Commercial Vehicle Registrations Down 4.7% In May, But Still Higher Than 2012

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Van registrations fell by 3.8% in May 2013, compared to May 2012, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

However, despite May’s falls, the commercial vehicle market as a whole remains up by 8.3% on the year to date, thanks to a 13% increase in van registrations compared to the first five months of 2012:

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

May % change Year-to-date % change Rolling year % change
Vans 20,503 -3.8% 110,136 13.0% 252,278 2.0%
Trucks 3,646 -9.4% 17,325 -14.3% 42,808 -9.7%
Total 24,149 -4.7% 127,461 8.3% 295,086 0.1%

Data courtesy of SMMT

Truck registrations continued to trend lower last month, dropping by 9.4%, leaving them down by 14.3% for the year to date, compared to the first five months of 2012. One reason for this could be operators’ hesitation about switching from Euro 5 to Euro 6, as Nigel Base, SMMT’s Commercial Vehicle Manager, explains:

“The overall CV market has performed well so far in 2013, but May saw volumes fall 3.8% as van model cycles combined with Euro 6 uncertainty for trucks.

For trucks, history tells us that purchases of Euro 5 will mix with new Euro 6 trucks as the year progresses, which could boost the market in the second half of 2013. For vans, the picture was positive up to May, so we anticipate this blip to be overcome as the year pans out.”

Despite this year’s modest improvement, new van registrations remain substantially lower than the 2003-2008 average, as the graph below shows:

Van registrations May 2009-13

Van registrations May 2009-13 (courtesy of SMMT)

Pick-ups and sub-2.5t vans gain ground

Last month’s fall wasn’t spread evenly across the sub-3.5t LCV market. Pick-ups continued to make gains, with new registrations rising 22.8% last month compared to May 2012. On a year-to-date basis, pick-up registrations are now 37.4% higher than last year, making them the top-performing vehicle in the sub-3.5t LCV category.

Coming a close second, and with slightly higher volumes, registrations of vans between 2.0t and 2.5t are up by 22% on the year-to-date, and rose by 15% last month compared to May 2012.

However, the biggest volume sector of the van market remains the 2.5t-3.5t segment, which includes large van models such as the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Iveco Daily. Registrations in this category dipped by 6.7% last month but remain 8.9% higher on the year-to-date, with 60,395 registered so far this year, up from 55,460 for the same period last year.

A sign of things to come?

The overall picture is one of cautious optimism for the van market, and it may be that operators are being forced to update their fleets after deferring planned renewals as long as possible.

Newer models offer increasingly powerful incentives in terms of lower emissions and improved fuel consumption, but I don’t expect total registrations in 2013 to run that far ahead of last year’s total.

Iveco Extends Pre-Bodied ‘DriveAway’ Scheme to 7.5t Eurocargo Models

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Iveco Eurocargo DriveAway box lorry

This Eurocargo box lorry is one of three pre-converted DriveAway models that now available from Iveco dealers. The other two choices are a tipper, and a curtainside conversion.

Over the last few years, I’ve reported more than once on the growing popularity of van manufacturers’ in-house conversion schemes, which allow you to buy ready-made lutons, dropsides, tippers and other chassis cab conversions directly from main van dealers.

For younger readers, it never used to be like this! If you wanted to buy a luton for your removals firm, you had to order a chassis cab from a van manufacturer and then arrange for a bodybuilder to fit a luton body to it for you.

The convenience of the manufacturers’ conversion schemes is obvious, but their other big advantage lies in the area of the EU Whole Type Approval rules, which will require modifications made to a vehicle before it is first registered to undergo type approval (for more information on this, click here).

Iveco was one of the first companies to understand the potential of this approach and its ‘DriveAway’ scheme for its 3.5t Daily model has been very successful.

Buoyed by this success, Iveco has now extended the DriveAway scheme to its Eurocargo 7.5 tonne model, which will now be available with box, curtainside and tipper bodies.

Martin Flach, Iveco’s Product Director, says:

“European Whole Vehicle Type Approval applies to all trucks above 3.5 tonnes from October 2014 and these Eurocargo DriveAway bodies will be certified during 2013, well in advance of the deadline.

“Critically for customers, it means the complete Eurocargo DriveAway vehicle can be purchased on one invoice with a comprehensive two year unlimited mileage warranty covering the body and chassis. It also gives customers the assurance of quality engineering from an Iveco accredited bodybuilder – with solutions to suit the three most popular body types specified on Ivecos in this weight category.”

A key benefit to customers will be that they will only have to deal with one point of sale (the Iveco dealer), rather than co-ordinating between two or more suppliers.  As a result, there will be significantly shorter delivery times, coupled with lower costs and higher residual values. Many vehicles will be available to purchase directly from dealer forecourts.

I can see this could a particular attraction to van and truck hire firms offering 7.5 tonne lorries for hire, as they will be able to benefit from shorter lead times, a high quality, standardised solution, and solid resale values.

DriveAway 7.5t Launch Models

Iveco Eurocargo DriveAway Tipper model

A 7.5t Eurocargo tipper model will also be available as part of the DriveAway launch range.

From launch the range will include the Eurocargo DriveAway tipper (ML75E16K), built on a 3,105 mm wheelbase. The Brit-Tipp body features a steel front end double dropside tipping body complete with heavy duty ladder gantry and top and bottom hinged rear tailgate, with the body weighing just 1,110 kg for an ultra-competitive payload.

The tipper model can be optionally specified with a 50mm tow ball and pin with seven pin trailer connection for the tipper body.

The Eurocargo DriveAway box (ML75E16S) features a 4,455 mm wheelbase, with internal load space dimensions of 6,100 mm (l) x 2,400 mm (w) x 2,375 mm (h) and offers a cubic capacity of 34.77m³. This JC Payne body weighs approximately 1,370 kg, and customers can add a 1,000 kg-plated column tail-lift as an optional extra.

Completing the range is a Eurocargo DriveAway curtainsider (ML75E16), also built on a 4,455mm wheelbase and with internal load space dimensions of 6,100 mm (l) x 2,400 mm (w) x 2,384 mm (h). This JC Payne body offers a cubic capacity of 35.95m³, with a body weight of approximately 1,375 kg.  Customers can add a 1,000 kg-plated tuck-away tail-lift as an option.

Iveco dealers nationwide will be taking delivery of stock vehicles during June and July 2013. If a vehicle is not available from a customer’s local forecourt, dealers will have the ability to quickly source available vehicles from other Iveco dealers within the network. Alternatively, any available chassis can be delivered to the respective manufacturer’s production facility and a DriveAway options body fast-tracked into production to ensure short lead times.

Nissan Boosts LCV Fleet Credentials With 275-Van Order

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Nissan NV200 owned by Richard Irvin Services Group

One of the 220 Nissan NV200 vans ordered by Richard Irvin Services Group.

Nissan has never been a big player in the UK fleet van market, but it is gradually making in-roads into this important sector.

Earlier this year, British Gas added 138 Nissan Primastars to its fleet and the Japanese manufacturer has now announced that it has received an order to supply 275 NV200 and Primastar vans to Scottish building services and engineering company, Richard Irvin Services Group (RISG).

The initial order comprises 220 NV200s and 55 Primastars and will be delivered in stages over the next 30 months. Each van will be kept for four years and all will be finished in striking RISG livery. The NV200s will have roof racking fitted with a roller bar plus internal racking for equipment and tools storage.

24 NV200s and 10 Primastars medium vans are already with RISG field engineers who will use the new vehicles to provide an around-the-clock maintenance service when visiting customers who require an on-call reactive service. This order is Nissan’s largest corporate LCV order yet in the UK, highlighting the progress it is making in this key sector.

RISG receives in excess of 60,000 customer calls per annum, and covers the whole of Scotland. As a result, it needed vehicles that are reliable and can comfortably house repair equipment, as well as keep their drivers in comfortable and safe when covering long distances.

Feedback so far has been positive, with drivers praising the vans for their handling, performance and fuel economy.

George Robb, Richard Irvin Services Group procurement director said:

“We’re currently going through a period of investing in our people and capital and this deal marks an integral part of this strategy. We took a product rather than price led selection approach by making sure our drivers tested the vehicles first to ensure they were fit for purpose and we’re happy the feedback so far from the drivers has been so positive.”

Although the Vauxhall Vivaro and some Renault Trafic models are manufactured at the Vauxhall plant at Luton, the Nissan Primastar — despite being essentially the same vehicle — is manufactured at Nissan’s plant in Spain, near Barcelona, as is the NV200. Nissan remains one of the largest vehicle manufacturers in the UK, however, building several of its popular car models, including the Juke and the Qashqai, at its Sunderland plant, which employs 6,000 people.

Isuzu D-Max Now Offers Best-In-Class 3.5 Tonne Towing Capacity

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Isuzu D-Max towing a trailer

The Isuzu D-Max now has a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes, the highest in the UK pick-up segment.

Isuzu UK has announced that the towing capacity of the new D-Max has been increased by 500 kg – adding to its already impressive list of credentials. The increase has come as a response to customer feedback and to satisfy those who were demanding extra capacity.

All 4×4 models of the D-Max will be able to tow a maximum braked load of 3.5 tonnes, with the new certification applying to all Isuzu D-Max pick-ups registered in the UK from July 1 2013, excluding any unregistered vehicles that remain in the UK dealer network.

With confirmation of the new certification to tow 3.5 tonnes, the Isuzu D-Max becomes the most capable pick-up in the segment.

William Brown, General Manager at Isuzu UK comments:

“The Isuzu D-Max already boasts class-leading fuel efficiency, residual values and our pioneering five-year / 125,000-mile warranty, however the addition of segment-best 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity demonstrates that the Isuzu D-Max is the pick-up of choice for business and recreational users alike.

“The Isuzu D-Max was already a compelling proposition, winning awards and breaking sales records, so it’s fantastic that we can now also offer the highest towing capacity in this highly competitive segment.”

The Isuzu D-Max is proving to be hugely popular with UK buyers, after the Japanese-marque announced record sales of 824 vehicles during the month of March.

Glasgow City Council Chooses Fiat Doblò Work Up Solution

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Fiat Doblo Work Up Glasgow City Council

Some of Glasgow City Council’s Fiat Doblò Work Up vans have been fitted with tail lifts.

Glasgow City Council has taken delivery of 31 new Fiat Doblò Work Up vehicles which will join its existing fleet of over 200 Fiat Professional vehicles.

The new Doblò Work Up deal is part of an on-going four year Framework Agreement between specialist Fiat Professional dealer, Imperial Commercials Glasgow, and Glasgow City Council for the supply of commercial vehicles.

Fiat Professional models already supplied under the agreement are the Fiorino Combi, Fiorino Cargo, Doblò Cargo, and Ducato. The models are used in a variety of applications across several departments and will be used in all council services including Roads & Winter maintenance, Cleansing, Parks and Homecare.

The Fiat Doblò Work Up is a dropside vehicle with much more compact external dimensions than most other dropside models, allowing easy use in urban areas such as Glasgow. The external dimensions are not, however, a limit to its performance. The load box is 2.30 m long and 1.82 m wide, with 4 m2 of loading area which can accommodate a payload of up to 1,000kg. Additionally, the bi-link rear suspension permits a rear axle load of up to 1,450kg.

The new vehicles are all powered by Fiat’s 1.3 MultiJet II 16v Diesel engine which employs Fiat’s latest MultiJet II technology, helping to lower running costs and reduce emissions. The 90 bhp 1.3-litre MultiJet II diesel has an official Combined Cycle fuel consumption figure of 55.4 mpg and an emissions figure of  133g/km.

Options fitted to the vehicles include Remote Central Locking, Blue&Me, Steering Wheel Controls, Start&Stop and ESP. All vehicles will be supplied in white and feature Glasgow City Council’s unique livery.  Some will be equipped with tail lifts which have been fitted by George Newberry Coach Builders Ltd, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire.

“During the selection process we were looking for vehicles that provided high quality and the best possible value, and Fiat Professional’s models met our requirements perfectly. Reliability, competitive whole-life costs and reducing our environmental footprint were also big considerations in our final choice,” says Emil Laiolo, Transport manager, Glasgow City Council.

“We are delighted with how the vehicles are performing and are looking forward to the addition of the new Doblò Work Up vehicles to the fleet.  It has also been reassuring to know that we have the full back-up and resource of Imperial Commercials Glasgow who have understood our requirements and who have provided tremendous support throughout.”

The Fiat Doblò has already won a number of awards, thanks to its versatility and the wide range of choice included in the range. The Work Up is an unusual model — as far as I know, there aren’t any comparable small pick-up or dropside models available from mainstream manufacturers in the UK.

NCH Chooses Volkswagen Crafter Luton Conversions

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NCH Volkswagen Crafter luton

The Crafter with Luton body conversion

Industrial maintenance provider NCH (UK) has taken delivery of 10 Volkswagen Crafter Luton-bodied vans for its Pure Solve division.

The Crafter Luton vans is a bespoke solution that’s one of a range of conversions available from Volkswagen’s ‘Engineered for You’ programme, which enables customers to order a range of van conversions directly from their main dealer.

NCH, which is based at Bilston, near Wolverhampton, said that residual values, reliability and fuel economy all played a role in the choice — Matt Rivers, operations manager at NCH (UK) said:

“We wanted to acquire a fleet with an outstanding all-around performance, great residual values, but above all excellent fuel economy.

It’s absolutely vital that we have a fleet of vehicles which can meet the high standards of reliability to enable us to provide our services.  The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles range meets those needs and stands out as an excellent investment.”

The Volkswagen Crafter range includes panel vans, crew-cabbed vans and window vanss with up to eight passenger seats, as well as chassis cab modesl and the ‘engineered to go’ range of dropside and tipper conversions. Volkswagen is currently offering a finance deals for contract hire and finance lease from £299 a month (plus VAT and initial rental), including a £1,000 deposit contribution and four free services.  Alternatively, if financed with lease purchase or hire purchase, a £2,000 deposit contribution is available.

County Contractors Doubles Up As Renault Vans Impress

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County Contracts take delivery of new Renault vans

County Contractors take delivery of 14 Renault Trafic Vans and 2 Renault Kangoo Vans on the beach at Weston-super-Mare.

A healthy order book and continued success has led to one of the country’s leading commercial refurbishment contractors taking delivery of its second fleet of Renault vans.

County Contractors, based in Weston-super-Mare, has taken delivery of 14 Renault Trafic vans and two Kangoo Vans. The firm was formed in 1976, and specialises in the refurbishment, fit out and maintenance of business premises, particularly the hospitality and retail sector.

The prominent local company took delivery of their first Renault fleet of 14 vehicles just 18 months ago.  They were so pleased with the practicality and value-for-money of the Renault brand, coupled with rapid expansion in their sector, that they recently returned for a further 16 vehicles.

The investment represents the second phase of a replacement programme designed to update the company’s remaining commercial vehicles.

Kevin Lee, Director at County Contractors, said:

“Our decision to continue with Renault for the second phase was based on the excellent value-for-money and high level of standard specification that we hope will prove invaluable to our employees who travel the length and breadth of the country. Combine this with the good fuel economy and lower CO2emission achieved by the Renault Trafic van as well as our experience of our initial purchases and it all made our choice of manufacturer a relatively simple decision.”

British Gas Targets £1m For Great Ormond Street With Ford

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British Gas Swims Britain Transit Custom

British Gas is hoping to raise £1m for Great Ormond Street with its Swims Britain challenge.

British Gas is hoping to raise £1m for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity this summer, with the British Gas “Swims Britain” challenge, which aims to encourage thousands of its staff members to take part in swimming challenges around the UK.

Challenges will take place throughout the UK, from Windsor in the south of England, up to Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland.

“It’s a massive challenge,” said British Gas sponsorship manager Matthew Leopold. “We want to get all of the British Gas team involved in this huge charity swimming event, from office and sales staff, to the engineers in the power stations and the people out driving their Ford Transit vans every day.”

As I reported recently, British Gas is a big fan of the Ford Transit and recently purchased 520 new Transits, so what better vehicle to support the Swims Britain challenge than a customised Ford Transit Custom?

“We wanted a vehicle that British Gas staff could relate to but could provide added comfort and flexibility, and the Ford Tourneo Custom fits the bill perfectly,” said Matthew.

The aquatic-themed Ford Tourneo Custom, a long wheelbase model, is powered by a Dagenham-built 125PS 2.2-litre TDCi diesel engine. The vehicle is well-equipped for the UK tour, with nine seats, a 230-volt power converter and Ford’s satellite navigation system.

Volkswagen Crafter Gets £700 Kit Boost

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Volkswagen Crafter panel vanVolkswagen aims to boost sales of its Crafter van, which shares its platform with the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, by adding more than £700 of extras to the large van’s standard specification.

In the cab, the added specification includes Bluetooth, a multi-function steering wheel (also adjustable for reach and rake), armrests for the driver’s seat, electrically operated and heated door mirrors and cruise control.  The load area now has a wooden floor as standard, plus an entry handle and 270 degree-opening rear doors.

Prices for the Crafter range start from £21,050, but Volkswagen is currently offering a range of finance deals for new buyers:

  • Contract hire and finance lease rates from £299 a month (plus VAT and initial rental), including a £1,000 initial rental contribution and four free services.
  • Alternatively, if financed with lease purchase or hire purchase, a £2,000 deposit contribution is available.

Commenting on the upgraded Crafter, Mark Hopkins, Head of Marketing, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said:

“With its higher specification, economical BlueMotion engines, affordable finance and impressive residual values, the Crafter is an extremely competitive proposition in the large van market. We have already seen a significant increase in Crafter sales this year, and as the new models offer even better value, we expect to see it become even more popular now.”

The Crafter range includes panel vans with load volumes of up to 17m3, window vans with up to eight passenger seats, single- and double-chassis cabs, plus tipper and dropside ‘Engineered to go’ conversions. The Crafter vans are popular with certain large van rental companies, and do seem to be gaining ground in the competitive large van market, where the Sprinter and Ford Transit have traditionally dominated in the UK.

Full details are available at www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk.

Is The Carisma Viano The World’s Most Luxurious Minibus?

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Carisma Mercedes-Benz Viano conversion

The Carisma Mercedes-Benz Viano conversion

The Mercedes-Benz Viano is pretty well specified in its standard form, and offers car-like levels of comfort and sophistication for up to eight passengers.

However, that’ s not enough for some people, and the new Carisma Viano conversion will provide the UK’s minibus hire operators with a blue riband standard which should work well for Prime Ministers, pop stars and organised crime bosses in need of a mobile office…

Inside, there are no limits — although I imagine the costs are pretty high. Each vehicle is bespoke, as Carisma explains:

The Carisma Auto Design conversion of the Mercedes-Benz Viano provides unlimited scope for the client’s individual choice of exotic materials, audio and visual equipment and made to measure interior design and configuration limited only by their imagination.

Carisma Viano interior

An example of a possible Carisma Viano interior, featuring large screen — 42″ is possible.

Amongst the promises Carisma makes its customers are that the leather it uses will be sourced from barbed-wire free environments, to ensure it is free from imperfections.

Real wood veneers, hand-crafted joinery and Bang & Olufsen audio equipment are all standard, as Sales and Marketing Director, Carisma Auto Design, Clive Drake explains:

“The Mercedes-Benz Viano conversion is our flagship model, as it is the ultimate in discreet luxury travel.

Many of our clients are high-profile heads of states, celebrities or important business people, it is therefore not always possible for them to travel around in a conspicuous luxury limousine, however they still want the luxury and comfort that is provided by such a vehicle, this is where the Viano from Carisma comes in.

Amongst the features recently requested by Carisma’s clients have been solid crystal ash trays and champagne flutes, integrated premium pen sets with tailored housing, customised seat embroidery, 42” televisions and refrigeration units.

All these and much, much, more have all been tastefully hand crafted into vehicles over Colchester-based Carisma Auto Design’s 14 year history.

Carisma Mercedes Viano interior

Another example of the interior of a Carisma Viano conversion.

Carisma’s range isn’t limited to the Viano, either. It also offers bespoke conversions of Mercedes’ über-expensive 4×4, the G-Wagon, the Land Rover Defender, and the Volkswagen T5. For more information and some great pictures, visit www.carismaautodesign.com.