Van Guard News

The Volkswagen Caddy was awarded the best small van honour and the Crafter won the hard fought best large panel van title at the prestigious Professional Van and Light Truck Awards, held in Birmingham recently.

Russian automotive group GAZ Auto Works plans to build LDV vans in Russia, as well as exporting them to continental Europe and Asia, its president and chief executive Eric Eberhardson said.

LDV, formerly known as Leyland DAF, should return to profit in the summer following its acquisition by the Russian firm last year, Eberhardson said today at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham.

The list of full-size, V-8–powered vans shrank when Dodge pulled out of the market, leaving only Ford and Chevrolet/GMC. With an absence of competition, neither manufacturer has spent much money updating the big boxes.

Following last year´s successful show format, Renault UK will be underlining the depth and breadth of its van and commercial passenger vehicle range at this year´s show.

There will be a total of 11 products on display, including several vehicles courtesy of some of its fleet customers.

The British Commercial Vehicle Show takes place on the 24th-26th April at the Birmingham NEC. Anyone is able to attend the show and entrance is free (but if you pre-register, entrance queuing time is reduced).

Three new Citroën commercial vehicle ranges make their UK show debuts at the CV Show 2007 (NEC, April 24-26). Part of an exciting, 14-strong display on the Citroën stand (no. 4421), the new Dispatch and Relay ranges debut alongside the latest Euro IV Berlingo and frugal C2 Enterprise, which recently gained the accolade of being the UK’s most economical commercial vehicle.