Nissan Cabstar Voted Light Truck Of The Year 2012

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Nissan Cabstar

The Nissan Cabstar

The Nissan Cabstar has been chosen as Light Truck of the Year 2012 at the VansA2Z.com awards, which took place at Twickenham stadium recently.

The Cabstar was judged to be the best in class for its choice of wheelbases and conversions and its improved cabin space for driver and passenger comfort.

Neil McIntee, Editor of VansA2Z commented: “Performance has improved greatly since the current powerplants were installed under the cab — Cabstar has a forward-control configuration — and anyone who hasn’t sat in one for a while will be pleasantly surprised by the amount of room afforded the occupants. Cabstar is designed to be an uncomplaining workhorse and it fulfils the task admirably.”

The Cabstar is available as a single or crew chassis cab with a choice of three wheelbases: short, mid and long, plus two engine options; 2.5-litre with a choice of five or six speed manual gearbox and 3.0 litre which is equipped with a six speed manual gearbox.

There are also a number of conversions available – Dropside, Tipper, Box Van and a Freezer/Chiller.

James Douglas, corporate sales director, Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd commented: “The Cabstar is perfect for urban environments and delivers value to any business with low cost of ownership and exceptional manoeuvrability. We are delighted to receive this award from VansA2Z.”

vanrental.co.uk says:

Scaled-down trucks like the Cabstar are not historically popular in the UK, with most UK operators seeming to prefer scaled-up vans operating at the top of their weight range.

Light truck models are much more popular in more demanding foreign markets, where their toughness is a useful attribute – and I think they deserve to be more popular in the UK, too.

For more information on the Cabstar, visit www.nissan.co.uk.

Vauxhall To Showcase New Vans At CV Show 2012

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Vauxhall is to showcase its latest commercial vehicle models at the 2012 CV Show, which takes place at the Birmingham NEC from 24-26 April.

The Luton-based van manufacturer will be displaying its full van model range at the show, with the new Combo making its show debut alongside some of the new Movano factory conversions.

New Vauxhall ComboNew Combo

The new Vauxhall Combo will be on display in all three wheelbase and roof height combinations. The all-new version of this established model has a payload of up ton one tonne and a range of up to 777 miles, making it a highly practical proposition.

Limited Edition Vivaro?

Vauxhall has promised to bring ‘a stylish new addition to the Vivaro range’ to the show, in recognition of the role this excellent van has played in making Vauxhall the number one van brand in the retail sector in 2011 and the top van manufacturer in the UK.

Could this mean a desirable limited edition Vivaro – something to match the rather tasty Volkswagen Transporter Sportline?

Movano Conversions

Vauxhall Movano

The Vauxhall Movano is a rebadged Renault Master

Ex-factory conversions are now available from almost all van manufacturers and Vauxhall will be using the CV Show to showcase its range of Movano conversions.

On show will be panel vans, passenger carriers (in 9-seat Combi and 17-seat Minibus configurations) and the new factory-finished core conversions including Tipper and Dropside.  All core conversions come with Vauxhall’s three-year or 100,000-mile warranty on both the chassis and conversion.

The Movano Tipper conversion comes with either a chassis or crew cab and features a five-stage under-floor ram and a 50-degree tipping angle, powered by a 2kW electro-hydraulic pack connected to a remote hand-held tipping control.

The Movano Dropside also comes with either a chassis or crew cab and has a completely flat load platform, up to 4470mm in length.

Vauxhall On Your Mind?

If you are thinking of buying a Vauxhall van, then a trip to the CV Show will give you an excellent opportunity to see all the latest models in one place – probably more so than at most dealers.

For more information visit www.vauxhall.co.uk or www.cvshow.com.

Mercedes Retains HSS Van Fleet Contract

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HSS van fleet - Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and VitoMercedes-Benz has retained the contract to supply HSS Hire, the national supplier of tool and equipment hire and services, with its fleet of commercial vans.

In 2009, HSS selected Mercedes-Benz as its sole van supplier, having been impressed with the safety, reliability and environmental credentials of the range. As the vans come to the end of their lease, Mercedes-Benz has now secured the contract to supply all replacement units, as well as a range of new vehicles.

HSS trials have shown that Mercedes-Benz vehicles are out on the road, rather than in a workshop, for twice as long as other vans, offering better reliability and fewer maintenance issues.

In addition, the use of ECO-Start in the Sprinters has lead to a significant reduction in fuel consumption for the company; a major saving for running expenses and environmental impact.

Further reductions were also seen in the number of vehicle accidents, which dropped considerably thanks to the extensive safety systems, including Adaptive ESP® stability programme, seat belt tensioners and adaptive brake lights, all fitted as standard on Mercedes-Benz vans.

The latest consignment consists of 170 Sprinter 313CDI Long Chassis cabs as well as 25 Vito 113CDI Long Panel vans.

The Sprinters, which will be used for collection and delivery of HSS hired equipment, feature a 13ft 6” alloy dropside Arnold Clark body with a 500kg column tail lift and towing upgrades to 6300kg.

Alongside the Sprinter 313CDIs are 25 Vitos, a brand new addition to the HSS fleet. The Vitos will have tailgates, which when open provide a sheltered working area at the rear of the van, together with internal racking and storage solutions. The Vitos will be used primarily for onsite maintenance and repair of hire equipment.

Lee Jackson, Fleet Manager at HSS, said: “At HSS, safety is paramount so making sure that the vans we chose offered sophisticated safety features played a large part in our decision making process. In addition, the reliability of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and the service and support they offer will help keep us on the road and make sure we are better equipped to serve our customers.

“We’ve introduced the Vitos to our range as they offer an increased payload and better mpg, which will mean our fitters can carry more parts and attend to more customers in any one trip”.

The vehicles, sold by Enza Motors, based in Warrington, will be maintained via the Mercedes-Benz dealer network.

For more information about Mercedes-Benz vans, click here.

Vauxhall Tunes Into Sky With 70-Strong N. Ireland Vivaro Order

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Sky Vauxhall Vivaro vans in BelfastThe Luton-built Vauxhall Vivaro may not be the newest van on the block but it still has a very strong following, especially amongst tradesmen.

The ongoing appeal of the medium-sized panel van has been confirmed by an order for 70 the new Belfast-based fleet of Sierra Support Services, who provide installation services for Sky in Northern Ireland.

All 70 vans – all in unique Sky HD and Simpsons wraps – were delivered and handed over in one batch to Sierra’s fleet supplier, Fleet Financial.

The order, which was worth £2m, marks the beginning of a three-year deal. Each Vivaro is powered by the 2.0-litre 115ps engine and has bespoke racking, shelving and graphics.

For more information on the Vivaro, visit www.vauxhall.co.uk.

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.

Fleet Van News: TNT Downsizes & Masters For Loo Co

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Iveco Daily box van in TNT 5.2 tonne specTNT Experiments With Sub-7.5t Trucks

TNT Express has bucked the trend to move away from the 3.5t-6t weight category and chosen to trial 10 5.2 tonne Iveco Daily box vans at its Bradford and Nottingham depots.

Each Daily has a 5.2 tonne gross vehicle weight and has been mounted with a Cartwright dry freight box body.  They will be in operation up to six days a week for the next five years, covering approximately 30,000 miles per year. Each vehicle will be used to make up to 100 deliveries and collections per day.

Steve Davis, National Engineering Manager at TNT Express, says: “We watched the recent launch of the new Daily with interest and it coincided perfectly with this opportunity to reassess the model’s suitability for our fleet.  Despite its smaller size we’re achieving a competitive payload capacity of up to 2.1 tonnes.”

The Daily’s are loaded with all the latest safety features, including Iveco’s new ESP 9 safety system, which is fitted as standard, making New Daily one of the safest light commercials on the road.  Other safety features fitted include ABS (anti-lock brakes), EBD (electronic brake force distribution), ASR (traction control), ESP (stability control), HBA (hydraulic brake assist) to ensure emergency braking is as effective as possible, Hill Holder, LAC (load adaptive braking control), RMI (roll movement intervention) and ROM (roll over mitigation).

Power is provided by a 3.0 litre FPT diesel engine meeting the latest Euro 5 emissions legislation.  Capable of producing up to 146 hp and 350 Nm of torque, it features an enhanced EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system with a DPF (diesel particulate filter) as standard.  The exhaust system architecture and the EGR logic have also been optimised with particular attention to urban duty cycles, which should prevent the DPF problems suffered by some van operators using Euro 5 vans on urban routes.

Renault Masters Toilet Business

Toilets+ Renault Master chassis cabLeading portable toilet hire company, Toilets+ Ltd, has taken delivery of its first Renault Master chassis cabs, into its Mercedes Sprinter dominated fleet.

The Masters, six DXi 2.3 (125bp) with L3 cab and one dCi 2.3 (150bp) with L4 cab all have bespoke bodies;  the 125bps have chassis mounted small vacuum pumper unit plus the facility to carry two toilets, the higher powered Renault Master 150hp is fitted with a flatbed that can carry eight toilets and tow a further eight.

A good payload and a competitive deal from Norfolk Truck & Van clinched the deal for Toilets+ to switch from Mercedes Sprinter to Renault Master.

Toilets+ Managing Director, Mick Bowman, says: “We researched the market carefully and the Renault Master offered a competitive package.  They are performing very well on the road, the drivers like them, which is an important factor, and we are looking forward to adding more Masters to the fleet as part of our ongoing vehicle replacement programme.”

Toilets+ expects to get 250,000 miles out of each Master before it is flushed away.

Thrifty Opens Watford Van Hire Branch

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Thrifty Car & Van Rental logoLeading UK car and van rental provider Thrifty has opened a new branch in Watford.

The new branch offers Thrifty’s usual selection of cars and vans and is open six days a week (Mon-Fri 0830 – 1730 and Saturdays 0830 – 1230).

The branch is located on Colonial Way in Watford and Thrifty believe it will serve the holiday market as well as retail and business customers.

Finley Humphries, Watford branch manager, commented:

“With the current economic climate the way it is, more and more holidaymakers are choosing to stay in the UK so anyone looking to rent a vehicle for their trip should pop down to the branch. We boast a friendly team of staff and we pride ourselves on our experience and professionalism.”

Alison Chadwick, director of regional operations for Thrifty Car and Van Rental added:

“We are thrilled to add another location to our growing network, which will be further strengthened over the coming year. Our new branch in Watford is ideally located on Colonial Way, so it’s easily accessible for anyone looking to hire a vehicle and get away.”

 

Bath & Bristol Van Hire: VansGB

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VansGB Bath and Bristol Van HireI’m very happy to welcome our newest advertiser, VansGB of Bath, to vanrental.co.uk.

VansGB is based in Marksbury on the A39, approximately mid-way between Bristol and Bath and very conveniently located for the A4 and A37.

VansGB is a family-owned business that’s part of the Roberts Group, which has been established for over 30 years. The company offers a wide range of vans for hire, including:

  • Small vans
  • Medium / Panel Vans
  • Luton box bans
  • 3.5t tippers

All VansGB vans include 24 hour breakdown assistance and a replacement vehicle if yours can’t be fixed. Collection and return services are available as are accounts for business customers. Full comprehensive insurance is available and vans can be collected from Monday to Saturday.

VansGB also offers van leasing and used van sales from its Marksbury location.

To find out more or make a booking, contact VansGB direct:

If you’d like to see you van or minibus hire company listed on vanrental.co.uk, visit our advertising page.

Budget 2012: Fuel Duty Will Rise; Van Benefit Frozen

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Today’s budget contained few surprises for van operators – here are the highlights:

  • No change to fuel duty plans – this means that the planned 3p/litre increase in September is likely to go ahead
  • Van Benefit frozen – the benefit-in-kind charge on private use of company vans will remain unchanged at £3,000 for the 2012/13 tax year, meaning those on the 20% basic rate of income tax pay £600 and those on the 40% rate pay £1,200.

The Van Benefit charge applies to van operators using a commercial vehicle (including pickups) with a payload of at least 1,000kg for private as well as commercial use.

The Chancellor also confirmed that the Van Fuel Benefit Charge (FBC) will remain unchanged at £550 for the 2012 tax year and will rise in line with inflation from April 2013.

The FBC exemption for zero carbon emitting vans will continue until April 2015, as previously planned.

Updated 1945:

John Lewis, chief executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), had this to say about today’s announcements:

“The fleet sector is the only part of the new vehicle market that is still growing at the moment. It will adapt to the new tax regime as it always does, but these ambitious targets could bring a temporary stall to the market as businesses re-evaluate their fleet policies.”