Fiat Ducato Tecnico

Fiat’s popular Tecnico version of its Fiat commercial vehicle range has just been extended to cover the Ducato 30 Van 2.3-litre 130 MultiJet II SWB (LIHI) and Ducato Van 35 L3H2 130 MultiJet II. Extra accessories include air conditioning, front fog lights, Blue&Me with steering wheel controls, B&M TomTom Live navigator, Start&Stop, special wheel trims and reverse parking sensors.

The Doblo Cargo also gets two versions, the Doblo Cargo Tecnico 1.3 MultiJet II 90hp and MAXI Tecnico 1.6 MultiJet 105hp. These versions are based on the SX model and come with a similar standard option list to the Ducato.

Ford Fiesta

Ford has reported strong sales growth in the latest SMMT vehicle registration figures for May 2012, with a surge in commercial vehicle (CV) sales helping to grow the month and year-to-date position.

Ford car sales were up 7 per cent in May (compared with May 2011), with the whole car market registration reported up at 7.9 per cent (162,288 units).

Strong performances across the whole Ford car range were recorded with the Fiesta remaining at the number one position in the UK market for year-to-date sales, with the Ford Mondeo, Ford S-MAX and Ford Galaxy sales also up in the month.

The Ford Transit had an exceptional month, increasing from 4,426 to 5,880 units year-on-year and the Transit now accounts for one-in-five sales in the total CV market.

Nissan e-NV200 TEST CAR

British Gas has been undergoing test trials with Nissan’s new e-NV200 TEST CAR  at its Leicester and Newbury depots. They are working with Nissan to put the test electric vehicles through their paces, in real-life situations with British Gas engineers.

The company has an ambition for 10% of its LCV fleet to be electric by the end of 2015 and the e-NV200 van was run at maximum gross vehicle weight during the trial, covering around 1,200 miles. It gave the opportunity for the British Gas engineers involved to try out an electric vehicle as part of their daily job.

The attraction of the Nissan e-NV200 TEST CAR is its reduced running costs as fuel prices continue to rise. This can really appeal to commercial fleet operators, provided the van meets the needs of the driver and their daily duties. Nissan has had experience with this vehicle with other commercial fleet operators, as they have also been running test trials with the Japan Post Service and FedEx.

Ford Fiesta

Ford has reported strong sales figures after the latest SMMT (Society of  Motor Manufacturers and Traders) figures were released, recording a 11.5% increase in sales in April (year-on-year), while the whole car market was up by 3.3%.

The Ford Fiesta continued as the UK market leader and other models that also performed well in April included the Ford Focus, Ford Mondeo and Ford Galaxy.

1.0-litre EcoBoost engine

Much of the success for Ford has been to their continued development of innovative, class-leading features and models, with the new 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine in the Focus accounting for 17% of all Focus sales in April. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine offers excellent fuel economy yet still delivers a strong performance, much similar to a larger engined car.

The Ford Commercial Vehicle side of the business also performed well, leading the market for the 46th successive year, with the Ford Transit leading the way.

Hyundai iLoad

Hyundai is taking their value-for-money iLoad Panel Van to the Commercial Vehicle Show 2012 with prices for this affordable van starting from £14,090. Models on display on the Hyundai stand include the iLoad Panel Van, iLoad Crew Van plus their i800 people carrier.

The iLoad offers a lot of kit for your money with standard vehicle options including front electric windows, full steel bulkhead, USB and AUX connectiosn for your MP3, twin glazed rear doors and twin side-sliding doors for easy access.

If you run a commercial vehicle fleet and need to transport up to six people at a time the iLoad Crew Van fits the bill. With a gross payload of 1,059kg and a 2.5 cubic metre load area there is more than enough room to transport your workers and goods to any location.

And best of all , all Hyundai’s commercial vehicles come with their five-year 100,000 mile warranty with one year’s free RAC roadside. Hyundai iLoad contract hire is on the site now.

Mercedes-Benz Citan

Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles has released the details about their new Citan urban city van, adding to the existing Vito and Sprinter range. This powerful, yet compact urban van is offered in three lengths and three model variants and is powered by a range of economical BlueEFFICIENCY engines.

The Citan will be on show this September, at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover and this panel van offers a Compact length, Long and Extra-Long variant to suits the needs of any commercial vehicle fleet operator. Safety is paramount with ADAPTIVE ESP as standard (takes the load into consideration), combining the functions of the ABS system, Traction Control System (TCS) and Acceleration Skid Control (ASC), all into one.

Inside the Citan

The three turbo-engines on offer are two diesels (75hp and 110hp) and a supercharged petrol engine offering 115bhp, with five and six-speed transmissions available. The Citan has that characteristic Mercedes-Benz appearance and the designers have also ensured it has the driving dynamics that you would expect from the brand. For example the Direct-Steer system is very accurate , yet sensitive, while the suspension system, damping and stablisers have all been carefully tuned to give you the best possible ride.

This new model is aimed at a competitive market for some of the main commercial vehicle manufacturers, yet with its strong residual values, the Citan looks set to be a winner once it is launched in the UK.

Citroen Commercial Vehicles

The unique range of Citroen’s LCVs has enabled Virgin Atlantic to undertake a major replacement of its diverse fleet, having just placed an order for 45 Euro 5 Citroen LCVs, including 22 Berlingo five-seat Crew Vans, Dispatch vans, Relay Specialist Dropsides and a Relay Specialist Luton van.

Virgin Atlantic will have ordered over 100 vehicles in total, once their complete LCV fleet replacement programme has been finalised.

The five-seat Berlingo Crew Vans will be used by Virgin Atlantic’s aircraft engineers to keep their long-haul aircraft in operational condition, while the Dispatch vans are being used for longer distance travel between various airports, both in the UK and mainland Europe, to collect and deliver time-critical aircraft parts and equipment.

Most of the Relay Specialist Dropsides will used by the Virgin stores teams to carry items like aircraft wheels and tyres.

The Relay Specialist Luton van, kitted out in Virgin Atlantic’s distinctive livery, will be based at Heathrow and will be used by the facilities maintenance crew to move anything from paint to furniture between airports and other company facilities.

Virgin Atlantic has a target to reduce their CO2 emission per passenger mile by 30% between 2007 and 2020 and this is where Citroen vehicles appealed, with their low CO2 emissions.

Virgin Atlantic’s Logistics Manager, Matt P. Neville,said. “When it comes to the combination of low emissions and low whole-life costs you can’t beat Citroen”.

Steed pick-up

The Great Wall Motor Company, market leaders for pick-ups and SUVs in China, will this month become the first Chinese automobile manufacturer to commence volume sales in the UK, following the launch of their Steed pick-up at the forthcoming Commercial Vehicle Show (Birmingham NEC from the 24th to the 26th April).

The Steed is a robust and practical pick-up that will offer unrivalled value for money with prices starting at just £13,998 (CVOTR) for the well-equipped Steed S model, the lowest price for any double-cab pick up in the UK.  

The Steed has 2.0-litre diesel engine, six-speed gearbox and selectable-on-the-move two/four-wheel drive and delivers class-leading urban fuel economy and the lowest insurance ratings of any vehicle in the pick-up segment today.

Ford picking up its prizes

Ford commercial vehicles has just picked up five trophies at the annual awards presented by the independent website Vans A2Z. The four category wins were also topped off with the Ford Transit being named overall Van of the Year 2012.

Ford of Britain commercial vehicles director, Steve Clary, said: “In a tough economic climate, operators are choosing Transit for its reliability and cost of ownership. The latest models are saving operators hundreds of pounds in fuel, making them the most efficient, durable and technologically-advanced version of this iconic commercial vehicle so far”

Vans A2Z also presented Ford an award for the all-new Ford Ranger and Ford FiestaVan.

New Isuzu D-Max pick-up

Isuzu UK has announced the prices and specifications for its all-new Isuzu D-Max pick-up, ahead of its UK premiere at the Commercial Vehicle Show, which is being held between the 24th and 26th April at the NEC in Birmingham.

The all-new Isuzu D-max goes on sale in the UK from June 2012 and will be available with four specification levels, with an extended cab body configuration (featuring rear-opening side-access panels) joining the single and double cab variants.

The entry-level Isuzu D-Max is priced from £14,499 (CVOTR) for the single cab 4×2 derivative and offers you a generous level of standard equipment, including air conditioning, daytime running lights, electric windows and front, side and curtain airbags.

The ‘Eiger’ double cab version (from £18,499 CVOTR) adds projector headlamps, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, 16” alloy wheels and body-coloured bumpers. Next in the range is the ‘Yukon’ double cab (from £18,999 CVOTR),  which features a leather steering wheel with cruise and audio controls, and a six-speaker sound system, chrome exterior detailing and 17” alloys.

The top-of-the-range ‘Utah’ model offers luxurious comforts inside, including leather upholstery, heated front seats and automatic climate control.  The exterior is also enhanced with roof bars and rear parking sensors and this model is priced from £21,499 (CVOTR).

The all-new Isuzu D-Max is powered by a fuel efficient 2.5-litre twin-turbo common rail diesel engine, available with six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions.  The Euro5-compliant engine generates 163 PS and Isuzu has also introduced a new ‘shift-on-the-fly’ system, allowing you to adjust between two-and four-wheel drive modes while travelling at speeds of up to 60 mph.

This rugged workhorse has a three-tonne (braked) towing capacity and a payload capacity of 1,000 kg and Isuzu expects its all-new pick-up to build on the remarkable success of its predecessor, the Rodeo.  

William Brown, General Manager of Isuzu UK, said: “The tough new Isuzu D-Max is a significant step forward from its very successful predecessor.  It is a highly capable tool for those working in the outdoors, and yet is extremely refined.  It features a very efficient Euro5-compliant engine while also exhibiting that rugged toughness for which the Isuzu brand has built such a solid reputation.  Every model is well-equipped and yet offers unbeatable load-lugging and payload capacities.  It delivers on every measure without compromise”.