OFF-ROAD OR KINGS ROAD?
Page 46
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Four-wheel drive is now a firmly established niche in the commercial vehicle market Unlike current truck sales, 4x4 vehicles have recently enjoyed increasing sales, with a first quarter improvement of 8.6%, compared with the same period in 1989. Imports too are up, from 48.9% to 63.6% for the quarter.
There is no shortage of new 4>4 models to swell manufacturers' catalogues this year, Only last week Commercial Motor reported the long-awaited launch of the Mahindra range from India. Starting at a competitive £7,195 (ex-VAT), the Peugeot diesel-powered "jeep" copy may find favour among farmers who need a towing vehicle rather than one offering a respectable payload. On paper, its specification is rather outdated, so it will have to be rugged and reliable to gain a reputation as a working vehicle.
In the panel van sector, there have been other comings and goings recently. Gone is the 4x4 version of the Vauxhall (formerly Bedford) Midi, a victim of poor sales. Arrivals include the face-lifted version of the lyeco Ford TurboDaily, available in 4W0 for the first time in the UK, as the 40-10W. Plated at 4.05 tonnes GVW, the panel van comes in a high-roof version with a 2,800mm wheelbase. The either 2,800nun or 3,200mm wheelbase. All models have front and rear differential locks and power steering, and a host of off-road options are available.
Cousin by marriage to the TurboDaily is the Ford Transit. County Tractors has produced 4x4 versions for some time, but Ford is set to get in on the act itself (CM 12-18 April). The County conversion is only available on the LWB 160 model, in either van or chassis cab versions.
Ford plans to broaden the range by adding its own version using a traction system similar to that on the Sierra 4x4. The County conversion will still be available for those needing a vehicle for more severe terrain, but the factory 4x4 Transit should satisfy demand for occasional off-road use and improve poor weather performance. The launch is not yet final
ised and may be two years away.
A direct competitor to the Transit, the SEVEL 4x4 range is also a comparative newcomer. Sold as the Peugeot-Talbot Express, Citroen C25 and Fiat Ducato, it too is not aimed at serious off-road users. Despite that, a Peugeot-Talbot Express 4 x 4 has performed well in trials in Snowdonia with Gwynedd Health Authority. The same vehicle, designed as an incident control unit, is also being tried by other emergency services. The face-lifted versions should be available later in the year.
Also well established are 4x4 pickups where little has changed recently, The Vauxhall Brava has gained a new 2,5-litre direct-injection diesel engine but otherwise, the rumoured 4x4 version of Ford's best selling P100 has yet to make an appearance. Since Land Rover launched the Discovery, with its directinjection diesel last year, the question has been, when will the engine find its way into the Land Rover? The smart money at CM is on a date later in the year, with the Birmingham Motor Show adding fuel to the speculation.
Whenever it comes, it will be a welcome improvement to the Land Rover and should help our own 4 x 4 maker to stay at the top of the class in this increasingly competitive sector.
0 by John Kendall