Low Cost Vans

Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles has proudly released a press statement last week regarding their colossal bestowal of not one, but three top honours at the 2014 VansA2Z Vans of the Year Awards. Notably, the new Sprinter van was recognised with the prestigious award for Innovation, as the first model in its category to comply with the new Euro 6 exhaust emission rules. The new Sprinter impressed with its potential life-saving systems such as Crosswind Assist which comes standard as part of Sprinter's Electronic Stability Programme and its other optional safety systems  include; Blind Spot Assist, Collision Prevention Assist , Highbeam Assist and Lane Keeping Assist, The Sprinter vans additional distinctions at this year’s awards included both Minibus of the Year and 4x4 Panel Van of the Year 2014. Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans, commented: “ It is a real honour to be recognised for the level of innovation that Mercedes-Benz Vans has worked so hard to achieve...

It’s always a nice surprise, especially as a consumer, to hear a manufacturer say that they will now give you more, not less in these economic times. How gleeful would you feel about getting extra from one of Europe’s most popular van manufacturers, Renault ? Taking into consideration my love of vans, yeah, makes me deliriously happy too. This week, Renault has announced that they are giving its light commercial vehicles ‘Extra’ with the launch of a special edition range, available until 30 June. Here’s all the exciting details Renault have shared in their latest press release: “The new version takes in all three of the brand’s high-selling line-up, Kangoo, Trafic and Master, boosting them with around £1,500 of extra equipment compared to the standard model, including luxuries such as air conditioning, reversing sensors and satellite navigation. Prices for business owners, including this month’s promotion, excluding VAT and on-the-road charges, are £9,395, £11,395 and £15,195 respectiv...

This winter’s driving conditions were a challenge to all drivers, especially for businesses. If you run a fleet and are keen to see what the latest crop of 4x4 off-road vehicles can offer up for next winter, you can find out on the off-road circuit at the Fleet Show 2014 . It will take place on 9 th of April at the Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire. It’s a great way for fleet decision makers to test the all-weather capabilities of a range of new off-road vehicles, with popular manufacturers such as Land Rover, Toyota and Kia, showcasing their latest 4x4 offerings for fleet managers to evaluate. This year’s show promises to be a unique event bringing together the whole of the fleet industry in one place, on one day. The event provides fleet decision makers with an opportunity to test drive the latest new cars and vans , alongside electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, meet new fleet suppliers, learn new fleet management techniques and network with peer-group fleet professionals. ...

This week, we were given a sneak peek at the new third-generation Renault Trafic van range via Renault’s latest press release. The popular van, which was first introduced in 1980 to replace the Estafette, is scheduled to make its grand UK debut at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show. So what can we expect to see once it’s officially unveiled? The limited details released so far say that the All-New Trafic can be customised as required due to the diversity of its range which features 270 variants, two different heights, two different lengths,  panel van, crew-van, platform cab and passenger versions. Surprising to note the engine downsize, it will be available with a new Renault-developed 1.6 dCi powerplant, including a twin-turbocharged version that boasts fuel consumption in excess of 47 mpg, although Renault has not yet revealed power outputs. From the photos released, we can see the all-New Trafic comes with a completely new exterior design featuring a large grille on the front-end...

Many motor industry responses have come in regarding the Chancellor’s Budget yesterday, especially surrounding the fuel duty freeze and the pledge of £200million for pothole repair. Not surprising is the mixed feelings in hearing of a freeze for September’s planned 1.6p per litre rise in fuel duty. It means that there will be no rise in fuel duty prior to the 2015 general election. A relief for us motorists, but for some it comes as a resounding disappointment that there are no plans to go a step further and reduce it. James Hookham, FTA Managing Director of Policy and Communications said: “ The Chancellor has kept his promise to freeze fuel duty and industry will be £187 million a year better off for that, but he missed the opportunity to stimulate the economy further by reducing fuel duty and putting around £690 million into the pockets of families and British business. This could have given a further stimulus to the economy and locked in the positive growth already achieved. ” To r...

Another motor themed event not to miss over a bank holiday weekend this year is Simply Ford , which is held on the grounds of the Beaulieu National Motor Museum. The 2014 calendar of *Simply rallies begins on the 4 th May with Ford and don’t forget, admission to the event includes entry to the whole lot of Beaulieu attractions like; the National Motor Museum and two exciting new displays, For Britain & For The Hell Of It and The Motorcycle Story , plus World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, Beaulieu Abbey, Palace House and gardens. The Simply Ford annual event that began four years ago is a must for Ford enthusiasts and for those who are mad about all-things-motor too. It will be a an opportunity to show off your early, custom, classic or current model Ford and join in on the display in the parkland. There is expected be nearly 1,000 cars included in this year’s display. The theme for this year is celebrating the 50 th anniversary of the iconic Ford Mustang. It’s hard to believe tha...

Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles  has proudly announced in a recent press release that 2013 was their best year ever in terms of van sales. In total, last year saw a 21% increase on 2012 with 30,257 vans registered, beating 2007’s previous record. That was definitely an accomplishment to be proud of, as they achieved nearly double the registrations of the whole van market/LCV industry that year (+11.7%).  Mercedes-Benz Vans is the sales and marketing organisation responsible for all Daimler Van products and services in Britain. With a strong commercial vehicle line-up such as; the new Citan, Vito, and the new model and ever popular Sprinter vans, it’s no wonder they are experiencing steady growth in the LCV market. The solid range of vans now on offer from Mercedes-Benz combined with a more customer focused centre and good reviews for the well received 2014 Sprinter should see sales stay on the upward swing this year as well. It seems they really may have “the right van for the job”. ...

Recent figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association ( FLA ) show a growth of 25% in the number of cars bought by consumers using dealer finance in January 2014, compared with the same month last year. The increased figures are in line with a rise in confidence levels predicted for the first quarter of 2014.  According to the FLA’s latest press release on the motor finance sector, consumer new and used car finance volumes also grew by similar rates – up 24% and 25% respectively. Along with a positive start in 2014 for the vehicle financing sector, the FLA have also reported that new business grew by 9% to almost £1.7 billion in January 2014, compared with the same month last year. That has led the way to double digit growth for commercial vehicle finance, business equipment finance and plant and machinery finance, which were up by 25%, 21% and 13% respectively. The rise in consumer confidence and the latest finance reports showing the strongest rise in new business for more...

If you were asked which van would serve you best on the roads during severe winter weather conditions like the ones we experienced this year, which van would get your vote? Some might say a 4x4 SUV would be a better choice, but if you use a van for work or everyday driving in winter months and need to tackle the snow, cold, or icy conditions, are all vans created equal in this case? A good place to answer this question would be to look up the results of the latest Arctic Van Test . Every year in an obviously frozen place, Finland to be exact, vans from different manufacturers are judged by professional journalists from all over Europe. The test judges just how well the vans behave in extreme conditions such as frost, snow and slippery roads. The test is divided into different categories. They include; handling, fuel consumption, load capacity and performance. The judges also take a close look at cold-starting ability after vehicles have been left outside overnight in sub-freezing condi...

Fantastic news for the van/CV market reported from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders this week. New figures released by the SMMT showed that vans drove a 17.5% increase in commercial vehicle registrations in February. Light commercial vehicle numbers climbed by 28.2% ahead of the new number plate in March, with 11,731 units. The figures recorded a soaring number for vans between 2.0 and 2.5t, which recorded the biggest rise in registrations and were up 111.1% in February at 2,664, and 40.4% year-to-date at 5,122. Registrations of vans between 2.5 and 3.5t also increased by 23.8% in February and 25.8% year-to-date at 16,729 units so far in 2014. “ Growing van registrations supported the February vehicle market as middle and heavy-weight vans enjoyed healthy rises, reflecting improving economic activity ,” said Mike Hawes SMMT Chief Executive. Truck volumes are still struggling from a Euro-6-induced dip that continued into February but, on the bright side, the rate of decli...

Hyundai Motors has unveiled its new concept car, Intrado , for the first time at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. So what exactly is an Intrado? Hyundai says the new concept vehicle “ is a daring concept that shows Hyundai’s vision for future mobility ”. Hmm, that statement doesn’t quite give enough away, but upon further reading of Hyundai’s latest press release, the Intrado is a two-door Korean SUV that will meet our future mobility needs by way of advanced vehicle technologies and intelligent design working in harmony to better engage with not only the driver, but with passengers as well. Nope, still not sure what the vehicle is all about yet. Ok, perhaps Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Hyundai Motor Europe can shed more light. He says: “ Hyundai Motor’s vision is ‘lifetime partner in automobiles’, and Intrado truly embodies this thinking. We have looked to the future and the roles cars will play in our daily lives. Intrado is also a demonstration ...

Exciting news from Nissan this week, they announced more details of their "game changing" all-electric Nissan e-NV200. With the LEAF already part of their EV offerings, the addition of the e-NV200 will make them the first manufacturer to include two all electric vehicles in their line up. The new EV will amalgamate the best of both the LEAF and Nissan’s commercial compact van, the NV200. So what’s the difference between the new e-NV200 and the NV200? They include visual changes, a re-engineered chassis, interior revisions, a new battery pack, a higher capacity regenerative braking system and more modifications to make the e-NV200 befitting a prime role as a city-based delivery vehicle for cargo and people. However, even though it is still based on existing hardware, a full engineering development programme from the ground up has been added reflecting a 30% increase of new components over existing NV200. Nissan’s latest press release says the drivetrain has been re-engineered...