how electric vehicles can work for us.

“From our perspective, the technology has come so far that every time a department has a need for a new vehicle or a lease comes up for renewal we’ll be looking to see if there’s a viable electric option.”

Launched last year, the Nissan e-NV200 combines the NV200 – a former International Van of the Year – with the proven technology of the record breaking Nissan LEAF – the world’s bestselling electric car.

The e-NV200 is available in panel van form with a 700kg payload, or as a five or seven-seat Combi crew cab model. Prices start from £13,568 in panel van form (including the government plug-in grant).

Europcar opens new van hire branch in Bristol

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Europcar Bristol South branchEuropcar has opened a new car and van hire branch in south Bristol, just five minutes’ walk from Bristol Temple Meads railway station.

The new Europcar Bristol South branch provides an ideal location for customers to get on the road quickly and cost-effectively, open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.

The opening of the branch will initially create roles in customer service, fleet management and driver representatives, and will be the 6th Europcar rental location in Bristol.

“Bristol is a thriving business centre, as well as a great starting point for holidaymakers heading to Wales and the South West”, said Ken McCall, Managing Director, Europcar UK Group.  “It therefore made sense for us to expand our branch network to include a location in the South of Bristol”.

“With free drop-off and collection, Europcar customers can step off the train at Bristol South and get straight into their hire vehicle, with the minimum of delays. This new branch is another example of our focus on keeping our customers on the move, with greater vehicle choice and more locations than ever.”

Europcar’s new Bristol South branch is located at:

Remember, you can find details of all Europcar van hire branches on our website here.

SAVE 20% on Hertz Van Rental in August [EXPIRED]

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Hertz van supersiteSave 20% on on UK Van Hire this August with Hertz!

The school holidays can be an expensive time of year.

This great new offer from Hertz Van Rental will help you cut the cost of van hire during August.

** THIS OFFER HAS NOW EXPIRED **

Here are the details you need:

  • Offer: Save 20% on UK Van Hire this August with Hertz
  • Valid from: 1 August 2015
  • Expires: 31 August 2015
  • DISCOUNT CODE: 809590

To visit the Hertz website and get started, click here:

 

Terms & conditions may apply: see Hertz website for details.

RAC goes automatic with first UK spec new Vito

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RAC Mercedes VitoThe RAC has just taken delivery of the first right-hand drive Mercedes-Benz New Vito to roll off the German marque’s production line.

The van, which bears the private registration plate P1 RAC, will be used by RAC Patrol Ben Wilson, who has just been crowned as the RAC’s Patrol Ambassador of the Year.

Vitos have been a fixture in the RAC fleet since 2005, and the organisation remains a fan of the model. One reason for this is that it is available with rear-wheel drive, which is unusual in this size of van.

The RAC prefers rear-wheel drive as it provides superior traction for towing, using the fold-down towing trailer fitted as standard to RAC patrol vans. The Vito’s compact size makes it well suited to urban use, where the van can safely access multi-storey car parks when the light bar is folded down.

Interestingly, although AA vans use a similar fold-down towing frame, the AA doesn’t seem to have the same preference for rear-wheel drive: it has just taken delivery of 500 new front-wheel drive VW Transporter vans for its fleet.

RAC Vito towing car

Rear-wheel drive provides superior traction when towing, especially in the wet or when going uphill

Getting back to the RAC’s new Vito, a fairly high level of specification has been chosen.  The van is a 116 CDi long wheelbase, 3.2t model, powered by a 163 hp Euro 6 BlueTEC engine. Power is transmitted to the wheels via Mercedes’ optional 7G-Tronic Plus automatic gearbox. This is unique in the van sector for being a (traditional) torque converter automatic with seven gears and is an interesting choice, for the RAC.

The vehicle carries the RAC’s distinctive orange livery, and has been racked out by Bri-Stor systems to carry a full inventory of 500 tools and parts that each RAC patrol carries, as well as fuel and a special folding trailer for cars that require towing.

The RAC is currently in talks to acquire a further 42 New Vitos, all of which will be equipped with automatic transmissions.

Michelin CrossClimate all-season tyre wins landmark 13,000 van fleet deal

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British Gas van with Michelin CrossClimate all-season tyreI’m a huge fan of all-season tyres. For the majority of UK motorists, switching between summer and winter tyres twice a year just isn’t worthwhile.

Despite this, the traffic chaos that results from even the tiniest amount of snow proves that as a nation, we do have a traction problem when frozen water is involved.

I have all-season tyres fitted to both the vehicles in my household (one van and one car) and they’ve proved their worth more than once in winter conditions, providing grip while cars with summer tyres were visibly sliding around.

I’m certain they prevented at least one crash last winter. At the same time, they perform well in summer.

However, for reasons I cannot understand, all-season tyres are not widely available in the UK. Mainstream tyre retailers like Kwik-Fit only seem to offer summer and winter tyres. I think it’s a marketing thing — I was once told by a Goodyear PR person that they were not interested in selling their all-season tyres in the UK. (I buy mine through mytyres.co.uk, which is a German company shipping to fitting centres in the UK. All-season tyres are widely sold in Europe.)

Luckily, this short-sighted approach is starting to change. Earlier this year, Michelin launched the CrossClimate, a new type of all-season tyre that has received rave reviews and proved to be the equal of both winter and summer tyres in the highly-regarded German TUV and DEKRA tests.

The main difference between the CrossClimate and other all-season tyres is said to be that the CrossClimate is a summer tyre adapated to work in winter, whereas most all-season tyres are winter tyres adapted to work in summer. This means they often work less well in summer than in winter. My experience chimes with this, although the difference is slight, in my view.

However, perhaps the biggest difference is that Michelin has got its act together and is actively marketing the CrossClimate in the UK, to both fleet and retailer buyers.

Michelin’s latest big win is a deal to fit the CrossClimate to 13,000 British Gas vans. The tyres will be fitted as original equipment where possible and aftermarket needs will be taken care of by ATS Euromaster, which has previously described the CrossClimate as a “true game-changer” for the UK fleet sector.

The CrossClimate tyre is currently available in 23 dimensions, covering 76% of all car and car-derived van tyres in sizes from 15 to 17 inches, with Michelin to launch additional sizes next year.

I assume this means that the CrossClimate will be fitted to British Gas’s VW Caddy and similar vans, but not to larger models like the Transit and VW Transporter, as these would require larger, commercial-rated tyres.

Like all good all-season tyres and winter tyres, the CrossClimate carries the Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake (3PMSF) approval symbol, which means it is approved for use in countries where winter tyre use is a legal requirement at certain times of year.

Michelin appears to have raised the bar in the all-season tyre market and almost single-handedly introduced this type of tyre to the UK market. This is good news for motorists, and it will be interesting now to see how other manufacturers respond.

All-new Mitsubishi L200 hits UK in September

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Mitsubishi L200 Series 5 front viewThe current Mitsubishi L200 has proved one of the most popular pick-up models in the UK since its launch in 2006, outselling all of its competitors.

The market doesn’t stand still, however, and the standard of competition has changed considerably since then, not least because all other pick-up models seem to have got larger.

Mitsubishi’s all-new L200 Series 5 will go on sale in the UK in September, with prices starting from £19,749 for the entry level double cab 4Life model and rising to a starting price of £23,799 for the range-topping Barbarian version.

The chassis and body have been updated to cut weight, increase space and improve interior comfort, although Mitsubishi’s distinctive ‘J’ curve body design will remain, helping to distinguish the L200 from its competitors.

Combined load bed capacity and towing capability will rise to 4,100kg, a best-in-class figure, although assuming the payload is 1,000kg, that leaves 3,100kg for towing capacity. That’s typical, rather than outstanding — although I haven’t confirmed this assumed breakdown of the 4,100kg figure with Mitsubishi.

Mitsubishi L200 series 5 rear view

There will initially be a single engine option, offering 178bhp and 430Nm of torque at 2,500 rpm, via a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.  At 10.4 seconds, the new L200 will be two seconds quicker to 62 mph than its predecessor.

For the legions of owners who only use their pick-ups on road, this could be an attractive proposition. Combined cycle fuel consumption of 42.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 169g/km are also a positive. As most L200s will be used on road, a 2-second improvement in the 0-62mph time, which drops to a respectable 10.4 seconds, will be welcome, as will the availability of lane departure warning, trailer stability assist, hill start assist and ABS with electronic brake force distribution.

Mitsubishi L200 Series 5 cab interior

The L200 is almost certain to be a success, although drivers who spend most of their time on small country roads may lament the fact that like all its peers, the new L200 is a little wider than the outgoing model…

Mercedes-Benz Citan wins alarm deal as Merc’s small van gamble pays off

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Alsecure Mercedes-Benz Citan vanManchester-based security specialist Alsecure Group Ltd has joined a growing list of companies who are switching to the Mercedes-Benz Citan, justifying Merc’s decision to add a small van to its range.

Alsecure had previously avoided the German marque because of its lack of small van models, but the availability of the Citan has changed the picture and Alsecure recently replaced three older vehicles with new Citans.

The firm’s three new vans are all Citan 109 CDI crew vans. Supplied by local Dealer Roanza, they have replaced the people-carrier cars used previously by engineers who fit and maintain alarm and CCTV systems, and the like, for Alsecure’s electronics division.

“For a long time Mercedes-Benz vans were too big for our purposes,” recalled Managing Director Rob Barry. “But following the launch of the Citan small van a couple of years ago, the manufacturer now offers a vehicle which is much better suited to our application.”

Alsecure’s Citan crew vans are fitted with second rows of seats so each can carry a driver and up to four passengers, while their Extra-long body length means they also retain a useful load area.

The operator additionally specified its Citans with optional Driver’s Packs, which include electric folding door mirrors, centre armrests with stowage compartments, air-conditioning and Parktronic proximity sensors.

“We had a close look at the Citan, and Roanza let us try one out to see how it worked in our operation,” continued Mr Barry. “The crew van configuration is ideal for our operation, as we often have to carry teams of engineers as well as their tools and equipment.

“The fuel economy of the demonstrator was excellent too, while at every 24,000 miles the Citan’s service intervals are much longer than those of the vehicles we stood down. These factors, coupled with the reliability for which Mercedes-Benz is renowned, mean we’re looking forward to a significant reduction in overall running costs.”

The Citans will be serviced and maintained in Roanza’s Manchester workshop, which is open round-the-clock from 6am on Mondays to 7pm on Saturdays, as well as from 7am-7pm on Sundays.

“The fact that we can drop a vehicle off at the end of our working day and pick it up again next morning ready to go, is a huge benefit,” added Mr Barry.

Alsecure was established in 1968 and provides a wide range of guarding, key-holding and alarm response services, alongside electronic security measures, to customers across the UK.