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.

UK CV manufacturing output rises by 46.3% in July

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UK commercial vehicle manufacturing output rose by 46.3% to 9,274 units in July, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The SMMT figures show that this year’s strong recovery in volumes has continued through the summer, with rising exports providing an additional boost.

CV manufacturing Jul-14 Jul-15 % Change YTD-14 YTD-15 % Change
Total 6,338 9,274 46.3% 43,798 57,967 32.4%
Home 2,125 5,048 137.6% 20,723 29,535 42.5%
Export 4,213 4,226 0.3% 23,075 28,432 23.2%
% export 66.5% 45.6% 51.2% 49.0%

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

July’s figures are a continuation of the recovery made by the sector throughout 2015, which has seen production levels grow by a third to 57,967 units. Volumes last year were impacted by some restructuring within the industry, as well as a spike in truck demand in 2013 related to type approval changes. This year’s growth comes off the back of increasing demand both domestically and abroad for UK-built CVs.

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

“The commercial vehicle manufacturing sector’s impressive performance in July is further welcome evidence of its ongoing return to form. After a difficult year of regulatory upheaval, we’re now seeing demand for British-built vans, trucks and buses bounce back as fleet renewal patterns return to normal and the online delivery market continues to grow.”

This graph shows how UK CV manufacturing output and exports have changed since June 2008:

CV output rolling year July 2015

Rolling year CV output, Jun 2008 – July 2015 (courtesy of SMMT)

Ford Transit Supervan 3 Will Star At CarFest South

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Ford’s legendary Transit Supervan 3 will make an appearance at CarFest South over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

The 1994 Supervan is a reliable crowd pleaser thanks to its outrageous styling and to the presence of a 295 horsepower supercharged Ford Cosworth Pro Sports 3000 engine, which can propel the vehicle to more than 150mph.

(You can find out more about the Supervans here and see a video of the Supervan 3 in action at Goodwood here)

Ford Transit Supervan 3

The Ford Transit Supervan 3 is powered by a supercharged 295hp Cosworth engine

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Transit, the Supervan will be followed by Ford’s 50th anniversary special ‘Gold’ Transit Custom Sport Van, similar to the model in the picture below.

Ford Transit Golden Convoy

Among the other Ford highlights at CarFest South will be the Ford Mustang, which has recently become available in right-hand drive for the first time ever. A convertible version of the classic American muscle car will lead out the Ford vans at the head of the Ford parade:

Ford Mustang

The Ford Transit Owners Club will also be in at the show with a big display of “significant” Transits to celebrate the start of Transit production in August 1965.

CarFest South should be a great weekend, especially for Transit fans — but unfortunately it is already sold out!

Mercedes-Benz celebrates 20 years of Sprinter with special anniversary edition

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Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 20th AnniversaryRegular readers of this blog will be familiar with my admiration for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, something I share with a great many other British business owners, as well as every NHS ambulance trust.

The Sprinter has now been in production for 20 years, during which 327,201 Sprinter vans have been sold in the UK. To celebrate this milestone achievement, Mercedes is offering a 20th Anniversary special edition Sprinter for UK buyers.

A maximum of 1,200 of the vans will be available. Featuring Sprinter 20 badging on the front wing, they come with an attractive option bundle including air conditioning, sat nav, a Driver’s Comfort seat with arm rest, wheel trims, and a chrome grille. Ordered individually, this lot would normally cost more than £2,000, but the Sprinter 20 pack will be available for just £750.

The vast majority of Sprinter vans are sold as panel vans, often in the long and extra-long wheelbase versions favoured by couriers. In the UK, more than 250,000 of the Sprinters sold have been panel vans, with the remainder sold as chassis cab variants.

These are true million-mile vehicles. The highest-mileage van that’s still being serviced by the Mercedes dealer network is a 1999 Sprinter with 995,242 miles on the clock. There’s also a 2005 model with 964,436 miles on the clock, which equates to around 2,000 miles per week, every week, for ten years…

Although older vehicles tend to be serviced by independent garages, Mercedes does offer an incentive for owners willing to stay loyal to their dealer network. Every Mercedes-Benz Vans vehicle purchase comes with free 30-year MobiloVan roadside breakdown cover across the UK and Europe, as long as it is serviced by a Mercedes-Benz dealer.

Volkswagen targets urban explorers with Amaraok Atacama

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Volkswagen Amarok Atacama

The Volkswagen Amarok Atacama

Seriously, it must take these car companies about 10 minutes to come up with ‘special editions’, such as yesterday’s Isuzu D-Max Fury.

Come to think of it, it’s an ideal post-pub activity:

  1. Tick a few boxes for desirable options
  2. Add some bling — chrome, oversize alloys and dubious decals are obligatory
  3. Make the inside a little more garish than usual
  4. Give it a naff name and a restricted choice of colours
  5. Knock a few hundred quid off the standard list price for the selected options
  6. Whip together a Photoshopped image (just look at it!) — no need for a real photoshoot

Bingo.

Today’s contribution hails from Germany. I give you the Volkswagen Amarok Atacama.

Hot on the heels of the Canyon, Edition, Dark Label and Ultimate editions of the Amarok, the Atacama is “Named after the vast desert region of South America”, and “features an equally broad and impressive specification”. Seriously, did someone get paid to come up with that?

Having said that, the Amarok is a classy piece of kit and the Atacama is nicely loaded up for your next rumble in the urban jungle.

On sale now through Volkswagen’s UK Van Centre network with prices starting from £26,850 +VAT, the Atacama is powered by a 2.0-litre BiTDI 180 PS engine with a choice of two transmissions: a six-speed manual with selectable 4MOTION four-wheel drive or an eight-speed automatic with permanent 4MOTION four-wheel drive as standard.

Available in three colours – Candy White, Horizon Blue and Deep Black – the Amarok Atacama comes with bi-xenon headlights, black rear styling bars, black rear bumper with integrated step and 19-inch ‘Cantera’ alloy wheels. The load bed features a ‘Durabed’ protective coating, while distinctive black foil finish on the B-pillars and unique ‘Atacama’ side decals complete the design package.

Inside, the Amarok Atacama boasts luxurious Vienna leather upholstery, a newly designed leather multi-function steering wheel, Bluetooth phone connectivity and Climatronic 2-Zone air conditioning. There’s also a standard RNS310 sat nav system.

There’s lots to like, and it’s probably cheaper than specifying the same thing at list price.

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?

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…

CV production trucks on with 54.5% rise in June

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This year’s surging commercial vehicle (CV) production isn’t news anymore. We’ve covered it every month this year. Yet June’s figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) were impressive, even by 2015 standards.

Both UK and export demand rose by more than 50%. Exports typically go to the EU and have been somewhat depressed this year, thanks to the combination of nationalistic vehicle buyers and depressed economies that make up the eurozone (I’ll leave you to decide which countries I’m referring to…).

Total manufacturing output rose by 54.5% to 9,805 units in June, a stunning increase on last year’s total of 6,348. Here’s how the figures break down:

CV manufacturing June-14 June-15 % Change YTD-14 YTD-15 % Change
Total 6,348 9,805 54.5% 37,460 48,677 29.9%
Home 3,054 4,769 56.2% 18,598 24,471 31.6%
Export 3,294 5,036 52.9% 18,862 24,206 28.3%
% export 51.9% 51.4% 51.2% 49.7%

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

This is great news for the UK economy. It may be no coincidence, too, that Britain’s automotive firms employ some of the most productive employees in Britain. According to a news story that’s been widely covered this week, productivity in the UK car industry is 35% higher than in 2010. Employees generate £100,000 per year in added value, more than twice the national average of £46,000.

I assume the same figures apply to employees at Britain’s commercial vehicle manufacturers — almost certainly in the case of Vauxhall, the UK’s largest volume CV manufacturer, as it also makes cars.

The reasons for this impressive performance seem to be modern, heavily automated factories, well-trained and loyal staff who are paid reasonably well, and a desirable product for which demand is currently very strong.

Unsurprisingly, SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes is bullish about prospects going forward:

“Today’s figures are encouraging for the sector, with demand for British-built vans, trucks and buses all on the rise. The UK commercial vehicle industry has experienced some turbulence in the recent past, with restructuring of some operations and changes to type approval affecting output. It is good to see the recovery continuing, and we are optimistic about the future with demand continuing to grow both in the UK and in Europe.”

However, while the car industry is hitting new records for production, it’s worth remembering that only a few years ago, the CV sector was cranking out more than twice as many vans and trucks as it is today:

SMMT CV manufacturing June 2015

Rolling year CV output, June 2008 – June 2015 (graph courtesy of SMMT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A return to past levels of production seems unlikely, due as the big loss is due to the closure of volume plants such as Ford’s Southampton Transit plant, which are unlikely to return to the UK from cheaper climes abroad (Turkey, in Ford’s case).

Good news, although the evident success of UK-based automotive manufacturers has made me wonder. Was the move to offshore manufacturing driven by more attractive economic fundamentals, or simply the desire to avoid the costs of updating old UK factories?

New van demand drives CV registrations to six-month record

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UK commercial vehicle registrations rose to an all-time six-month record of 186,404 during the first half of 2015, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Rising demand for new vans was the main reason for the surge in demand. Registrations of new vans rose by 16.4% to 35,742 in June. Over the last twelve months, registrations have reached 352,558, 20.2% higher than during the previous twelve-month period.

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

June % change Year-to-date % change Rolling year % change
Vans 35,742 16.4% 186,404 19.8% 352,558 20.2%
Trucks 4,568 41.5% 23,111 40.6% 48,144 -6.2%
Total 40,310 18.8% 209,515 21.8% 400,702 16.2%

Source: SMMT (www.smmt.co.uk)

Commenting on the figures, Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said that the strong demand was not a surprise:

“The record half-year total for commercial vehicle registrations is not unexpected given the significant gains being made in the van market. Registrations of vans have been increasing strongly for some time, underpinned by economic confidence among large and small businesses, as well as the growing trend for home deliveries.”

The long-running recovery in the van market can most easily be shown in graphical form:

SMMT CV registrations June 2015

UK van and truck registrations Jan 2010 – June 2015 (courtesy of SMMT)

The growth in new registrations was strongest in the 2.5-3.5t sector, which includes popular models such as the Ford Transit Custom and Transit, the Volkswagen Transporter, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and the Vauxhall Vivaro. Sales rose by 24% to 21,693 in June, an increase of 4,205 vans compared to June 2014.