It's a Traficmit's a livaro it's both!
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by Toby Clark
°owing a tantalising year of teaser pic-es, previews and show appearances ; have finally driven and examined the rault Trafic and Vauxhall Vivaro, which II have a significant impact on the van rket. The joint launch of these near?.ntical one-tonne panel vans went witht a hitch, except when it came to the ailability of the new van: according to uxhall's first customer deliveries of the /arc will be in late July; Renault says it its customers will get the first Trafics September.
Having already planned to launch the ena and Movano—Renault vans dged as Vauxhalls—General Motors d Renault agreed in 1996 to share the velopment of the Trafic/Arena's suc cessor, code-named the X83. Designed largely in France, this all-new front-wheeldrive design uses Renault's latest common-rail diesel engines; it will be built first in Luton by GM offshoot IBC Vehicles. . Nissan's plant in Barcelona will start production later this year, and the van will eventually be badged as a Nissan too in some markets.
The new van looks pretty startling, with its car-like nose section and tail 'jumbo roof cab. It's unusual inside too, with a sweeping angled dash panel set above the instrument cluster and storage. The load area is more conventional, but it claims the lowest loading height in the class, at just 530mm. Double rear doors (glazed or solid) are standard, with a tailgate available as an optional extra. 'Comb' versions come equipped with fully glazed Sides and from five to nine seats.
The model range
Initially the van will be offered only in short-wheelbase form—long.-wheelbase models will become available when the second production plant in Barcelona starts up at the end of this year, followed by a high-roof version in 2003. There are no plans to launch chassis-cab variants, although Renault has suggested that there will be a platform-cab model.
The first engines to be offered are Renault's 80hp and 100hp 1.9-litre turbodiesels, the more powerful option coming with a six-speed gearbox as standard.
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Later this year a 120hp petrol version will be available, joined next year by a new 2.5-litre 16-valve turbo-diesel. This G9LI engine will put out 133hp with a massive 310Nm of torque at 2,000rpm.
All models have 16in wheels and disc brakes all round; Renault claims that stopping distances from 100km/h are potentially less than 40m.
The Vivaro's pricing seems competitive: it has been set at just under 213,000 (ex-VAT) on the road for the 80hp model, with a £600 price premium for the 100hp version. The Trafids prices are likely to be very close to these.
Whole-life costs should be excellent, as serving intervals are set at 18,000 miles or two years (no need for an intermediate oil change) and the body has a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty, while the van is in insurance group 4E. This extremely good rating reflects its electronic engine immobiliser, remote security deadlocks and low repair costs.