The new and improved warranty terms have been put in place to mirror the Renault Trafic and Master ranges and demonstrates Renault’s continued commitment to quality.

The new, improved warranty terms reflect the confidence that Renault has in the Renault Kangoo range and provides greater peace of mind for businesses in today’s increasingly tough economic climate.

The Kangoo van excels over its key rivals such as the Peugeot Bipper and the Vauxhall Combo as it offers an additional 40,000 miles coverage in its standard package, including 3 years free Renault assistance.

The new Renault Kangoo Van range is on sale now and is priced from £8,690 to £9,390 excluding VAT and OTR charges.

A range of finance offers are available, including a Hire Purchase offer of four years at 0% with £99 deposit, plus free ply lining.

For more information on the Renault Kangoo Van click here

Along with the existing Transporter Sportline panels van and the five-seater Kombi, the new vans will expand the stylish Sportline range to five models.

The Sportline range is designed for van drivers who want to stand out from the crowd, sporting a dynamic and premium image, with a high level of performance to match.

The new Caddy and Caddy Maxi Sportline vans were unveiled by Simon Elliott, Director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles at VW’s head office in Milton Keynes yesterday, and are due to arrive in Volkswagen Van Centres in November. 

Unique features of the new Sportline exterior include chrome side rails and front grilles, lower front spoiler with integrated fog lights, body-coloured bumpers, mirrors and door handles, plus unique 17-inch six-spoke alloy wheels with an embossed Sportline centre logo. Additions to the Sportline interior include bespoke black Italian leather upholstery with red stitching, microperforated red centre panels and an embroidered Sportline logo.

The new Caddy Sportline and Caddy Maxi Sportline boasts s six-speed gearbox with top-of-the-range 140 PS. A 2.0-litre TDI PD diesel engine delivers impressive performance with the flexibility provided by 320 Nm of torque from 1,800 to 2,500 rpm. 

Both models are available in Tornado Red, Reflex Silver metallic and Diamond Black pearl effect paint with basic retail prices (excluding VAT) starting from £17,000 for the Caddy Sportline and £18,280 for the larger Caddy Maxi Sportline. 

For more details of the Sportline range, click here

As a result, many of the manufacturers who sell temperature-controlled vehicles have already signed up to exhibit in the Cool Pavilion at next year’s show.

Since 2000, when the IRTE Show, TipCon and the Commercial Vehicle and Bodywork Show combined, the CV Show has helped more than 1,200 exhibitors and nearly a quarter of a million visitors to meet and do business at Birmingham’s NEC. 

2009 is forecast to continue the trend, with advance exhibitor bookings already equal to 2008’s show, which brought in over 28,000 business visitors.

There are six months to go before the doors open for the tenth Commercial Vehicle Show which will be held on 28-30 April 2009. For more details on who will be exhibiting there, with web and e-mail details, click here.
 

Although wholesale petrol prices have been dropping for some time, we have only recently seen any difference at the pump. As a result, Motors.co.uk has conducted its own survey which shows that 95 per cent of visitors to the site believe the drop has been too slow.

The survey emphasises the general mood across the UK and has promted Prime Minister Gordon Brown to insist that petrol prices are dropped, else firms could face an enquiry.

Supermarkets have been first to take the lead, with prices dropping to 99.9p per litre for unleaded and 110.9p for diesel.

But major petrol retailers have as yet kept prices well above £1 per litre with average prices, according currently 106.7p for unleaded and 117.7p for diesel, according to website, Petrolprices.com.

‘The public knows that when oil prices go up, it is reflected very quickly in the pump price,’ Said Mr Brown. ‘What we want to know is that when oil prices come down, that is also reflected in the pump price.’

While Mr Brown has no formal power to order price reductions, it is clear that an inquiry will be imminent should petrol retailers fail to take notice.
 

The upgraded range maintain the athletic looks of the previous model, whist incorporating some further truck-like features to the exterior design which give the fleet rugged reliability and a stronger road presence.

Mazda UK’s sales director, Mark Cameron said: “Across the range, all the technical and practical attributes of the predecessor are retained, including its car-like driving dynamics, and valuable upgrades, such as ABS as standard, and an improved MP3-compatible audio system with auxiliary input jack.  These enhancements, plus fresh exterior colours, will boost the appeal of Mazda’s pickup.”

The upgraded range is five-strong and Mazda BT-50 models are now priced at £10,830.74 (on the road) for the 4×2 Single Cab and £18,680.96 (on the road) for the new range-topping 4×4 Double Cab 3.0 Intrepid model. 

The upgraded Mazda BT-50 continues to deliver excellent off-road performance, with highly competitive approach, departure, breakover and tilt angles.  Measuring 5,075mm in overall length, the Mazda BT-50 has a 465mm-high double-walled cargo box and a rear suspension featuring double-acting shock absorbers, enabling the 4×4 models to carry a load of up to 1,219kg.

For further information on the new Mazda BT-50 range, click here
 

Values for fleet and lease vans fell by 0.75 per cent to £3,481, whilst part-exchange and nearly new vans increased by 2 per cent to £2,032 and the average value of nearly-new vans increased by 2.9 per cent to £9,126. This was the second successive monthly increase in this sector.

Duncan Ward , BCA’s UK Business Development Manager – Commercial Vehicles, comments  “Although it would be misleading to say the market came back with a vengeance in September, there was an upturn in activity in the auction halls and a fragile confidence returned to the marketplace.   Buyers were out in bigger numbers and there was plenty of interest for clean, straight CV’s that were ready to go straight back to work.  As a result, van values tended to stabilise and overall there was little price movement between August and September.”

With the new van sector suffering due to the lack of financing opportunities from lenders, the budget sector of vans valued up to £3000 has strengthened. These types of used vans are affordable to retail customers who might already have the cash at their disposal or can find a way to fund the purchase themselves.

Ward added “There are plenty of car-sized vans in the marketplace and quality is the key to success.  Vans with proper retail specifications, nicely presented and sensibly valued are selling well. 

“In the panel van sector, demand for the ‘one-tonne van SWB’ van is reliant on condition and mileage.  There’s still interest in clean, low-mileage vans and if the vehicle is in a good specification – preferably with aircon - and in a nice metallic colour then values are strong.”

For further information on how used vans are performing at auction in the current market, follow our guide below:

Used light vans
Good looking used vans with low, warranted miles are performing well, the danger is that if volumes rise, prices will start to fall in this sector as the true worth of these vans are exposed. Some of the most popular used van sales come from the car-derived sector where the Renault Clio, Citroen’s C” and the Peugeot 206 and the Ford Fiesta all attract interest if presented in excellent condition.

Well presented, high-powered Vauxhall Combos and Fiat Doblos are making some progress although they remain open to the threat of competitive deals on newer and fresher-looking models.

Used medium-sized vans
Used vans in the medium-sized van sector are not performing as well, with the Renault Kangoo, Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner all suffering due to high volumes coming off fleets making price weakness inevitable.  The Volkswagen Caddy leads the way in this sector, particularly when equipped with a host of extras.  Ford’s Transit Connect continues to lose ground with any examples presented in poor condition, or with high mileage, selling for lower prices that disappoint the vendors.

Used 4×4s
Only the highest presented, high-specification, double-cab pick-ups achieve the guide price at trade.  Those showing damage, possess higher than average mileage, or are offered without documentation, will sell for a lower price.
The most popular used 4×4 is the Toyota Hilux.  Single-cab 4×4 pickups from Ford and Japanese derived models have also been more popular in the marketplace and sales should increase as we move into the winter period.

Used panel vans
Models offering additional features such as air conditioning or metallic paint, fare considerably better than basic used vans at auction.  The Renault Trafic, Vauxhall Vivaro and Nissan Primastar are selling without too much difficulty, despite increasing volumes.  Likewise, older Nissan Vanette, LDV Cub and similar sized vans in clean condition attract willing buyers.

Demand for the best VW Transporters remains firm, with the Sportline model still proving to be the average van buyer’s aspiration despite its high list price.  The T5 continues to outperform the competition in the medium panel van sector, with trade and retail buyers willing to pay the guide price for clean stock.

With a noticeable increase in volume of 3.5 tonne vans at auction, buyers can now pick up a Fiat Ducato, Citroen Relay and Peugeot Boxer, as well as their Vauxhall and Renault counterparts for a good price.  Latest-shape Ford Transits in top condition continue to sell well but, as lead-times ease, their prices are estimated to fall.

Used minibuses
Demand for minibuses has remained fairly level. The VW Caravelle, Shuttle buses and T5 Window vans (with one-tonne payload) continue to be popular.  Traditional minibuses with 12, 15 and 17 seats will struggle unless presented in first-class condition.

Used tippers & dropsiders
Tippers and dropsiders have suffered the most at auction suffering a sharp fall in value, for example a Ford Transit 350 double-cab tipper regardless of age or mileage will sell for far less than the guide trade.  Prices for lutons and boxes in good condition have remained more stable as they are only made available in lower numbers.

The Luton-built Vauxhall Vivaro was the UK’s best seller to retail customers with a total 1,167 private sales and 1,177 fleet sales, placing it in second place as the UK’s most popular van. The Vauxhall Combo led the light van segment at both fleet and total levels.

Vauxhall’s also achieved the highest retail share ever recorded by the company, accounting for 17.47 per cent of sales to small businesses and individual customers and a 16.27 per cent share of the total van market.

Vauxhall’s National CV Sales manager, Richard Collier, said: “This is great news, as it proves that Vauxhall has great products – essential in a challenging marketplace. Our performance in the retail sector shows that our products appeal to customers who want great value and quality, both of which are incredibly important to small businesses in the current climate.”

Vauxhall’s parent company, General Motors, is the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in the UK, building over 100,000 vans a year at plants in Luton, Beds, and Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

For further information, please visit www.vauxhall.co.uk   
 

The truck registrations are up 3.6 per cent for September and 27.7 per cent to 58,769 for the rolling year which is encouraging given the current financial climate.

Van registrations are down 22.1 per cent for the month and down 4.6 per cent to 318,762 for the rolling year which proves that there is a tough market for new vans in the forthcoming year ahead.

Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive said: “September is a key month for registrations, but the credit crunch hit the figures. The summer’s spending cut meant a sharp drop in the month’s van registrations.

“Overall we expect a tough market for the next twelve months or more.”

It has never been a better time to shop online to find your next van purchase, and Vansunited.co.uk advertise a wide selection of used vans to suit every budget. For more information click on vans for sale
 

Both bodies have won awards for their commitment to provide products that help reduce the impact of driving on the environment and improve business performance.

Trafficmaster won the IT and Communications Product of the Year award for it’s Fleet Director solution used to monitor mileage, vehicle use and alert managers to unauthorised use or unacceptable driving behaviour, for example speeding. The system encourages businesses to save money and improve productivity.

Citroen won LCV Manufacturer of the Year for the introduction of its Airdream programme, offering duel fuel vehicles, advanced catalyst technology and Trafficmaster’s integrated driving solution as standard across its light commercial van range.

Through the use of Fleet Director, Trafficmaster has been proven to reduce fuel consumption by 12%, save four hours a month from sitting in traffic and have overall reduced the distances travelled by up to 16%.

John Lawrence, Sales and Marketing Director at Trafficmaster, said: “We are thrilled to have won this award. We believe, like Green Fleet, that using the right technology in the right way you can improve business performance and incorporate a green objective to minimise the impact of driving on the environment. The recognition is particularly relevant; as our solution continues to help many companies remain profitable in these current challenging economic times.”
 

The market may be challenged throughout Europe, but sales remain strong in the BRIC markets of Brazil, Russia, India and Chin where business is booming.

Volkswagen have reported sales that are up 9.3 percent during the first eight months of 2008 thanks to the Eastern Europe and Latin America markets who are driving the rise. “In the booming Eastern European markets, we managed to grow our delivery numbers by nearly 30 percent,” said Stephan Schaller, CEO of V W Commercial Vehicles. “In Russia alone we sold 87 percent more vehicles than in the previous year.”

Deliveries of light and heavy commercial vehicles in South America has also increased by around 25 percent. Roberto Cortes, president of VW truck and bus, said: “Considering the favourable economy in Latin America, we expect to end 2008 with a sales volume close to 60,000 trucks and buses, representing a new all-time record.”

Iveco and Daimler have also reported similar sales patterns, with Iveco citing the increase is due to demand from the Latin America and Eastern Europe markets. Daimler’s CV sales are up 3 per cent for the rolling year so far thanks to a 60 per cent growth in Southeast Asia. They have recently launched trucks and buses in India and are preparing for market entry into China and Russia as well.