Author Archives: Van Rental

Renault opens new van production line and confirms will build Fiat ‘Trafic’

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Renault Trafic

The all-new Renault Trafic will be manufactured at Renault’s Sandouville plant, in Normandy, northern France.

Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn and France’s Minister for the Economy, Industry and Digital Sector, Emmanuel Macron, came together at Renault’s Sandouville plant in Normandy to inaugurate the company’s new production line, which will manufacture the new Trafic van.

Mr Ghosn also took the opportunity to confirm that, as expected, Renault will build a new van for Fiat from the second quarter of 2016, based on the new Trafic platform. The firm didn’t say whether it will simply be a rebadged Trafic or a re-worked model — with, say, Fiat engines.

Today was significant for Renault and the workers at the Sandouville plant, as it will be the first time this plant has ever produced light commercial vehicles.It will continue to produce the outgoing Laguna and Espace models in addition to the new Trafic until these cars are replaced.

Renault says that €230m of investment has been needed to prepare the plant and its staff for the new Trafic, but today’s opening means that Renault now produces all of its Europe-bound LCVs in France — a notable achievement, albeit one backed by a 2013 deal with the French government, called the ‘Contract for a new dynamic of Renault growth and social development in France’.

Renault is a major player in the European LCV market, holding a 14.5% share of the market at the end of 2013. At end-August 2014, global sales of Renault’s LCVs had increased by a further 5.7% — or 8% if all Group LCVs are taken into account.

The new Trafic is the sister model to the new Vauxhall Vivaro, which will be built at Vauxhall’s Luton plant, like the outgoing model — pretty much single-handedly propping up British LCV manufacturing in the process.

Supermarket service specialist chooses full basket of Mercedes vans

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Montgomery Refrigeration Mercedes-Benz CitanThe arrival of the first Mercedes-Benz small van offering last year meant that Sprinter and Vito loyalists could — for the first time — satisfy their small van needs without being unfaithful to the three-pointed star.

This is a story that’s since played out in a number of fleets, including Belfast-based Montgomery Refrigeration, which specialises in providing installation and maintenance services for supermarkets.

The firm has operated Vito and Sprinter vans for many years, but had been forced to look elsewhere for its smaller vans.

However, Montgomery has now purchased 18 long-wheelbase Citan 109CDIs, to add to its fleet, meaning that the vast majority of the company’s 85-vehicle fleet now wear the Mercedes badge.

As  Michael Montgomery, the company’s Managing Director, explains, this offers a number of practical benefits:

“Our vans carry spare parts, tools and equipment but we need different sized vehicles for varying functions. Mercedes-Benz has always been our first choice as its vans are solid and dependable, well-liked by our engineers, and economical to operate. We’ve also been very well looked after by the dealer over the years.

“The introduction of the smaller Citan was a very welcome development – it means we can now source all our vans from a single supplier in which we have complete trust, and makes our lives easier because we now have a single point of contact for all our fleet requirements.”

The Renault Kangoo-based Citan has been well received by small and mid-sized fleet operators, and Montgomery isn’t the first company that’s bought the van on the strength of the performance of its larger siblings, as I’ve reported before.

vanrental.co.uk EXCLUSIVE: SAVE 10% On Hertz Van Rental [EXPIRED]

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Save 10% on Hertz Van RentalIf you missed out on the Hertz 33% Van Rental Sale last week, then don’t worry.

We’ve teamed up with Hertz to provide vanrental.co.uk visitors with an exclusive 10% van rental discount code this week, valid for bookings until 26 October 2014.

Here are the details:

THIS OFFER HAS NOW EXPIRED

Offer: “EXCLUSIVE : 10% Off Hertz Van Rental and collect Nectar points…”

Valid from: 29 September 2014

Expires: 5 October 2014

Pick up period: 29 September 2014 to 26 October 2014

Discount Code: 778650

 

 

 

 

 

New Fiat Doblò Cargo unveiled at IAA Show

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Fiat Professional branding

Fiat Professional badging will now be used on all Fiat commercial vehicles.

Fiat will launch an updated version of its Doblò Cargo small van for the 2015 model year.

The new version of the Doblò Cargo has been debuted at this week’s IAA show in Hanover. Changes focus on an updated exterior design and improved fuel efficiency and running costs, according to the firm.

The new model will have updated versions of the popular 1.3-litre and 1.6-litre MultiJet engines, both of which will also be available in a new EcoJet version of the Doblò.

The EcoJet specification will focus on delivering maximum fuel efficiency through the addition of features such as Start&Stop; low rolling-resistance tyres; low-viscosity oil; an ‘intelligent’ alternator; a variable-displacement oil pump and a new aerodynamic pack.

As a result, Fiat expects the EcoJet models to deliver fuel economy of up to 64mpg, with CO2 emissions as low as 115g/km.

Externally, the front end of the van has been updated to reflect the changes seen on the latest Ducato models, while the Doblò will also be the first Fiat model to bear the Fiat Professional badging, which will now be used on all Fiat commercial models.

2015MY Fiat Doblo Cargo

The new 2015 Fiat Doblo Cargo

Finally, like most other manufacturers, Fiat has an ever-expanding arsenal of electronic safety systems derived from traction control: the Doblò will now be available with ESC (Electronic Stability Control), ABS brakes with EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution), ASR (Anti Slip Regulation), HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assist) and Hill-Holder systems that help the driver during hill starts.

Front airbags and front side airbags, as well as TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) are also part of the Doblò’s safety arsenal.

The new Doblò Cargo will have a payload of up to one tonne and will be available with up to five cubic metres of loadspace. First UK deliveries are expected in Spring 2015.

University of Birmingham takes delivery of Nissan e-NV200 electric van

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University of Birmingham Nissan e-NV200 electric vanThe University of Birmingham – one of the first fleet operators in the UK to place an order for the trailblazing Nissan e-NV200 all-electric van – has taken delivery of the vehicle.

The e-NV200 Acenta is now in service as a postal vehicle delivering mail across the world-renowned university’s impressive and historic Edgbaston campus.

The revolutionary model – which can cover 106-miles on a single charge and costs just two pence per mile to run – joins a 98-strong fleet believed to be one of the most sustainable in the country.

Offering true zero-emissions mobility it will contribute to the university’s strict carbon management plan and help it qualify for additional funding from the Higher Education Funding Council.

Monica Guise, University of Birmingham’s Post, Portering and Transport Manager, said:

“We had been eagerly awaiting the launch of the e-NV200  for about two years and so we were delighted to be the first to place an order and one of the first to take delivery.

We began trialling electric vehicles six years ago and it’s fair to say we’ve had good and bad experiences in that time.

But we were really excited by the arrival of the e-NV200 for a long time as we knew as it had been built from the ground-up to function as a van should. We’ve been really impressed by its performance, versatility and handling.”

As I’ve suggested before, one of the ways to encourage organisations to take-up new technology is to make sure it pays — and this is clearly a motivator for the University, as Monica Guise explains:

The van will only cover about 4,000 miles per year, doing 25-35 miles per day, so we only need to charge it a couple of times a week. But in terms of the emissions, the e-NV200 will help us deliver on our environmental commitments and will play a big role us meeting the carbon targets that trigger additional central funding.

Anything we can do to reduce the CO2 emissions from within our fleet directly impacts on our funding from government. That’s one of the reasons we’re aiming to have 40% of our fleet fully electric by 2020.”

Interestingly, the van is not being purchased direct from Nissan but is being leased through Lex Autolease, which is a significant step into the mainstream for electric vans, in my view, as Ms Guise explains:

“All of a sudden we’re in the position where fleet managers don’t have to manage the financial risk that comes with new technology – that’s a massive shift.”

Based on the Nissan NV200 – International Van of the Year 2010 – and utilising the proven technology of the record breaking Nissan LEAF, the new e-NV200 offers a class-leading 4.2m3 capacity and 703kg payload  and is priced from £13,393 in panel van form (incorporating PiVG).

In addition to low running costs and emissions, users will also benefit from low maintenance costs that make for unrivalled total cost of ownership – £1,200 lower than a conventional diesel van over four years – and an unbeatable proposition for businesses large and small.

Van’s you can’s usually hire: cut down coal truck hits spot for CPL

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CPL Distribution Isuzu coal truckThis one’s a small truck, really, but I thought it was worth a mention as it’s only the size of a large van, and is a little different to standard small dropside trucks, thanks to its shortened wheelbase and specially designed high-sided body.

Coal is heavy stuff, so CPL’s choice of a 5,020kg GVW Isuzu truck for kerbside deliveries made sense, even though the vehicle is shorter than a large van. Mandy Gill, transport manager at CPL Distribution Ltd explains more:

“As we had a specific requirement for this particular vehicle in South Wales, we worked extremely closely with Isuzu Truck on the final specification to achieve the right choice of vehicle that would enable us to carry the maximum payload on the most manoeuvrable and versatile chassis currently available.”

Featuring a split drop-side body, specifically designed for kerbside deliveries, the Isuzu N50.150 4×2 rigid is currently working in south Wales. It handles a range of delivery operations including daily house-to-house residential drops in rural areas, as well as deliveries to the company’s commercial customers locally.

The wheelbase of this Isuzu N50.150 day cab rigid was shortened from 3395mm to 2480mm,  and both of the axles uprated. A split dropside body was also specified and features pull-out steps on both sides of the truck as well as at the rear. This allows the drivers to gain easier access to, and helps the unloading of, the bagged coal when delivering to customers.

“By having a high-sided body, this enables the open coal sacks to be safely contained within the truck body itself,” commented Mandy Gill. “Whereas on previous flat bed trucks, the open coal sacks would normally have had to be strapped in, as well as netted over.”

True, although the coal merchants in the rural area where I live don’t bother with either, using carefully loaded bags on a flat bed with no load restraints… Health and safety, eh?

Based out of the CPL Distribution depot in Onllwyn, close to Neath Port Talbot, this new Isuzu will have a five-year working life there, predominantly working locally and will travel up to 40,000 kms per annum.

Commercial vehicle production falls 43.5% in August as retooling hits output

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Commercial vehicle production has been falling steadily in the UK all year, as we’ve pointed out before, but August’s 43.5% fall (compared to August 2013) was substantially larger than the 20% or so we’ve seen in previous months, thanks to the impact of additional factory shutdowns for retooling activity, according the latest production report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

“UK commercial vehicle production fell 43.5% in August – traditionally the year’s quietest month – as some plants took additional shutdown to retool for new models,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive. “We expect the recent decline to level off in the next few months as newly introduced models reach full production and the rising demand across the EU takes hold.”

Here’s a full overview of UK CV production in August:

CV manufacturing Aug-13 Aug-14 % Change YTD-13 YTD-14 % Change
Total 3,772 2,130 -43.5% 60,890 45,928 -24.6%
Home 1,416 1,229 -13.2% 27,783 21,952 -21.0%
Export 2,356 901 -61.8% 33,107 23,976 -27.6%
% export 62.5% 42.3% 54.4% 52.2%

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

Does August’s jumbo fall mean that production will finally start to rebound from September? The ramp-up of production of the new Vauxhall Vivaro model (at Luton) should help, but it’s hard to imagine production rising to 2013 levels, let alone those seen as recently as 2012 — as these graphs show:

SMMT CV manufacturing August 2014

UK CV output August 2014 (courtesy of SMMT)

 

Great Wall announces updated Steed with focus on quality

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The 2015 Great Wall Steed

The 2015 Great Wall Steed

China’s Great Wall is one of the world’s largest automotive companies, but is almost unknown in Western Europe.

However, as I wouldn’t bet on that situation staying this way: as with Korean and Japanese manufacturers in the past, I’m confident the Chinese will soon get the measure of western automotive markets.

In Great Wall’s case, the company launched its Steed pick-up in the UK in 2012, trading on its price — it was (and remains) by far the cheapest full-size pick-up on the market, with on-the-road prices starting from just £14,998 for the 2015 model year.

The original model was well specified in a cheap and cheerful way — reminiscent of early Kia models — but next year’s update looks set to raise the bar.

The Steed’s looks have been subtly updated, and the firm says that the 2015 Steed will be built in a newer factory, which boasts high levels of automation and should deliver ‘improved quality levels throughout the vehicle’, according to the firm.

Specification wise, the Steed remains impressive. Standard spec includes alloy wheels, full leather, air conditioning, full electrics and heated seats, parking sensors and much more — plus the firm’s impressive six-year, 125,000 mile warranty.

Although the Steed has a healthy 2.5 tonne braked towing capacity, the only power plant is a 139hp, 2.0-litre engine, so performance is unlikely to be sparkling, and fuel economy isn’t exceptional either, with the company claiming 32.8mpg for the combined cycle. Other improvements that most European buyers will take for granted are a switch to rear disc brakes, instead of drums, and

Nissan showcases updated NV400, Navara & e-NV200 concept

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Nissan NV400 XLWB RWD model

The new Nissan NV400 in extra-long, rear-wheel drive guise.

Nissan has released detailed of updates to its commercial vehicle range at the IAA Hannover show this week.

NV400 large van

The Nissan NV400 is, of course, a rebdaged Renault Master, and the NV400 has now been updated in-line with the new Renault Master model, deliveries of which are due to start this month.

Among the changes are Renault’s new twin-turbo engines, which are designed to provide more power, better torque at low revs and improved fuel efficiency.

A pair of single turbo units produce 110hp/285Nm (previously 100hp) and 125hp/310Nm and these are joined by the newly developed Twin Turbo units, developing 135hp/340Nm and 165hp/360Nm.

Also available is a 150hp/350Nm version of the engine that has a variable geometry single turbo and is available only with a robotised semi-automatic gearbox.

It is estimated that the new 165hp NV400 will consume up to 1.5 litres/100km less than its 150hp predecessor, a significant saving of up to €1,500 over three years.

Other new features include Extended Grip, the electronic limited slip differential system which can be used to provide improved traction on mud and snow, along with Hill Start Assist, Trailer Sway Control and the new Wide View Mirror, which is essentially a blind spot mirror fitted on the passenger side sun visor.

Nissan NavaraNavara pick-up

The Navara now gets 17-inch alloy wheels and Vehicle Dynamic Control, while two new metallic body colours — bronze and grey — have been introduced.

Trim quality has been improved on SE and LE models, and buyers can now opt for a 144hp version of the SE spec; a lower-powered engine previously only offered on the fleet-spec XE model.

The other two engine options are a 190hp version of the dCi engine, while the top of the range LE models – accounting for around 10 per cent of all Navara sales – are also available with the smooth and potent 231hp 3.0L V6 diesel which is coupled to Nissan’s advanced seven-speed automatic gearbox.

e-NV200 luxury MPV concept

Nissan e-NV200 VIP concept

The Nissan e-NV200 VIP concept MPV

I’ve made no secret of my admiration for the way in which Nissan has trialled and launched its all-electric e-NV200 van, nor for the potential it has to be a genuine game changer: according to Nissan, in Europe, almost a third of van users never drive more than 120kms in a business day.

This means that at least 200,000 diesel vans each year could be replaced with a zero emission electric van, which could be charged once a day at home or at the base.

Nissan is continuing to press home the potential advantages of this model, this time with a luxury MPV concept vehicle aimed at urban VIP transport — a perfect application for electric vehicles.

The high-spec concept model is an upgraded version of Nissan’s e-NV200 Evalia people carrier, and comes in a two-tone metallic paint job, white leather seats and ‘limousine-like space’, according to Nissan.

The cabin contains two luxury rear seats with armrests and leg rests, and the cabin houses a 21.5″ screen which can be connected to passengers’ digital devices, along with LED lighting and individual reading lamps, a drinks fridge, plus ample luggage space.

The vehicle’s driver also benefits from a rear-view display, powered by a high-definition camera at the rear of the vehicle, which neatly addresses the impracticality of having a traditional rear-view mirror in a van-derived model that’s likely to have a privacy bulkhead when used for VIP transport.

Volkswagen Tristar concept hints at next-gen Transporter T6

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Volkswagen has unveiled a new concept van, named the Tristar, at the IAA commercial vehicle show in Hanover. The Tristar is significant because Volkswagen says it provides a pointer as to how the T6 — the next generation of VW’s best-selling Transporter van — will be designed.

Volkswagen Tristar concept

The Volkswagen Tristar concept provides clues as to the likely design of the next-generation T6 Transporter, according to the German firm.

The Tristar concept has been inspired by the Transporter Synchro, the four-wheel drive version of the Transporter which celebrates its 30th birthday this year. There is no Transporter Synchro model any more — and while 4Motion all-wheel drive is available on T5 Transporters, the raised suspension and rugged design of the old Synchro models is no longer an option.

Cab of Volkswagen Tristar T6 concept

Inside the cab is thoroughly VW — and very nice

The Tristar concept has been engineered as a beefy pick-up with an extended cab, short wheelbase has permanent four-wheel drive with mechanical rear axle differential lock and 30mm additional ground clearance.

Volkswagen Tristar T6 concept

Volkswagen says that the vans designers have developed a high-precision, new and yet familiar design language: the sharp wrap-around lines, LED headlights and a changed architecture of the whole front give the concept vehicle a wide and purposeful appearance. In other words, it looks like an updated and more modern version of the current Transporter.

If the Tristar is anything to go on, the T6 will be an evolution of the current T5, not a revolution — although that’s no bad thing, as the T5 remains one of the most desirable and modern vans in its class.

Indeed, Volkswagen says that firm’s Hanover plant, where most Transporters are built, has reached capacity and is working an extra night shift to meet demand — with Transporter order books now full until ‘well into the first quarter of 2015’.