Van Guard News

Loved by gun-toting warlords the world over, Toyota’s hugely successful 4×2 and 4×4 Hilux pick-up has now entered its sixth incarnation.

The latest, restyled, model comes with more interior space, a revised 101 bhp 2.5-litre D-4D diesel engine and an upgraded five-speed manual gearbox. Stand-out styling features include a deeper front bumper and a bigger bonnet.

LDV is to export Maxus vans in kit form for assembly in Malaysia by local company Universal Star, part of the Kuala Lumpur based Weststar Group.

The vehicles will have a 40 per cent local Malaysian content, and will be distributed in neighbouring countries as well as Malaysia under the Asian Free Trade Agreement. Universal Star will be LDV’s sole distributor in the Asia Pacific region.

Following the delivery of 17 bespoke LCVs from Aire Truck Bodies last year, City of York Council has this year taken delivery of a further eight — six tippers and two dropsides, the latter with Ratcliff tail lifts.

One of the UK’s largest independent drainage specialists is flushed with success as it turns once again to Mercedes-Benz to keep the nation’s sewers flowing.

Lanes for Drains has built up a £35-million empire over the last 15 years by unblocking countless miles of drains of bizarre and weird items.

Bed manufacturer Myers Beds has replaced its smallest delivery vehicle, a Renault Master, with an Iveco Daily 35C13 chassis cab fitted with a capacious 5,029mm long Luton body. With a payload of precisely a tonne it’s been acquired to make deliveries to stores in central London and for more personal deliveries to private customers and hotels.

Suzuki has announced that it will no longer be importing the Carry microvan and pick-up into the UK because the 1.3-litre petrol engine does not conform to Euro 4 emissions legislation.

It reckons that there is about six weeks stock in the dealership network so if buyers have their eye on acquiring one they had better be quick.

Once again the rules governing vehicle exhaust emissions are being tightened with next year’s introduction of the Euro 4 regulations. Affecting new vehicles, the aim is to cut the output of harmful particulates and NOx — nitrous oxide.

Eight frontline emergency ambulances based on Iveco Daily 45C17 chassis are joining the Royal Berkshire Ambulance NHS Trust. They’re the first to go into service in the UK powered by Iveco’s new 166 bhp 3.0-litre HPT common rail turbodiesel engine.