Category Archives: Van News

News and articles about UK vans – especially information relevant to the van hire market. Coverage of new van model launches from all the major manufacturers – Ford, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Fiat and Citroen.

Did Doris Day winds make driving tough? Ford has the answer

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“The road is closed to high-sided vehicles” is a common traffic news comment in stormy weather. High winds can make it unsafe to drive on exposed roads. And while even the biggest of vans are not true high siders, they can be severely buffeted around when empty.

The answer appears to lie in the electronic stability control systems that are now fitted as standard to most modern vehicles. It’s commonly thought of as traction control but is actually able to do much more, using a clever combination of sensors and brake control.

For example, Ford now fits its Side Wind Stabilisation system to all new Transit and Transit Custom vans. At vehicle speeds of more than 50mph, the Side Wind Stabilisation system monitors stability sensors 100 times per second. If a sudden gust is detected, the system will apply the brakes on one side of the vehicle in order to counter the effect of the wind.

You can see the Side Wind Stabilisation system in action in this video from Ford:

“No-one likes that feeling when your vehicle gets caught by a wind gust, or you are passing close to a fast-moving truck,” said Marc Suermann, chassis controls supervisor, Ford of Europe. “This new technology will help make driving less stressful for Transit drivers, particularly on those dark and stormy winter days.”

The new Side Wind Stabilisation system was part of a package of new driver assistance systems introduced on the Transit and Transit Custom alongside Ford’s new EcoBlue diesel engine. Other measures include Pre-Collision Assist emergency braking, which is the first in its segment to include pedestrian detection technology.

Export boost lifts UK CV manufacturing by 11% in January

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It’s been a few months since we looked at the state of the UK commercial vehicle manufacturing industry. But the trends we saw last year appear to remain in place.

Total commercial vehicle manufacturing in the UK rose by 10.8% to 7,502 units in January compared to the same period last year, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

This strong growth was down to European buyers, who purchased 5,060 new vans and trucks during the period, a 45.9% increase on January 2016. Production to meet orders from the UK market fell by 26% to just 2,442 units.

Source: SMMT

One reason for this surge in export sales may be that the weaker pound means UK exports are cheaper for eurozone buyers. A second reason may be that key markets in Europe are starting to show signs of economic recovery, lagging the recovery we’ve seen in the UK over the last couple of years.

The shifting pattern of demand between home and export markets in recent years can be seen in this graph:

Chart showing UK CV output broken into export and total demand.

UK CV output, showing export demand alongside total demand. (Source: SMMT)

The blue effectively represents home demand, which has recovered strongly after hitting a low in late 2009. Export demand took longer to recover but has been growing steadily since January 2015.

Commenting on January’s figures, Mike Hawes, the SMMT’s chief executive, said:

“CV production got off to a great start last month, following a relatively stable year for the sector. The strong performance was driven by continued overseas demand, with 96% of all exported CVs heading for Europe. For this performance to continue, government must secure the competitive trading conditions that are so vital to the sector’s success.”

Clearly Brexit has the potential to be a big issue for the vehicle manufacturing sector. With Vauxhall plants thought to be under threat if French group PSA buys General Motor’s Opel business, the next couple of years could be a nail-biting time for workers in the UK’s highly-respected automotive sector. Let’s hope for the best.

Rental vans unlikely to be affected by London T-Charge

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan has confirmed that he will introduce an additional £10 per day charge for the most polluting vehicles that enter the London Congestion Charging zone.

As expected, the new rules will apply from October 2017 to vehicles which do not meet the Euro 4 emissions standard. In practice, this means pretty much any petrol or diesel vehicle made before 2006.

The new T-Charge, or Toxicity Charge, will be applied in addition to the existing £11.50/day Congestion Charge fee and will apply during the same 7am – 6pm/Mon-Fri period as the standard charge.

The T-Charge means that from October, drivers entering the Congesntion Charge zone in pre-Euro 4 vehicles every day could face a bill of more than £100 per week. It’s thought that as many as 10,000 pre-Euro 4 vehicles currently enter the Congestion Charge zone every weekday.

Although this scheme may be seen as a money spinner for Transport for London, I think the aim really is to make using old vehicles so expensive that people stop doing it.

The new T-Charge will run until 2020, when it will be superseded by planned Ulta Low Emission Zone legislation.

Will rental vans be affected?

Rental vans will be eligible for the new T-Charge fee. But very few reputable rental companies run vehicles that are more than 10 years old. Most rental companies keep their vans for 1-3 years only. If you’re driving a rental van, there’s very little risk that you will be affected by the T-charge, although of course you will still have to pay the regular Congestion Charge.

This is one more reason why it makes sense to rent if you only use a van occasionally.

By hiring a van instead of owning one, you can cut carbon emissions, eliminate the cost of servicing, breakdowns, insurance and road tax and benefit from the latest technology and safety features.

You can find out more about the new Emissions Surcharge on the Transport for London webiste: tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/emissions-surcharge.

Reservations open for new Isuzu D-Max

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Mercedes-Benz isn’t the only pickup manufacturer taking reservations for its next-gen model.

The new generation Isuzu D-Max is due to arrive in the UK in the spring, and Isuzu has now opened the order books for this well-respected model.

The new 2017 model year Isuzu D-Max

The big change with the new model is that it has a brand new 1.9-litre turbo diesel engine. As far as I know, this will be the smallest engine in the UK one-tonne pickup sector. It’s certainly a bold move when manufacturers such as Volkswagen are going in the opposite direction and using larger-bore V6 engines to attract buyers and provide effortless torque.

Isuzu says that the new engine will produce 164 PS and 360Nm of torque. The new model will retain the 1 tonne payload and 3.5 tonne towing capacity of the existing D-Max. It will also meet Euro 6 standards without the need for AdBlue.

As with previous D-Max models, the Shift-On-The-Fly 4×4 will be available, allowing drivers to switch in and out of four wheel drive while on the move.

The new D-Max will come with a class-leading five-year / 125,000-mile warranty and will require 12,000-mile / 24-month servicing.

Used van values stall as market is flooded with stock

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The used van market was flooded with stock in January, according to auctioneer BCA. This had the inevitable effect of putting pressure on selling prices.

Despite this, a richer mix of used stock helped to support prices and the average van (LCV) value at BCA reached a record of £6,409, £13 higher than in December.

Source: BCA

Indeed, BCA says that the last four months have seen the four highest average values on record. Average used van values are now up by 8.6%, or £508, on this time last year.

Year-on-year prices (all vans):

All vans	Avg Age (mnths)	Avg Mileage	Avg Value
Jan 2016	54.94	73,881	£5,901
Jan 2017	52.34	70,775	£6,409

Source: BCA

According to BCA, pressure on prices was particularly strong in the fleet, lease and daily rental sector, where the average used value fell by 1% compared to December. Prices also fell in the nearly-new sector and were broadly flat in the part-exchange sector.

Taken together, this sales profile seems to make it clear that only a more valuable mix of vans prevented the average used price from falling in January. However, demand remained solid, according to BCA’s LCV Operations Director, Duncan Ward:

“While January saw good levels of buyer activity at BCA and a busy marketplace, the volumes available from a variety of sources simply outstripped demand. This impacted conversion rates and average values as buyers were presented with a much wider choice of stock.”

“As we have seen in recent months, there is plenty of interest for any vehicles with an unusual configuration or special equipment and, as always, any vehicle suitable for the delivery or courier markets was sought after. Vehicles suitable for the construction and building industries remain sought after, with tippers and dropsides selling strongly.”

The strength of the used market bodes well for the UK economy and the van rental sector, but it will be interesting to see how the balance between used supply and demand changes over the coming months.

Van registrations boosted by pickup sales in January 2017

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Demand for new vans remained solid in January, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The trade body’s latest figures show that van registrations rose by 1.2% to 21,363 in January 2017.

UK van registrations Jan 2011 – Jan 2017 (source: SMMT)

A closer look at the figureA closer look at the figures shows that this growth was concentrated at the top end of the van market. There was an increase of 5.6% in the number of vans between 2.5t and 3.5t hitting the road in January, compared to the same period last year.

Smaller vans appear out of favour. Registrations of sub-2.0t models fell by 16%, perhaps because there are increasingly few such models to choose from, while 2.0-2.5t units rose by just 3.1%.

January’s top sellers

One thing that doesn’t change is the top seller list.

Ford continued to wipe the floor with its competitors in January. The blue oval bagged the top three places in the best seller table, leaving rivals such as Vauxhall, Renault and Mercedes-Benz lagging seriously behind:

LCV best sellers in January 2017 (source: SMMT)

Mercedes-Benz opens reservation service for X-Class pickup

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It won’t be here until 2018, but buyers are already queuing up for the new Mercedes-Benz X-Class pickup.

The Mercedes-Benz X-Class “stylish adventurer” pickup concept — the production model is due to hit the UK in 2018

Demand is so high, apparently, that Mercedes has launched an early reservation service to allow potential UK buyers to reserve a spot at the head of the queue when the X-Class becomes available to order.

Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans UK Ltd, said:

“Many customers we have spoken to have a strong desire to be amongst the first to own the new X-Class, which is incredible considering that it hasn’t been unveiled yet!”

If you’d like to be one of the first to hit the road in what promises to be a truly eye-catching vehicle, then you’ll have to put down a £1,000 refundable deposit.

If you’re still undecided, then here are a few tasters. According to Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, the X-Class will have:

“a ladder-type frame, high-torque six cylinder engine and permanent all-wheel drive”. It will also have the class-leading performance, safety and luxury that you’d expect from any Mercedes.

The new pickup is expected to be a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Daimler — it will essentially be a reworked version of the Nissan NP300. However, as with the Mercedes-Benz Citan small van (based on the Renault Kangoo), it will be heavily modified to ensure it delivers the quality, performance and luxury expected from the three-pointed star.

Here are a few more pictures of the X-Class concept to whet your appetite:

The Mercedes-Benz X-Class “powerful adventurer” concept model

A rear view of the X-Class “powerful adventurer” concept

You can find out more at www.mbvans.co.uk/xclass.

All-new Volkswagen Crafter now on sale in UK

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The all-new Volkswagen Crafter is now available to order from UK Volkswagen Van Centre dealers, with prices start from £23,920 +VAT. The model will receive its UK launch at the CV Show in April. First deliveries are expected in May.

The new Volkswagen Crafter is now available to order in the UK. First deliveries are expected in May 2017.

Unlike previous models, the new Crafter is not based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. It’s an all-Volkswagen effort on a new platform and will also be sold under the group’s truck-focused MAN brand.

All variants will be powered by a 2.0-litre TDI (Euro 6) diesel engine which Volkswagen says has been developed specifically for commercial vehicles. The point here is that previous versions of the Crafter were powered by VW engines lifted from the group’s large cars and smaller vans. They sometimes lacked pulling power when heavily loaded — something Volkswagen says won’t be a problem with the new model.

Up to four choices of power output will be available — 102, 122, 140 and 177 PS — depending on the variant selected. Buyers will be able to choose between front, rear and all-wheel drive models featured VW’s 4MOTION system. Manual and automatic gearbox options will also be available.

Up to three different vehicle lengths are available, depending on the model chosen: 5.9 m, 6.84 m or 7.39 m. Panel van variants also come with one of three different roof heights: 2.35 m, 2.59 m or 2.79 m.

In line with the Caddy and Transporter ranges, three trim levels will be on offer — Startline, Trendline and Highline. Prices will start from £23,920 exc. VAT for the basic Crafter Startline.

Here’s a summary of the specification features for each time level:

Panel van Startline from £23,920 (basic ex VAT)

Automatic Post Collision Braking
Cross-wind assist
Driver alert system
180-degree opening rear wing doors
Composition audio radio
Bluetooth

Panel van Trendline from £25,270 (basic ex VAT) in addition to Startline

Front assist including emergency braking system
Cruise control with speed limiter
Electrically heated and adjustable wing mirrors
270-degree opening rear wing doors
Composition Media Radio with DAB+
Multi-function steering wheel
Comfort driver’s seat
Wooden floor in load area
Grab handles on rear entry pillars

Panel van Highline from £29,220 (basic ex vat) in addition to Trendline

Adaptive Cruise Control
Passenger airbag
Front and rear parking sensors
Heated windscreen
Front fog lights with cornering function
Comfort-plus driver’s seat

For more detailed pricing or any other queries, contact your local VW Van Centre dealer.

Vredestein launches new Comtrac 2 all-season tyre

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As long-time readers may now, I’m a huge fan of all-season tyres. I’ve used them on my cars and vans for years and consider them ideal for UK weather, especially in rural areas.

All-season tyres have gradually been gaining traction in the UK market over the last few years (sorry!). Well-regarded Dutch tyre manufacturer Apollo Vredestein has just released the Comtrac 2 All Season, a new version of its Comtrac All Season tyre for vans and light trucks.

The new Vredestein Comtrac 2 all-season tyre

As with other tyres in this sector, the Comtrac 2 All Season boasts a silica compound and tread design that are designed to provide good water dispersion and good grip in cold and snowy conditions.

The firm says improvements have been made in three specific areas:

open lateral shoulder grooves and wider longitudinal grooves to optimize water dispersion;
improved shape of footprint and new silica compound for better grip on wet roads and lower rolling resistance to reduce fuel consumption;
increased tread stiffness and new sipe design for more balanced pressure distribution and reduced deformation under load.

These changes are said to reduce wet braking distance at 50mph by 11.7m compared to the original Comtrac tyre. Stability under heavy loads has been improved by 10% and rolling resistance reduced by 5%, according to Vredestein.

The new Comtrac 2 will be available from launch in ten sizes:

235/65R 16C 115/113 R
225/65R 16C 112/110 R
215/65R 16C 109/107 T
205/65R 16C 107/105 T
195/65R 16C 104/102 T
215/75R 16C 116/114 R
195/75R 16C 107/105 R
225/70R 15C 112/110 S
215/70R 15C 109/107 S
195/70R 15C 104/102 R

The Comtrac 2 will get receive its global launch at the biennial AutoZum show in Salzburg, Austria, from 18-21 January, 2017. For more information, visit www.vredestein.co.uk.

New Nissan Navara Trek-1° offers exclusive high-spec choice

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The new V6 Amarok has raised the bar for pickup drivers targeting maximum kerb appeal. So perhaps it’s not surprising that Nissan has decided to launch a new high-spec pickup, the Navara Trek-1°.

The new Nissan Navara Trek-1°

The new model apparently takes its name from the geographical location of the Navarre desert in northern Spain, situated at -1° of longitude – from which the Nissan Navara takes inspiration for its name.

The Trek-1° will be fully loaded with gear, as the specification is based on the range-topping Navara Tekna model, with extra bits added. These include black sport styling bars, with two powerful forward-facing LED spot lamps attached to the top section.

The Navara Trek-1° will also comes with black side styling bars, black 18-inch six-spoke alloy wheels and a smart new load bed cover. Made from high-grade durable plastic and finished in black or white, it’s hinged at the end closest to the cab and lifts easily using a single gas strut at either side.

The Trek-1° is available in two striking exterior colours – Pearlescent White and Black Metallic. Customers who want a six-speed manual gearbox can opt for the 160 PS or 190 PS versions of the 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel engine, while those wanting a seven-speed automatic transmission will get 190 PS. All models will be double cab vehicles.

Only 1,500 Trek-1° pickups will be built. So if you’re keen, it might be time to beat a path to your nearest Nissan dealer and put down your name.

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UK van news and van hire tips

Category Archives: Van News

Did Doris Day winds make driving tough? Ford has the answer

Export boost lifts UK CV manufacturing by 11% in January

Rental vans unlikely to be affected by London T-Charge

Will rental vans be affected?

Reservations open for new Isuzu D-Max

Used van values stall as market is flooded with stock

Van registrations boosted by pickup sales in January 2017

January’s top sellers

Mercedes-Benz opens reservation service for X-Class pickup

All-new Volkswagen Crafter now on sale in UK

Vredestein launches new Comtrac 2 all-season tyre

New Nissan Navara Trek-1° offers exclusive high-spec choice