NEWS

VW will join the double cab pickup market in September 2010 with the launch of the all new Amarok. The Brazilian-built model will boast a 1.15-tonne payload, and be sold through Volkswagen Van Centres. A surprise new entrant into the still-popular double-cab sector, the Amarok looks set to shake things up. The Volkswagen name, combined [...]

FORD continues to lead the UK scrappage sales chart and has just recorded its 30,000th scrappage sale. Dave Quick bought a Ford Transit van, meaning Ford has now sold 1100 CVs through scrappage. Hendy Ford sales manager David Graham said ‘Dave Quick is one of a number of business people trading up to new Ford [...]

FIAT has unveiled the all-new Doblo, which will come to the UK from early next year in van and budget people carrier form. What’s more, the new model is also going to be sold in the US – as a Ram! It’s all part of the Fiat-Chrysler marriage, which will see the Dodge brand spin [...]

NISSAN has won this year’s International Van of the Year award with the all-new Nissan NV200 small van. The model, which is rolling out to dealer showrooms now, won top votes from the 23-member jury. Car-like exterior dimensions, coupled with cargo capacity of a much larger van, were key to the decision. The Nissan can [...]

VOLKSWAGEN CVs will now be headed by Matthew Bowden who moves from national fleet sales manager. Being an employee of Volkswagen financial services since 1995 has taken him, in that time, to China and three years at Shanghai Volkswagen. He’s timed joining Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles perfectly on cue to launch the new Transporter. Director of [...]

FRY-UPS, fags and fast horses are the stereotypes normally associated with White Van Man, reckons one firm. But this is wrong, says Express insurance – and it conducted a poll to show the truth of the situation. The reality is very different: •    Cereal for breakfast •    Regular gym membership •    Holidays in Latin America [...]

VAN sales are expected to rocket before Christmas, due to more people shopping for things online. Delivery and courier companies will all be taking on extra vehicles to cope with demand. It will be used van sales that could benefit the most from this. New supplies simply won’t be able to ramp up quickly enough. [...]

CAR Dealer Magazine has rounded up some of the news stories from the past few weeks – including the UK’s best-mpg van! 76mpg Citroen Nemo UK’s most eco van CITROEN now officially sells the UK’s most fuel-efficient small van, following the results of the latest MPG Marathon. The 1.4 HDi diesel-engined Nemo SensoDrive beat the [...]

VW reveals new Transporter VOLKSWAGEN has released first images of its forthcoming new Transporter range of van, kombi, chassis cab and window vans. Brand-new common-rail TDI diesels make it 10 percent more economical than before, while the interior is fitted with creature comforts from the new Golf. The new Transporter goes on sale in January, [...]

CAR and van body the SMMT will hold its latest online seminar next week – with the van sector as the subject. Discussions will centre on the problems in the industry, and the opportunities which exist within it. This comes after a slump in CV sales – last month’s sales figures were nearly 40 percent [...]

SHOCK RMIF survey results have revealed that nearly half of large vans fail their MOT – deeming them unroadworthy. Stephen Latham from the RMIF said that ‘the MOT failure rate of 44.7 percent for class 7 commercials seems to indicate that owners of these vehicles do not spend on preventative maintenance.’ He suggests they prefer [...]

MITSUBISHI has given the L200 Double Cab pickup added poke, with a 7-inch rear bed length extension. The rear load bay now has an 18cm-longer ‘Long Bed’ option. Well, what do you think we meant? It has more thrust too, courtesy of an extra 42bhp for the 2.5-litre DI-D turbodiesel. Indeed, 176bhp makes it the [...]

ONE of the UK’s largest used commercial vehicle sales site has just opened in Neasden, North London. Broadway Motor Company has responded to customer demand and expanded its existing site, creating a 150-vehicle used supersite. Sales will be led there by Ian Griffiths, who offers an idea of the new site’s scale: ‘It is four [...]

LDV, the Birmingham van maker, is closer to being saved, after a Malaysian firm proposed a takeover. The Government is to encourage this with a £5 million 4-week loan, while negotiations continue. Malaysian company Weststar already collaborates with the commercial van maker, to build LDV vans in Malaysia. Now the firm wants to take over [...]

MYTHS that ‘vans always go cheap at auction’ are causing van dealers to suffer shrinking margins. Retail buyers’ attendance at auctions means prices reached can often nudge, well, retail level. Eliminating the profit margin for dealers. But while this is bad for buyers, it’s good news for vendors, who simply have to ensure their standards [...]

COMMERCIAL vehicle dealers were given a welcome boost by the inclusion of CVs in the new car scrap scheme, too. Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes will be eligible for the £2k discount, which could provide a much-needed boost to a sector facing severe pressure. Van production in the UK has declined by nearly two-thirds, and [...]

FORD has timed it to perfection – the maker has just announced its first ever Econetic green Transit. The eco new commercial vehicle promises over 39mpg when it is launched in the autumn – and, as the vans range comes in at below 3.5 tonnes, it’s also eligible for the Government’s new car scrap sales [...]