Van Guard News

Iveco, Europe’s largest full range commercial vehicle manufacturer, will be exhibiting products across two main stands at the CV Show 2008, with a line-up of vehicles ranging from 3.5 to 44 tonnes.

This will include Iveco’s largest ever display of heavy trucks at the CV Show, comprising four Stralis’ and one Trakker, supported by a separate light commercial stand featuring three popular Daily models.

Renault UK will continue to supply the UK’s largest breakdown service provider, the AA, with a fleet of Renault Trafic vans, which will be used as roadside assistance vehicles.

The AA has taken delivery of a further 150 Renault vans, in addition to the 400 supplied in 2006.

LDV has issued more details of the new Maxus model variants that will be unveiled at the UK’s Commercial Vehicle Show in mid-April.

The Birmingham-based van maker is set to reveal the Maxus School Bus alongside new Aero Luton and Prestige Day-van derivatives.

This is the new Berlingo Multispace; the all-new generation of Citroen’s budget MPV.

It improves on the massively successful predecessor by offering a more spacious cabin, more storage, an opening tailgate window, removable seats and even a seat that transforms into a desktop when folded.

Since its launch in 1997, Renault’s van-derived people carrier has attracted plenty of buyers with its combination of practicality and flexibility. But it has always lacked one thing: desirability.

It’s provided children’s entertainment at charity events in Downing Street but a Dorchester firm certainly wasn’t clowning around when it came to choosing its new van.

Crafty Arty Parties wanted a vehicle that would project an image of professionalism and quality – and settled on a strikingly-liveried Mercedes-Benz Sprinter from Poole dealer Pentagon Commercials.

Building on the success of its Caddy van, Volkswagen has taken the bold step of launching a version that’s slightly bigger, and calling it the Maxi. Lined up as a direct rival to Ford’s impressive Transit Connect LWB, which has had the market pretty much to itself since the mini-Sevel van from Citroen/Fiat/Peugeot decided to move up a class, it fills the gap between the standard Caddy and Transporter.

In 2007, demand for new commercial vehicles in Europe was overall 6.8% higher than in 2006, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, ACEA. The European market ended the year with 7.1% more vans, 5.1% more trucks* and 4.4% more buses & coaches registered.