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.

Fiat Ducato Hits U.S. Streets As Ram ProMaster

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Ram ProMaster badging on US-spec Ducato

Ram ProMaster… Fiat Ducato doesn’t have quite the same ring, does it?

It’s taken a long time, but European car and van manufacturers are finally starting to work out how to sell the same vehicles in Europe and North America, helped by either global brands (Ford) or part-owned US brands (Mercedes-Benz and Fiat).

In the van market, Mercedes-Benz has been very successful with the Dodge Sprinter, while Ford is gradually introducing some of its European car and van models — such as the Focus, and I suspect, next year’s new two-tonne Transit — to the US market.

Now its the turn of Fiat, which is using its Chrysler brand to introduce the Ducato van to North America. Chrysler commercial vehicles are branded as Ram, so the Ducato has become the awesomely-cheesy sounding Ram ProMaster!

Naturally, it has had an engine transplant, and ProMaster models will be offered with a choice of Chrysler’s 280hp, 3.5-litre Pentastar V6, coupled with six-speed auto box, or Fiat’s European 3-litre, 174hp diesel engine, coupled with Fiat’s five-speed automated manual Dualogic transmission.

Ram ProMaster

It looks like a Fiat Ducato — but thanks to a 3.5l V6 petrol engine for the US market, it definitely doesn’t sound like one!

Fiat says that the Ram ProMaster will be as near identical as possible to the European spec van, external changes limited to ‘branding and legal requirements’, while the interior is based on the European version, but has been ‘adapted for U.S. customers’. Not sure what that means, other than the omission of a clutch pedal…

Ford Vans Voted Most Reliable For Second Year Running

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A Ford Transit raised on a lift in a workshop

A rare sight for Ford Transit owners, as the Transit has just been chosen as most reliable van in the UK, for the second consecutive year.

Ford has been voted the most reliable van manufacturer in the UK for the second consecutive year.

The annual Fleet News survey of the 50 largest UK contract hire and leasing companies found that Ford was the most reliable van manufacturer, and the Ford Transit was the most reliable van (one reason it’s also the nation’s most popular used van).

In this annual survey companies themselves rank the best performing vehicles for reliability based on actual breakdowns and warranty claims. It is the largest study of its kind in the UK with those responding to the survey representing a combined fleet size of 170,000 light commercial vehicles.

Here are the top ten most reliable vans and manufacturers, with last year’s positions shown in brackets:

Top 10 most reliable vans:

  1. Ford Transit (1)
  2. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (3)
  3. Ford Transit Connect (2)
  4. Volkswagen Transporter (4)
  5. Volkswagen Caddy (5)
  6. Mercedes-Benz Vito (6)
  7. Vauxhall Vivaro (7)
  8. Renault Trafic (8)
  9. Vauxhall Movano (9)
  10. Renault Master (new entrant this year)

Top 10 most reliable van manufacturers:

  1. Ford (1)
  2. Volkswagen (3)
  3. Mercedes-Benz (2)
  4. Vauxhall (4)
  5. Renault (6)
  6. Peugeot (8)
  7. Nissan (7)
  8. Citroën (5)
  9. Fiat (9)
  10. Mitsubishi (new entrant this year)

Ford is really on a roll at the moment. By the end of next year, its entire commercial vehicle range will have been replaced with all-new models, and if its as good as the Transit Custom, next year’s 2-tonne Transit will really take the fight to the Sprinter and should confirm the blue oval’s dominance of the UK van market.

Ford Transit Voted UK’s Favourite Large Used Van

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Ford Transit mk7 (2007-13)

Readers of Commercial Motor voted for the Transit as their favourite 3.5t used van.

There’s only one Ford Transit, and despite the motorway-conquering goodness of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, the Transit has a place in out hearts that is likely to outlast most of its competitors.

It’s not without good reason, either. As a used van, the Transit is a highly affordable, practical and reliable proposition. I’ve owned two, and neither have cost more than a family car to run, or given any serious trouble.

This eulogy to the Transit has been prompted by news that the readers of Commercial Motor magazine have voted for the Transit as the best large used van, praising the vehicle’s practicality, low costs of ownership and the strength of the service and repair network across the country.

Will Shiers, editor of Commercial Motor, said:

“Commercial Motor’s readers voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Ford Transit as their favourite used 3.5-tonne van. The Transit has been the nation’s favourite for the better part of half a century now, not only when new, but on the used market too. The van has defined the sector. Used buyers know exactly what they’re getting with a Transit, a van they can trust.”

According to Commercial Motor, there are currently around 700,000 new and used Ford Transit vans in operation on UK roads, over 9,000 of which are the recently launched Ford Transit Custom.

Ex-Rental Vans Attract Top Prices At Auction

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New figures from vehicle remarketing specialist British Car Auctions (BCA) show that ex-fleet vans — such as those from large van hire fleets — attract the strongest prices at auction, as professional buyers complete for these high quality, one-owner vans, which typically have a full service history.

According to the BCA data, values for vans from fleet and leasing companies have improved by £110 (1.7%) in October compared to September to £6,518 – the third consecutive month a record value has been achieved and the seventh record value seen in 2013.

The average price of ex-fleet and lease vans has risen by an astonishing 25% over the last year, as the table below shows.

Fleet/Lease Avg Age (mnths) Avg Mileage Avg Value Sale vs CAP Sale vs MRP
Oct 2012 45.24 72,352 £5,201 101.52% 32.60%
Oct 2013 40.84 69,547 £6,518 103.16% 37.49%

Data courtesy of BCA (www.british-car-auctions.co.uk)

The fall in average age is interesting, as there seem to be two possible interpretations:

  1. Large fleet operators are deliberately shortening their replacement cycles to boost residual values, thus lowering their total cost of ownership.
  2. Improved economic conditions mean that fleet operators are feeling more confident and want to reduce the average age of their vans to improve their image and avoid the maintenance requirements of older vans — in particular, they may be starting to defleet their vans before they are due for their first MOT test, at 36 months.

I don’t know which — if either — of these is the explanation for the five-month reduction in average age, but it is noticeable that the average monthly mileage of ex-fleet/lease vans has also risen over the last year, from 1600 in October 2012 to 1700 in October 2013. This could point to an improvement in business conditions.

Iveco Pimps The Daily Ride With Platinum-Spec Van

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Iveco Platinum Daily

The Iveco Platinum Daily

Iveco has launched a new, high-spec version of its Daily large van aimed at owner-drivers and any other van operator who wants a flagship van.

As its name suggests, the Platinum Daily is fully loaded and comes with Iveco’s highest tier options pack as standard, featuring air conditioning with climate control, electric windows, spring-suspended driver’s seat, cornering front fog lights, cruise-control, heated electric mirrors, remote control central locking, additional storage compartments, 140 amp alternator and a heavy-duty battery.

The Platinum Daily also includes a built-in Clarion NX502E entertainment centre. This high-performance system is operated via a wireless remote control and incorporates a 6.2” high-resolution display with satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity and a reversing camera with rear sensors.

The Platinum Daily will be powered the most popular 2.3 litre FPT Euro 5 diesel engine in the Daily line-up, capable of producing up to 126hp and will be available in medium and long wheelbase configurations — 3,300mm or 3,950mm – to deliver a load space of 12m3 or 15.6m3 respectively.

Servicing included

Iveco hasn’t just ticked all the boxes on the options list, however — the firm has also considered how it can make Platinum owners’ lives easier and more predictable. Every Platinum Daily comes with a five-year Iveco Elements servicing contract with a mileage allowance of 40,000 km per annum, transferable between owners. This includes all servicing and routine checks, greasing, oil changes and fluids, plus the supply of Iveco Origin genuine replacement parts. Owners will also benefit from the Daily’s standard three-year unlimited mileage warranty.

An additional attraction is that Daily owners also get access to Iveco’s truck servicing network — which includes 24/7 roadside assistance and a dealer network that averages a 95% first-time MOT pass rate and (in many cases) 24-hour opening for servicing at night and at the weekend.

Van Sales Collapse Continues To Power Used Van Market To Record Levels

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Used van prices remain firmly supported by strong demand last month, according to the latest figures from auctioneers BCA.

The average value achieved of £5,151 was just £7 below September’s all-time record of £5,158, and was nearly 16% up on the average value achieved in October 2012. Sale prices remained well above CAP prices, as this table shows:

All vans Avg Age (mnths) Avg Mileage Avg Value Sale vs CAP
Oct 2012 58.42 79,452 £4,447 101.87%
Oct 2013 59.28 80,725 £5,151 103.90%

Data courtesy of BCA (www.british-car-auctions.co.uk)

This graph shows how strongly prices have risen over the last two years, thanks to an underlying shortage of supply caused by the slump in van sales in 2009, from which the UK’s van market has still not recovered, as I discussed last week:

Used van prices to October 2013

Average used LCV prices at auction for the two years to October 2013, courtesy of BCA.

BCA LCV auction

Vans and 4x4s going under the hammer at a BCA LCV auction.

Duncan Ward, BCA’s General Manager, says that the problem is a lack of used supply from big corporate fleets, which typically feed the top end of the used market:

“This stock shortage is a long term issue that results from collapse of the new van market in 2009.  Four years on, the big corporate fleets that provide the bulk of the ‘first time to market’ used vans simply do not have the same volumes to sell.

Professional buyers who typically buy corporate vans at auction are finding they have to bid harder and higher to secure the same stock and this trend is set to continue.  And in terms of seasonal movements, the onset of bad weather usually marks an increase in demand for four wheel drive vehicles and we can expect to see average prices for 4×4 pick-ups rise in the coming weeks.”

“While new van sales are recovering, they are nowhere near the levels seen in pre-recessionary times.  The used sector shortage is set to continue until new van volumes pick up significantly and the economy improves enough to generate a bigger churn of vehicles in the marketplace.”

As I discussed last week, sales of medium vans (Transit-sized vans), which accounts for around 60% of UK van sales, remains nearly 20% lower than it was in 2003 and is down by around 30% on pre-recessions peak levels. Clearly there is a lot of ground to make up still — and so business is likely to remain brisk for those in the used van trade.

One side-effect of this is that van hire companies, which traditionally buy new and keep their vans for a short time, should continue to achieve strong residual values when they sell their vehicles, which will, in turn, help keep rental rates down, adding to the attraction of renting, rather than buying, for businesses whose need for vans varies through the year. In effect, van rental companies are shouldering the burden (quite profitably) of financing and supplying flexible capacity to van operators, who are happy to employ a ‘pay as you go’ model and reduce their finance commitments.

In my view, this situation could continue for some time and may even become permanent, to some extent, as SMEs find it harder to get competitive financing than they used to, while van hire companies are able to enjoy economies of scale and provide ‘all-in’ rates for flexible hire of nearly new vans that make owning or leasing seem unattractive.

Ford Transit Sales Highlight Shrunken Van Market

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Ford Transit Custom High Roof

Regular updates and new models like the Transit Custom have protected Ford’s market share, but there’s no hiding the shrunken state of the UK’s medium van market.

It’s no secret that van sales remain depressed compared to pre-recession levels, but some recent sales figures from Ford enabled me to see just how big this decline has been.

Ford put out a press release in the wake of yesterday’s SMMT van registration figures showing that its share of the European medium van market is at its highest level for more than a decade. More interesting than that were Ford’s historic sales figures for Transit vans since 2002.

Since the medium van market accounts for roughly 60% of UK van sales, it’s a key barometer of the state of the economy. So how is UK plc doing?

Still down 30%

In 2003, Ford sold 72,078 Transits, giving it a 33.2% share of the UK market. In 2012, the blue oval sold 55,259 Transits, giving it a 30.7% share of the UK market.

Using these figures, we can see that the UK medium van market has shrunk from 217,102 in 2003 to 179,996 last year — a 17% reduction over the last decade.

Ford’s figures show that medium van sales peaked in 2006, when sales hit 257,625, before dropping to a low of 134,778 in 2009. So far this year, Ford’s figures indicate that 169,353 medium vans have been sold in the UK, suggesting that the year-end figure will be slightly higher than in 2012, but medium van sales are likely to remain around 30% below the pre-recession peak, providing a stark reminder of how much ground the economy has lost over the last five years.

Used market remains key

Although van hire firms have generally maintained their fleet renewal policies through the recession, there has been a trend towards running vehicles slightly longer, and many other fleet operators and small businesses have definitely kept their vans for longer and delayed new purchases, all of which has helped to contribute to the shortage of decent quality used stock and the ongoing increase in used van prices, which are at record levels, according to auction data.

Ford’s recent move to introduce capped-price servicing for cars and vans over four years old reflects this shift in the market — the firm wants to develop a relationship with owners of older vehicles who might previously have been ‘lost’ to main dealers, in the hope that they will eventually buy a new van, as the economy begins to recover.

However, the overall message is clear — the economy still has a lot of lost ground to make up.

Van sales soar 26.3% in October – SMMT

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Van registrations rose by an impressive 26.3% in October, taking the total increase for the year-to-date to 11%, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The figures mean that the overall commercial vehicle market, including trucks, is up by 9.8% this year, compared to the same period last year:

UK van and truck registrations: 2013 and % change on 2012

October % change Year-to-date % change Rolling year % change
Vans 22,473 26.3% 227,477 11.0% 262,257 6.6%
Trucks 5,105 32.0% 39,457 3.2% 46,921 -0.9%
Total 27,578 27.3% 266,934 9.8% 309,178 5.4%

Data courtesy of SMMT (www.smmt.co.uk)The increases come on the heels of a 10% increase in van registrations in September, and October’s data show that as expected (by SMMT), truck registrations have turned around in October and are now positive for the year to-date — although they remain lower on a rolling year basis.

“Both the van and truck markets showed great strength in October boosting the sector by 27.3% and taking the 2013 growth rate to almost 10%,” said Nigel Base, SMMT Commercial Vehicle Manager. “We anticipated this late strength in the truck market and SMMT has raised its forecast for van registrations to 264,100 a 10.2% rise on last year.”

What’s hot, and what’s not?

As always, the increase in registrations was not evenly dividend across the different weight categories and types of CV. In the van market, the biggest percentage increase was in the 2.0-2.5t category, where sales rose by 45% from 2,417 in October 2012 to 3,513 in October 2013.

However, the biggest increase by far in volume terms was in the 2.5t – 3.5t market (Transit-sized vans), where sales rose by 32% from 10,187 in October 2012 to 13,447 in October 2013. This increase suggests that big fleet operators are proceeding with fleet renewal plans and that other big buyers — such as van hire companies — are also experiencing strong demand for new vans.

Losers in the van category include sub-2.0t vans, where sales fell by 3.3% from 2,718 to 2,629. I believe that this is partly because there simply are not very many sub-2.0t vans anymore — car-derived vans like the Fiesta and Corsa vans are still under 2t, as is the pint-sized Citroën Nemo and its rebadged siblings, but there aren’t really any others anymore, and they form a definite minority market.

In the truck categories, I was interested to see a 41.7% surge in rigids between 3.5t and 6.0t (see my story on this topic yesterday), while sales of rigds over 16t were up by 34%, suggesting that retail, food distribution and construction companies — the main users for this class of vehicle — are feeling more confident about the economy.

Finally, sales of 3-axle artics were up by 36.6% in October, compared to the same period last year, suggesting that operators are biting the bullet and buying into Euro 6 before they are forced to, and that they can see healthy forward demand for their fleets’ services.

All in all, an encouraging picture, if it can be sustained.

Updated Citroën Berlingo Delivers Up To 62.8mpg

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Updated 2014 Citroën Berlingo

The Citroën Berlingo has been updated for 2014 and now offers fuel consumption of up to 62.8mpg and lower emissions.

The UK’s best-selling sub-2.5t small van, the Citroën Berlingo, has been updated for 2014.

This Berlingo gains further fuel economy improvements and emissions reductions as well as being refreshed with exterior changes, a new gearbox and more in-cab storage.

From November production onwards the Berlingo range gains a new chrome grille, new side rubbing strips and revised side skirts.  Internally, to increase the Berlingo’s already high levels of in-cab storage, all Berlingo vans and platform cabs now gain a full-width, over-windscreen storage shelf with map reading lights on either side for both driver and passenger.

In addition, all Berlingo Airdream models previously specified with EGS6 automated manual gearboxes will now be equipped with a new ETG6 (6-speed Efficient Tronic Gearbox). The ETG6 gearbox has been developed to provide improved driveability.

The ETG6 gearbox has optimised pedal mapping to adjust power effectively for smoother start-ups and acceleration. Gear change speeds are modulated more precisely, based on driver input, for improved performance and comfort, and its optimised gear shift patterns further improve efficiency.  All Berlingo vans specified with the new ETG6 gearbox also have Electronic Stability Control (ESC), traction control with Hill Start Assist, a passenger airbag, cruise control with driver-adjustable speed limiter and a new Gear Shift Indicator as standard.

The firm’s flagship Berlingo e-HDi 90 Airdream ETG6 model, which features micro-hybrid technology with Stop & Start and the new ETG6, six-speed automated manual gearbox, now delivers CO2 emissions from just 118g/km and a Combined Cycle fuel economy figure of up to 62.8mpg.

Most buyers are likely to opt for the standard Berlingo L1 model powered by the HDi 90, which also benefits from improved fuel consumption and lower emissions and now has a Combined Cycle fuel economy figure of 56.5mpg and CO2 emissions that have been reduced from 138g/km to 132g/km.

Citroën has also completed a programme to optimise payloads, which has resulted in an increase for virtually every Berlingo van.  As a result the baseline Berlingo HDi 90 Manual L1 850 models now have a maximum available payload of 896kg.

Scott Michael, Citroën’s Head of Commercial Vehicles & Business Centre Programme, remarked:

“The latest changes to the Berlingo will enable this popular model to maintain its position at the top of the sales charts.  In the first three quarters of this year the Berlingo outsold all of its competitors in the up to 2.5tonne gvw small van category, proof of its continuing popularity and versatility.  Operators of both large and small fleets, appreciate the Berlingo’s excellent fuel economy of up to 62.8mpg, low running costs and wide choice of models.”

The Berlingo range includes L1 and L2 versions, which provide a maximum load capacity of up to 4.1m3, a 3-seater Extenso® multi-function folding passenger seat (excluding X models), payloads of up to 896kg, a 5-seat crew van, an enhanced traction XTR+ van and a platform cab for special bodywork.

All Berlingo panel vans are fitted, as standard, with Citroën’s unique – and recently enhanced – Trafficmaster telematics platform, which includes Smartnav dynamic satellite navigation system and Trackstar stolen vehicle tracking.

Ford Introduces Price Caps On Servicing For Vehicles Aged 4+

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A Ford Transit raised on a lift in a workshop

Ford now offers a maximum price guarantee on servicing for Ford vans aged four years or over.

Vehicle servicing costs are notoriously variable and often surprisingly high, especially for older vehicles that are serviced at main dealer networks.

Although one answer is to use independent garages, which tend to have lower labour rates, that isn’t always a satisfactory solution — and finding a reliable independent isn’t always a hassle-free process either.

At the same time, servicing and parts is very profitable for franchised main dealers, who are able to recoup some of the discounts they offer on new vehicles through future servicing and parts revenue streams.

Ford has decided to make main dealer servicing more attractive and competitive for older vehicles by introducing a price cap for servicing and MOT tests on Ford cars and vans aged four years or older.

Called Motorcraft 4+, the new package offers national maximum price service options – £119 for a minor service, and £189 for a major service – as well as a maximum MOT price of £35, reducing to £30 when combined with a Motorcraft Service. These prices include all required parts, labour carried out by Ford-trained technicians and VAT.

More than 550 Ford dealerships across the UK will offer the Motorcraft 4+ package, and customers can now book a service appointment online at any time, by visiting Ford’s Online Service Booking website* and selecting their vehicle model.

Vehicles serviced through the Motorcraft programme receive free roadside assistance, Ford’s eCHECK 30-point visual inspection, and benefit from the Ford Accident Management service, available free through the Ford “One Call” 24/7 helpline.

Jon Wellsman, Director, Ford Customer Service Division, said:

“The Ford Motorcraft package offers all owners of Ford vehicles the quality of service they expect from a Ford dealer, with unrivalled expertise, at competitive prices.”

Ford has also introduced ‘price capping’ of tyres to its Motorcraft package, ensuring that the fitted price of all brands of tyre remains highly competitive. Customers will also benefit from bonus Nectar points on servicing and MOTs, and all Motorcraft customers will receive a complimentary vehicle valet.

You can book a Ford service through the Motorcraft scheme for your Ford car or van online at: www.ford.co.uk/sbe/osbov.