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

Northgate Reports Stable Hire Fleet Utilisation

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Van hire specialist Northgate has reported stable fleet utilisation over the last quarter, in its latest update to the stock market.

In the UK, vehicle utilisation for the three months to 18 September averaged 89%, in line with that experienced in the year ended 30 April 2012. In Northgate’s other market, Spain, utilisation has remained at 90%, also in line with the previous period.

Of course, Darlington-based Northgate isn’t immune to the severe recession in Spain nor to the weak demand being generated by the UK’s stagnant economy. To maintain consistently high utilisation levels, it is gradually trimming its fleet size (as I reported in September last year).

Northgate has reduced its UK fleet from 52,900 to 50,900 since the 30th April 2012, with vehicles on hire decreasingly in a similar fashion, from 46,400 at 30 April 2012 to 44,800 at 18 September 2012 — a decrease of 1,600 units compared to a fall of 2,400 in the same period last year.

Luckily, the recession-induced fall in new van registrations since 2008 means that the market for good quality used vans is strong, something that Northgate is able to capitalise on by selling its de-fleeted vans through its van sales division, Van Monster.

Outlook: Looking for retail opportunities

Northgate says that despite the “challenging economic conditions”, it continues to trade in line with its expectations and is managing to reduce net debt and gearing while focusing on optimising the efficiency of its operations.

Although it has historically focused on the business market, it is now moving into the retail market, offering daily van rental services to private renters as well as trade customers. Its main van hire website — Northgate Vehicle Hire — has been updated to offer personal use options and the company is pushing its retail hire offering at all 60 of its UK branches.

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.

Save Up To 20% On Europcar Van Hire

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Europcar logoSave up to 20% on Europcar Van Hire for bookings made by  30th September.

THIS OFFER HAS NOW EXPIRED.

The latest edition of our newsletter is out and if you want to save up to 20% on Europcar van hire then click here.

Europcar’s current offer will give you up to 20% off van hire for bookings made by the 30th September 2012 for hires before 16th December 2012. T&Cs apply, see Europcar’s website for details.

You can find details of all current van hire discount offers on our voucher codes page.

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.

London Van Operators Pay For Congestion Charge Inequality

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Vauxall Corsavan next to Corsa car in London

Spot the difference: the owners of the Corsavan (l) pay £10 for each day they enter the London Congestion Charging Zone. The owners of the Corsa car (r), which has identical emissions, are exempt and pay nothing.

A flaw in the London Congestion Charge rules means that vans with low-emission vehicles don’t get the same exemptions as car operators.

Currently, any motorist who drives a car with emissions below 100g/km CO2 is exempt from the London Congestion Charge. However, light commercial vehicles under 3.5 tonnes with sub-100g/km CO2 emissions are not exempt.

Vauxhall’s Corsavan 1.3 CDTi ecoFLEX with Start/Stop technology achieves emissions of just 89g/km CO2, exactly the same as the equivalent 5-door Corsa, but unlike its passenger car variant, its operators must pay the Congestion Charge of £10 per day.

For example, Plantire, an equipment hire firm based near Heathrow, runs two Corsavans as service vehicles and usually makes six journeys per week into the Congestion Charge zone. It is effectively being penalised for running a low-CO2 van in London to the tune of around £3,000 per year.

Although this inequality is only going to affect a relatively small number of London van operators, it is very unfair and should clearly be rectified. Vans like the Corsavan are genuine car-derived vans; they are the same as the equivalent car models, except for interior modifications to create a loadspace and remove the rear row of seats.

If you want to contact Transport for London to complain about this nonsense, then you can email them at:

enquiries@cclondon.com

Used Van Values Continue To Fall

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BCA Commercial vehicle auctionUsed van values fell by 3.6% (£154) to £,4075 in August compared to July, although performance improved against the CAP average by more than 1% to 99%, according to the latest figures from BCA Auctions.

Compared to last August, the picture is more interesting. Although the average used van value is marginally higher than in August 2011, at £4,075 versus £4,056, the average age is 7.5% higher at 58 months, and the average mileage is 5.6% higher, at 78,167 miles.

In other words, used van buyers are paying more for less, a trend I also reported last month.

The underlying problem is that low new van volumes since 2008 mean that there is a shortage of good quality used stock entering the secondary market. This trend has yet to bottom out, as Duncan Ward BCA’s General Manager – Commercial Vehicles explains:

“The market remains short of good quality, ready to retail used vans, and this is set to continue for some time to come.  Writing in BCA’s 2012 Used Car Market Report, Professor Peter Cooke suggests there is a potential shortfall of some 375,000 first-time used LCVs in the marketplace, as a result of the low new LCV volumes since the onset of the recession in 2008.  The effects of this are already being felt but will hit hardest in 2013 and 2014 when replacement volumes reaching the used market from the fleet and lease sector will be exceptionally low.”

The average also hides a wide divergence between mediocre also-rans and top-quality used models, according to Ward:

“Buyer confidence remains fairly fragile and trade buyers are looking for a quick turnaround and often buying to order, rather than speculating on vehicles. This results in the very best retail vehicles often making exceptional money, while vans in poor condition may struggle for attention. ”

None of this should really be a surprise, as it’s quite clear that UK economy is stagnating at best and contracting at worst. Small businesses of the kind that buy new and used vans will be hardest hit and suffer the biggest difficulties when it comes to cash flow and finance availability, meaning that van replacement cycles will be stretched out as long as possible, especially for non-transport users with low mileage usage patterns.

August is traditionally a weaker month for demand — it will be interesting to see if the trend reverses or stabilises this month, but when cash-strapped buyers are paying more for older, more worn vehicles, downwards pressure on prices is pretty much inevitable.

Peugeot Citroën Confirm Electric Van Launch

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Peugeot Partner Electric van

Peugeot Partner Electric van, due for launch 2Q 2013.

Update: Citroën will also be unveiling its Berlingo electric van at the Hanover Motor Show — the Electric Berlingo. As the Partner and the Berlingo come off the same PSA Peugeot Citroën  production line are basically the same vehicle, expect both to be very similar to the vehicle described below.

Peugeot has confirmed the details of its upcoming Partner Electric van model.

The van will be shown for the first time at this month’s Hanover Motor Show and is scheduled for launch in the second quarter of 2013.

The Partner Electric will be equipped with 22.5kWh of battery capacity which will be fitted under the body of the vehicle, either side of the rear axle. This will leave the load space unchanged from the standard model and keep the centre of gravity as low as possible, improving handling.

Peugeot claim that the van’s range of 105 miles on the NEDC (European testing cycle) will be the best in class.

Up front, the van will be powered by an electric motor offering 49kW (67bhp) and 200Nm of torque. In common with an increasing number of electric vehicles, the Partner Electric will support two charging modes:

  • Normal –  13A/16A connection and provide a full charge in 6-9 hours
  • Fast Charge – 125A connection will charge to 80% capacity in 30 minutes

To help encourage energy-efficient driving, the Partner Electric will have a energy consumption and recovery indicator on the dashboard, alongside an extra gauge showing auxiliary consumption — the extra, non-motive power used by heating, air conditioning and other auxiliary systems.

Full range of sizes

Like most electric vehicles, the Partner Electric will recover energy during deceleration and active braking by turning kinetic energy into electric energy and topping up the battery; the reverse of what happens under acceleration.

Like the standard model, the Partner Electric will be available in a full range of sizes, including L1 and L2 wheelbases and crew cab models.