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.

Ford To Launch New Courier Van – A Nemo Beater?

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Ford is to resurrect the Courier name when it launches the Transit Courier in 2014, to fill the size gap in its commercial vehicle range between the Fiesta van and the Transit Connect.

This small van sector of the market is hotly contested and extremely popular these days — think how many Citroen Nemo, Peugeot Bipper and Fiat Fiorino vans you see around, especially in town.

Full details haven’t been released yet but the press have been given a taster preview, which you can see in this video:

The Courier will be produced in Tourneo Courier and Transit Courier versions — i.e. people carrier and van models.

More to come at some point in the future — unfortunately the Transit Courier won’t hit UK showrooms until 2014.

Hat tip: VansA2Z.com

Ford Transit Custom Wins International Van Of The Year 2013

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Ford Transit Custom International Van Of The Year 2013

The new Ford Transit Custom with Barb Samardzich, vice-president of Product Development, Ford of Europe

The new Ford Transit Custom has won the  “International Van of the Year” trophy at the Hanover IAA Commercial Vehicle Show, scoring 117 out of a possible 133 points.

The Transit Custom garnered 117 out of a possible 133 points, from the jury of 24 specialist journalists, more than the combined totals of the second-placed Dacia Dokker and third-placed Mercedes-Benz Citan.

It follows in the footsteps of the Transit (2001), Transit Connect (2003) and Transit (2007) to register a record-breaking fourth win for the Ford Transit family in the award’s 22-year history.

“Transit Custom is a new kind of 1-tonne van – hard working and practical, but great to look at and great to drive,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president of Product Development, Ford of Europe.

“Combining legendary Transit toughness and economy with car-like design and features was a really tough task, but our engineers delivered,” she added. “We are proud their efforts have been recognised by such a significant award.”

Transit Custom offers class-leading load-carrying ability, including a number of innovative loadspace features such as the load-through hatch in the bulkhead for extra-long items, and the integrated roof rack which can be folded away when not in use. The driver also benefits from the latest Ford technologies like Lane Keeping Aid and Ford SYNC.

Class-leading fuel economy with CO2 emissions from 174 g/km is delivered by the improved 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel available with Auto-Start-Stop, while cost-of-ownership is further minimised by the longest service intervals in the class at two-years/30,000 miles.

“The new Transit sets new standards with regard to styling, drivability and load-carrying ability,” said Pieter Wieman, chairman of the International Van of the Year jury. “Ford has succeeded in building a complete new light van on its global CV platform and with the use of proven driveline and chassis components.

“The van has a car-like exterior and interior, driving dynamics which are very close to a passenger car, and notwithstanding that,is a very functional and practical vehicle. Ford has paid a lot of attention to the active and passive safety aspects of the new model, and to reducing the cost of ownership,” Wieman said.

The all-new Transit Custom is now starting to go on sale in major markets across Europe.

Update: A first drive report for the Transit Custom is now available on VansA2Z.com — click here.

James Bond Skyfall Land Rover Defender

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You don’t often see one of these — the Land Rover Defender used in the opening sequence of the new Bond movie, Skyfall.

Granted, it’s not exactly a van but Land Rovers are available in panel van and station wagon configuration and I reckon it’s worth a look — especially with all the movie extras on board:

The Land Rover Defender used in the new James Bond movie, Skyfall

The Land Rover Defender driven by field agent Eve in the opening sequence of the new James Bond movie, Skyfall, which opens in UK cinemas on 26th October 2012.

This is the Land Rover Defender driven by Eve (Naomie Harris) in the opening sequences of the movie. I’ve seen a picture of the driver’s seat on the roof before, but not a picture of the whole vehicle, complete with cameras, what looks like a battery (at the front) and boy racer road wheels with low profile tyres — presumably coupled with modified suspension to give decent on-road handling for the stunt scenes.

This very vehicle will be on the Jaguar Land Rover stand at the Paris Motor Show, but sadly (if you are going) it will only be shown on the second press day. Bad luck everyone else!

Jaguar Land Rover provided a total of 77 vehicles to the SKYFALL production, including the Land Rover Defender, Range Rover and Jaguar XJ for use both on-screen and as production support vehicles.

Alongside Daniel Craig as James Bond, the cast of Skyfall includes; Dame Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Bérénice Marlohe, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw and Albert Finney.

The film, from Albert R. Broccoli’s Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, is directed by Academy Award® winner Sam Mendes and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his third film as James Bond 007. SKYFALL will begin its worldwide roll-out in the UK and Ireland on 26th October 2012.

If you’re a Bond fan (and I am), you can find out more about Skyfall on the official website, here.

Hot Volkswagen Caddy Cross Due In UK 2013

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Volkswagen Caddy Cross

The Volkswagen Caddy Cross -- coming in panel van form to the UK early in 2013.

Volkswagen’s answer to the Ford Transit Connect Sport, the Caddy Cross, is due in the UK from early 2013. 

Sporting versions of popular vans are thin on the ground but have always proved popular, from Vauxhall’s Sportive specification Astravan and Vivaro, through to the more exotic and exclusive Transit SportVan.

Volkswagen already offers Sportline versions of its popular vans but is now getting ready to take van styling to the next level.

The German company is about to introduce  the Caddy Cross, a high-specification and distinctive version of its popular Caddy van, a small van model that competes directly with the Transit Connect and Citroen Berlingo.

Volkswagen Caddy Cross interior

The interior is smart too, as long as you like green...

With striking Viper Green paintwork, 17-inch ‘Canyon’ alloy wheels and a black body kit, the Caddy Cross special edition will be impossible to miss and the interior is equally distinctive, featuring a two-tone front seat design with contrasting inserts on the door panels, plus height and length adjustable centre armrest, leather-covered steering wheel and distinctive grey stitching on the gear knob and handbrake.

This model is due to go into production in early 2013 with a wide selection of engines, plus the option of 4MOTION all-wheel drive.  Volkswagen expects to introduce the Caddy Cross as a panel van model in the UK in the first half of 2013.

The Caddy Cross will make its debut at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hanover later this week.

Are You Driving Around In A ‘Hot’ Transit?

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Ford Transit Super Sport Van

It seems that any Transit will do for thieves -- it doesn't have to be a Transit Super Sport Van

Ford Transits top stolen van list again.

It seems that our light-fingered friends in the criminal fraternity are particularly keen on Ford’s finest vans and often sell them on to unwary buyers.

25% of Ford Transits are flagged up as stolen in HPI Checks.

Unknowingly buying a stolen vehicle can be an expensive mistake — not only will the vehicle be repossessed by the police, but you will also lose the money you paid for it. An HPI check only costs £20 and is a sensible precaution before buying any second-hand vehicle.

Here are the top five most stolen vans, according to identity check specialists HPI.

HPI STOLEN VAN HIT RATES

Ford Ford Transit 25%
Mercedes Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 21%
Mitsubishi Mitsubishi L200 13%
Nissan Nissan Primastar 4%
Peugeot Peugeot Expert 4%

It’s probably no coincidence that the Transit and second-placed Sprinter are the most popular panel vans on the road — not only are they in strong demand, but there are more about for thieves to choose from.

Daniel Burgess, the Managing Director of HPI, has the following advice for van owners and buyers:

“It’s not just van owners that need to be concerned about which LCVs are most commonly stolen; used van buyers also need to consider the risks. Thieves will be looking to sell vans on to innocent buyers, so the general public and van dealers must be on their guard.  Dealers who unwittingly buy a stolen van not only face losing the van and the money they paid for it, should it be returned to the van’s legal owner, but put their reputation on the line should they innocently sell on that van to a customer who then faces financial loss.”

“1 in 4 vans checked has something to hide, but used van buyers can avoid risks by simply carrying out an HPI Check, which will uncover the vehicle’s history and confirm if there is anything untoward about the vehicle that needs investigating.”

Outstanding finance and write-offs are also a big risk and can result in you losing the van and the money you paid for it. Around 1 in 8 vans checked by HPI still have outstanding finance and 1 in 17 vans have been involved in an accident and declared a total loss by an insurance company. While some of these can be legitimately repaired, some cannot and may be death-traps.

Daniel Burgess concludes. “It’s essential that used van buyers are aware of the risks and don’t get taken in by criminals and dishonest sellers. The HPI Check will tell a dealer whether their potential purchase has been stolen, written-off, had a plate change, might be clocked or is on outstanding finance, offering valuable peace of mind for them and their customers.”

I couldn’t agree more and have used HPI Checks several times over the years for peace of mind when buying used cars and vans. You can do the check online or over the phone — so it doesn’t need to hold up a sale if you want to buy on the spot.

Ford Unveils New Transit & Transit Connect

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All-new Ford Transit

The new Ford Transit, due to go on sale in 2013

Ford has unveiled its all-new Transit and Transit Connect models, which it plans to sell in all global markets from late 2013.

The new models fit into the company’s van range above and below the Transit Custom, which is already on sale in the UK and Europe.

Here’s how the new range will fit together in the UK and Europe:

  • Ford Transit Connect (sub 1-tonne payload – small van)
  • Ford Transit Custom (1 tonne payload – medium van)
  • Ford Transit (1 tonne+ payload – large van)

The introduction of the new generation Transit and Transit Connect models is a major step in Ford’s commitment to completely redesign its entire commercial vehicle line-up for Europe by the end of 2013.

Ford Transit

The all-new Ford Transit replaces the heavier two-tonne Transit derivatives in Europe and other worldwide markets and will offer a comprehensive range of body styles and derivatives, with multiple wheelbases, roof heights and new chassis cowl versions.

In Europe, it will be available in front, rear and all-wheel drive specifications and will be powered by the latest 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine.

All-new Ford Transit Connect

The new Ford Transit Connect, due to go on sale in 2013

Ford Transit Connect

The new Ford Transit Connect will be available in a choice of short and long wheelbase versions, and Ford promises that this small van will feature the latest low-CO2 powertrain technologies and will deliver best-in-class fuel economy in all of its target markets.

In Europe, the engine line-up will include highly-efficient downsized diesel and petrol engines.

In Europe, deliveries of the all-new Transit and Transit Connect are due to start by the end of 2013.

There’s no word yet from Ford as to whether either of the new vans will be built in the UK, but hopefully Ford’s Southampton factory will continue to build some Transit models, as it does at present.

Update 17/07/2013: Ford has confirmed that its Southampton plant will cease production on July 26 2013, and will subsequently be closed.

Van Registrations Slump (Again) In August

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Van registrations fell by 12.5% in August, reversing July’s gains.

As I suggested in my report last month, July’s sudden surge in new van registrations was a fluke, probably caused by one or two large fleet deliveries and a bunch of pre-registered vans.

Whatever the reasons for July’s 10% rise in van registrations, they weren’t repeated in August, which saw a 12.5% fall in the number of vans that were registered.

The latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that the van sector looks likely to be the last to recover from the recession, as Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive, explains:

“Trucks have performed well throughout 2012 with volumes up 20% for the year-to-date, but vans have struggled and look set to end the year almost 10% behind last year’s levels. Last year we saw heavy trucks leading recovery, now medium-weight trucks are performing well, up 40% for the year so far. The economic situation in Europe and around the world is far from certain, but if business and buyer confidence improves, we’d anticipate the van market recovering in 2013.”

Although I think expectations of a strong recovery for the van market in 2013 may be a little optimistic, I can see the logic in this argument. I have commented before that van sales are most vulnerable to being postponed or delayed, as many van buyers are the kind of small businesses and tradesmen for whom finance is hard to come buy and cash flow is tight at present.

Although van sales are down 8.4% on 2011 for the year to date, on a rolling year basis — i.e. the last 12 months — van sales are only down by 1.4% on the previous period, suggesting that things are not getting much worse, even if they are not improving.

You can see the latest sales trends on the graph below, although the changes in van registrations are not all that clear due to the size of the scale:

SMMT van and truck registrations August 2012

Trucks Steady

Truck registrations were stable in August, with 2,408 new units registered through the month, leaving truck registrations up by 20.9% on a rolling year basis, at 47,766.

Fiat Goes Large With Doblo XL

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Fiat Doblò XL

The new Fiat Doblò XL

Fiat has extended its Doblò Cargo van range with the Doblò XL, a long wheelbase, high-roof version of this not-so-small van.

The Doblò XL’s combination of a long wheelbase and high roof provides a load volume of 5.0 m3 and a payload of 1,000kg, providing customers with a new proposition previously unavailable in this segment. The Doblò XL is the latest non-standard variant of the Doblo, following on from the Work Up, a pick-up version introduced last year.

The new Doblò XL Cargo versions are powered by a choice of three Euro 5 turbodiesel engines: 1.6 MultiJet 105 hp, 1.6 MultiJet 90hp MTA and 2.0 MultiJet 135hp. Combi versions will be available with the 2.0 MultiJet 135hp only.

The Doblò XL is likely to appeal to a  variety of customers, including utilities, service vehicles (with ladder stored internally), converters and wheelchair-accessible transport for example. Its small van cost and medium van 1,000kg payload mean that it might well appeal to van operators looking to downsize and save money.

The New Doblò XL will be available in Cargo and Combi (people carrier/crew cab) versions and as with the existing Doblò Cargo and Combi range, the Doblò XL will be available in two trim levels. In addition, Combi M1 versions will have side airbags and ESP as standard equipment. Options include Blue&Me with steering wheel controls, Blue&Me TomTom navigator and eco:Drive Professional software.

The New Doblò XL is available to order now with pricing starting at £15,765.00 (basic) for the Doblò XL Cargo Base 1.6 MultiJet 16v Diesel 105, rising to £19,045.00 (basic) for the Doblò XL Combi SX M12.0 MultiJet 16v Diesel.

For more information visit www.fiatprofessional.co.uk.

Mercedes Citan City Van: UK Launch Model Details

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Mercedes-Benz Citan

Mercedes-Benz Citan

It’s been a long time since Mercedes-Benz sold a small van — but the company is about to put that right with the launch of the Citan, a joint venture model that’s based on the Renault Kangoo and is billed as an urban delivery van.

The Citan is scheduled to receive its public unveiling at the 2012 IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hanover, Germany, in October, but Mercedes has now released some more information about launch models in the Citan range.

Engines

Mercedes’ turbodiesel direct-injection OM 607 1.5-litre engine will be supplied in three different output levels:

  • Citan 108 CDI, output 75 hp, torque 180 Nm
  • Citan 109 CDI, output 90 hp, torque 200 Nm
  • Citan 111 CDI, output 110 hp, torque 240 Nm

The diesel range will be complemented by the turbocharged M 200.71 petrol engine, which has a capacity of 1.2 l:

  • Citan 112, output 114 hp, torque 190 Nm

The Citan 108 CDI and 109 CDI are available now; the Citan 111 CDI and Citan 112 variants will round off the range in the summer of next year.

BlueEFFICIENCY

Mercedes’ BlueEFFICIENCY economy package will be standard on the petrol Citan and optional on diesel models. Fuel consumption for the 108CDi and 109CDi in BlueEFFICIENCY guise is 65mpg on the official combined cycle — no doubt real life will  be lower but economy should be impressive nonetheless.

CO2 emissions will be low, too, with the 108CDi and 109CDI — likely to be the most popular models — specified as having CO2 emissions of just 112g/km. Low emissions and fuel consumption in urban work should be helped by the van’s ECO Start/Stop system, which is part of the BlueEFFICIENCY package.

Three sizes

The Citan will come in three lengths; Compact, Long and Extra Long, providing a wide range of load capacities:

  • Compact: 1.36m long, 2.4m³, approx. 500kg payload
  • Long: 1.75m, 3.1m³, approx. 650kg payload
  • Extra Long: 2.13m, 3.8m³, approx. 800kg payload

As well as these panel van variants, the Citan will also come in Mercedes’ Dualiner and Traveliner variants — basically a crew cab and people carrier respectively.

The Citan will complete Mercedes’ range of vans and allow its customers to choose from a full range of van sizes, from 1.8t to 7.5t.

The new Citan looks to be an attractive package and Mercedes-Benz is going to some pains to try and convince would-be buyers that it is a true Mercedes, not a rebadged Renault.

Renault Launches Updated Master Van

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The new Renault Master

Renault has updated its Master large van range with improved fuel consumption, reduced emissions and uprated towing capacity.

The current version of the Renault Master was launched two years ago. Although it’s not a huge seller in the UK, it has a 15% share of the large van segment across Europe, making it an important model for Renault.

Given that, it’s not surprising that an updated version is about to hit showrooms.

Save money, save the planet

All Masters come with the same 2.3dCi engine, which is available in three different power outputs(100hp, 125hp and 150hp).

Renault has left these unchanged but has managed to improve fuel consumption by up to 3.8mpg, depending on your choice of model. CO2 emissions are also down and now start at 194g/km, offering an average saving of 16g/km across the range.

To achieve these savings, Renault’s engineers focused on the following areas:

  • Thermal management: an improved water circuit for even faster starting;
  • New oil and power steering pumps;
  • Low fuel-consumption tyres;
  • New gearbox lubricant.

Musical upgrades

The changes extend inside the cab, too. A selection of new, easier to use and better-equipped radios are now available and bluetooth and USB connectivity are now standard features across the range. The flagship Sport version comes with a CD player and MP3 playback, as well as a separate display.

Riding on air

Lorry enthusiasts of a certain age will remember when air suspension in lorries was new and impressive enough to be worth boasting about.

That time now seems to have arrived for vans, which are increasingly being offered with air suspension to improve full-load stability and to make loading and unloading easier on uneven surfaces.

Air suspension was previously only available on rear-wheel drive Masters but is now also available on most front-wheel drive models as a £2,000+VAT option. Although it might seem overkill for many van applications, air suspension does offer several benefits:

  • Maintain a constant ride-height irrespective of load;
  • Correct differences behind the left- and right-hand sides of the vehicle (e.g. uneven/asymmetrical loads);
  • Permit the vehicle’s ground clearance or rear clearance angle to be raised temporarily;
  • Drop the rear suspension to achieve a lower rear sill height (450mm);
  • Manually adjust the deck height at the rear by +70mm or -60mm.

Upgraded towing capacity

The final upgrade to the Master is the option of an uprated towing capacity on rear-wheel drive chassis cab models. The These can now be specified with a 3.5t towing capacity, providing a 7 tonne train weight. Previously the maximum towing capacity was 3t, giving a 6.5t train weight.