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.

Pick-Up A Great Wall Steed 4×4 For Just £13,998

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Great Wall Steed 4x4 pick-up

The Great Wall Steed pick-up - coming to UK dealers soon

Great Wall might not be a household name in the UK, but it is a big business in China, where it employs 42,000 people and produces a wide range of cars, SUVs and pick-up trucks, many of which are already exported to markets such as Australia, South America and Italy.

Now, Great Wall is coming to the UK – and will be heralding its arrival with the launch of the Steed pick-up truck at the Birmingham CV Show in April.

As you would expect with a Chinese vehicle, value is top of the agenda.

Lowest-Priced Double Cab Pickup

When it goes on sale in April, prices for the Steed – a full-size double cab pick-up – will start from just £13,998, making it by far the cheapest on the market.

By way of comparison, prices for the new Ford Ranger start at £15,515.

The entry-level Steed will offer buyers a ‘gutsy’ 2-litre diesel engine, six-speed gearbox and on-the-fly selectable 2/4 wheel drive. Other options will be available and Great Wall promises that the Steed will have the lowest insurance ratings of any vehicle in its segment.

In The Flesh

The Steed goes on sale through a brand-new, nationwide network of 40 Great Wall dealers. Great Wall says its UK dealer network has been ‘hand-picked to reflect the brand’s values and philosophy’ and promise standards of customer service that will break new ground in the pick-up market.

The Steed can be seen in Hall 3A Stand 70 at the CV Show next month – the first time a Chinese manufacturer has exhibited at the annual commercial vehicle showcase.

The CV Show runs from 24-26 April 2012. For more information visit www.cvshow.com.

New Fiestavan ECOnetic Delivers 85MPG

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Ford ECOnetic Technology badgeDo you need a small, car-derived van with outstanding fuel efficiency?

If you do, a Ford Fiestavan in updated ECOnetic Techology spec is probably the answer to your prayers.

Brentwood‘s finest have created a new über-ECOnetic spec, which will be badged as ECOnetic Technology. As the name suggests, it includes more technology than the standard ECOnetic.

The new ECOnetic Technology specification will cut the Fiestavan’s CO2 emissions from 95 to 87g/km and boost combined cycle fuel consumption to 85.6mpg.

Benefits of the ECOnetic Technology specification include:

  • Zero-rated VED
  • CO2 emissions of just 87g/km
  • Auto-Start-Stop
  • Upgrades to the 95PS 1.6TDCi engine including friction and combustion improvements and calibration optimisation
  • Revised gear ratios
  • Smart regenerative charging
  • EcoMode
  • Improved efficiency of the air conditioning, cooling fan and alternator

Ford FiestavanOriginal equipment fitted as standard to the Fiesta and FiestaVan ECOnetic, including rolling resistance tyres, an aero pack comprising undershield and wheel deflectors, variable flow oil pump and shift indicator light, is carried over on ECOnetic Technology models.

Every model in Ford’s Fiesta range emits less than 130g/km, meaning that whichever Fiesta model you end up choosing, you will pay no road tax in the first year of ownership.

Fiestavan ECOnetic prices start from £12,215. For more information, visit www.ford.co.uk.

Transit & Sprinter Score Five Times At VansA2Z Awards 2012

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Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was chosen as Best Large Panel Van and Best 4x4 Panel Van at the VansA2Z.com Awards 2012

The VansA2Z.com annual awards are a chance for the van industry to see what one of the UK’s leading van news publications thinks of its products.

We’ve already seen that the Renault Kangoo Van Z.E. collected the electric van award, but who were the other big winners on awards night at Twickenham Stadium??

Transit Wins Overall

The Ford Transit won the Van of the Year award. The decision is no surprise –  VansA2Z.com raved about the latest Euro 5 incarnation of the Transit when they drove it at the European launch.

The Transit also collected the Best Small Van and Best Minibus awards, while Ford’s Fiesta Van was Highly Commended in the Small Van category, its second recent award mention.

The new Ford Ranger was chosen as the Best Pick-Up, rounding off a superb evening for the boys from Brentwood.

Sprinter Takes Two

The Mercedes team didn’t go back to Milton Keynes empty handed, either. The Sprinter earned two awards, thanks to its selection as Best Large Panel Van and Best 4×4 Panel Van.

VansA2Z Editor, Neil McIntee said:

“Last year’s winner, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, retains its Large Panel Van of the Year crown. The van is beautifully put together and is available in a huge array of configurations and multiple wheelbases with load volumes going up to 17.0m3. There is also a wide selection of chassis cab variants ready and waiting to have appropriate bodywork fitted.

“We have also had the opportunity to test the Sprinter 4×4 in some very demanding conditions and were quite amazed by how proficient the system is in action; even on normal road tyres – well done to Mercedes-Benz!”

Nissan To Reveal NV400 Chassis Cab Range At CV Show

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Nissan NV400 tipper van

Nissan NV400 Tipper

Nissan will exclusively reveal its new NV400 chassis cab range at the Birmingham CV Show in April.

This will be made up of factory dropside and tipper options plus a Good To Go range of bodybuilder conversion that will be sold through dealers as a complete vehicle, ensuring it is compliant with the forthcoming EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval requirements.

A mid and long wheelbase NV400 chassis cab in both front and rear wheel drive will be launched with two factory built vehicles and a Nissan Good To Go range of conversions.  All will be offered by Nissan dealers.

There will be two engine options of 125hp and 150hp and a total of 13 variants to choose from including a single cab and double cab. The factory-built conversions initially comprise a dropside and tipper which are built on the production line and will be delivered to the operator ready for action.

The Good To Go range will include a box van, Luton and fridge van, plus a combi and minibus option that will be built by UK converters handpicked by Nissan and sold by dealers to operators as a complete vehicle.

“The CV Show is a great platform to launch our new NV400 chassis cab and remind operators that Nissan has one of the widest LCV ranges on offer in the UK,” explained James Douglas, Nissan Motor GB’s corporate sales director.

“With the NV400 semi forward van based chassis cab and the Cabstar truck chassis cab Nissan has two base vehicles that operators can use to build virtually any size or shape of conversion to match their business requirements. We believe this will help further grow our LCV sales in 2012,” he added.

Nissan is focused on promoting the NV400 (which is a rebadged Renault Master) as part of its plan to build on last year’s record LCV sales.

For more information, visit www.nissan.co.uk or the CV Show website.

Slough-Based IT Specialist Chooses Citroën Vans

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Citroen Berlingo van operated by Logistics InternationalSlough-based IT services firm Logistics International plc and its subsidiary Wildfield Ltd. have just completed a major van and car fleet deal with Citroën Slough.

As part of a fleet replacement programme, the specialist IT engineering service companies have taken delivery of 43 new Citroën vehicles, including 26 Berlingo HDi 75 manual L1 625 Enterprise vans.

Leatherhead-based Logistics International plc offers its UK and European customers a wide range of IT engineering services as well as printer support, managed print services and field mobility solutions. The company’s new Citroëns will be used by its highly trained IT software engineers, who provide its blue chip customer base with skilled, specialist support.

George Kyle, Logistics International’s Fleet Manager, explains: “Our new Citroëns replace a mixed fleet with a single make. We already run some Citroëns and, in acquiring these latest vehicles, we have enjoyed an excellent level of service from the Citroën Slough Business Centre, both in achieving the correct vehicle specification for each user and in selecting the right contract hire deal through Citroën Contract Motoring. Since these new Citroën cars and vans have entered service, our engineers have been very impressed with their new vehicles.”

Logistics International’s 43 new Citroëns are being operated on 36 month, with maintenance, contract hire agreements with Citroën Contract Motoring. Dependent on application and location, Logistics International’s vehicles will cover between 90,000 and 105,000 miles, both in the UK and Europe, during their service life with the company.

Volkswagen Van Deliveries Up 21% In 2011

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Volkswagen Transporter T5Volkswagen has announced record results for 2011. The group, which includes the Škoda, Seat, Volkswagen, Audi and Crewe-based Bentley brands as well as truckmakers Scania and MAN, recorded 14.7% to a record 8.3 million vehicle deliveries in 2011.

Car deliveries totalled 5.1m, while Volkswagen delivered 529,000 vans globally, up 21.4% on last year’s figure of 436,000.

Vans generated more profit for the Group, too, with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles‘ operating profit rising by €217 million to €449 million (2010: €232 million). VW says that this was due to higher sales and lower materials costs.

As I have reported recently, UK truck sales have been strong over the last year and VW reports that its Swedish truck manufacturer, Scania, increased deliveries by 25.7 per cent to 80,100 trucks and buses in 2011. Truckmaker MAN, in which VW has a 57.33% stake, delivered 24,750 trucks and buses in the period from November to December 2011.

Used Van Prices Fall In January

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BCA auctions - a van being sold at auctionUsed LCV values fell by £211 in February to £4,272 according to BCA’s latest figures, a 4.7% drop from the 20-month high recorded in January.

BCA’s Pulse data shows average LCV values fell in all three sectors of fleet/lease, dealer part-exchange and nearly-new thanks to a combination of softer demand and changing model mix as supply pressures continued.

The February average figure of £4,272 was the lowest recorded in the past six months and performance against Guide Prices fell by one and three-quarter points to 98.23%.

BCA Used van prices February 2012

However, year-on-year, February 2012 was £126 ahead of the same month in 2011, equivalent to a 3% improvement – despite the average age and mileage rising by four months and over 6,000 miles respectively in the same period.

Duncan Ward, BCA’s General Manager – Commercial Vehicles said:

“However, values remain at a much higher level than they were a year ago, despite both mileage and age rising by around 8% in that time.  This is in line with our expectations – shared by Professor Peter Cooke at the Centre for Automotive Management, Buckingham University – that the market will continue to experience a relative shortage of units under five-years old in the short- to medium-term.   As a result of the lower new van sales since 2008 and the trend for larger businesses to hold on to vans for longer, it may become increasingly difficult to source good quality used LCV stock and this means values are likely to remain reasonably firm as a result.”

As I discussed in Wednesday’s post about new van registrations, it seems that the market for vans is taking longer to recover than for trucks.

New Van Registrations Down 26.4% In February

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Figures much worse than January.

New van registrations fell by 26.4% in February, compared to February 2011, according to the latest SMMT figures. The February figures are disappointing but not surprising – new van registrations also fell in January.

Van registrations for the year to date were down by 20.3%, although registrations on a rolling year basis – the last twelve months – were up by 10.3% compared to the same period a year before.

Stronger Demand For Bigger Vans

Van registration numbers for February were closely correlated with weight, with larger vans seeing a smaller fall in registrations than smaller models:

Van type % Change Feb 2012 Feb 2011
Vans < 2.0t -45.0% 1,331 2,420
Vans >2.0t – 2.5t -25.4% 1,014 1,359
Vans >2.5 – 3.5t -18.6% 4,947 6,079

Truckin’ Great

As we saw in January, truck registrations are proving far more robust than van sales, suggesting that the fundamentals of the economy are not in such bad shape as consumer demand would have you think.

Truck sales rose by 26.4% in February compared to last year, generating a 36.7% rise in truck sales for the year to date and a 23.7% improvement over the last 12 months.

Artic registrations were largely unchanged from the same period last year, falling by 1.5%. However, this figure conceals a big divide between 2-axle units (up 134.7%) and 3-axle units (down 13.8%).

Once again, rigid registrations recorded the biggest increases, rising by 46.5% overall, with strong increases across all weight categories.

Bad Year For Van Manufacturers?

So far, new van registrations in 2012 are lower than any other year since 1998, except for recession-hit 2009.

Hopefully the remainder of the year will bring good economic news (such as Nissan’s announcement about the future of its Sunderland plant) that will give business owners the confidence to continue with their usual fleet replacement cycles. In the meantime, van hire businesses look set to profit from their ability to provide vans on a flexible, short-term basis.

Stunning New Ford Transit Shows Shape Of Future

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Ford Tourneo Concept - new Transit shapeFord has released the first pictures of its all-new Ford Transit, which will be unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

The new Transit is first being shown in Tourneo people carrier form but will also be made with a panel van body, as at present.

According to Ford, the Tourneo Custom Concept (i.e. the new Transit) “adopts the same Kinetic Design language as Ford’s latest passenger cars to take a fresh approach to space, style and functionality.”

It certainly looks stunning and should combine very well with Ford’s current Euro 5 engine line-up.

The Tourneo Custom Concept is based on a new Ford global platform which has been engineered to deliver car-like dynamics, including agile, responsive handling, enhanced ride comfort and reduced noise-levels.

The new models will use the latest Ford ECOnetic technologies to reduce emissions and fuel consumption and will have a car-like interior quite different to current medium-sized vans.

Ford Tourneo Concept - new Transit cab shot

The Tourneo model pictured is technically a concept vehicle but is expected to form the basis of Ford’s new commercial vehicle range, set to be introduced later this year. Given how close the launch date is, the production models should look very similar to the van we’ve pictured.

New Generation of Ford Commercial Vehicles

The debut of the Tourneo Custom Concept has added significance in heralding the arrival of a completely new generation of Ford commercial vehicles. The full range of models will be revealed during 2012.

Kicking off this major series of introductions, the Tourneo Custom Concept itself highlights a new family of Ford people movers and one-tonne vans which will be launched in Europe and other global markets, but will not be sold in North America.

This new range will be powered by enhanced versions of the new 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine, which was initially introduced in 2011; with Auto-Stop-Start technology fitted as standard, Ford is targeting best-in-class fuel economy.

Three power ratings will be available: 100 PS, 125 PS and 155 PS.  All versions are paired with a six-speed manual transmission and feature front-wheel drive.

The model range will include a wide choice of body styles and two wheelbases (SWB and LWB) allowing for extra luggage or goods capability where required.

New Ford Transit concept - rear viewNew Ford Transit concept front viewFord Transit conceptFord Tourneo concept vehicle

For more information, visit www.ford.co.uk.

EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval Threatens Independent Bodybuilders

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The last few years have seen most European light commercial vehicle manufacturers introduce ready-built conversion options to their van ranges.

Common conversion, such as lutons, dropsides, tippers, minibuses and even refrigerated vans are increasingly available direct from the factory – or else via a factory-approved converter with the conversion included in the original sale.

This offers manufacturers and customers a number of advantages in terms of quality, consistence and simplicity – and may even have been good news for some larger bodybuilders who have managed to secure OEM contracts. On the other hand, it probably has not been good news for smaller independent bodybuilders who have lost some of their bread and butter work

Introducing EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval

What is more certain is that the latest EU rules are not going to be good news for independent bodybuilders. From 29th April 2012, manufacturers, converters and bodybuilders of Special Purpose Vehicles (category M1) will have to seek Type Approval to register vehicles across Europe. No type approval will mean that the vehicle cannot be registered.

 Bodybuilders making all sorts of products from motor-caravans, ambulances and hearses to armoured vehicles and wheelchair accessible vehicles (up to eight seats) will have to adhere to the new rules.

Whole Vehicle Type Approval means that the whole of the finished vehicle must be approved – not just parts of it. For example, a manufacturer chassis cab will already have type approval, and until now, an independent bodybuilder could fit a suitable body to it without requiring the whole vehicle to be recertified. That will no longer be the case.

All vehicles sold will need to have whole vehicle type approval and will need either a certificate of conformity (for production models) or an Individual Vehicle Approval Certificate (for one-off models) to prove it. From 29th October 2012, these rules will also apply to trailers.

The SMMT has put together a guide to the approval process that is probably a good starting point for anyone who feels that they might be affected: senta.smmt.co.uk.