Van ads rumpus
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
SEVERAL Japanese van importers and distributors are still smarting from an advertisement for the Volkswagen Transporter which was placed by VAG (UK) in national newspapers last week.
The full-page advertisement shows some of the results of a series of crash tests on forward control, one tonne payload vans conducted earlier this year in West Germany by the Allianz Centre for Technology. It is an accident research organisation funded by insurance cornpanies.
Volkswagen commissioned the tests, it says, in response to user concern over the protection of drivers and passengers in accidents involving forward control vans.
All the vans with which the VW Transporter is compared in the tests are of Japanese origin but that, says Volkswagen, is simply because of their forward control design.
Six vans, the lsuzu WFR (now sold in Britain as the Bedford Midi), Mitsubishi L300, Nissan Vanette, Nissan Urvan, Toyota Liteace and Toyota Hiace, were compared with the Transporter in Allianz's sledge tests. Each vehicle was propelled into a wall which covered 40 per cent of the frontal area of the van, at a speed of 35 to 38km/h (22 to 24mph).
VAG's advertisement summarised the results of only four of the tests and showed that the Transporter compared very favourably with the Mitsubishi, Nissan Urvan and Toyota Hiace in such areas as shortening of the vehicle, cab deformation, and ease of repairs.
Indeed the three Japanese vans are described as "total write-offs" after the crashes, while the Transporter was said to be "repairable at reasonable cost".
A full report on Allianz's impact testing of the seven vans was published in West Germany earlier this year and Volkswagen has sent reprints to its German distributors.
A comparative advertisement would not be allowed in Germany, nor in most other European countries. But VAG (UK) has no doubt of its safe legal standing with the advertisement in this country. It has been approved by the Advertising Standards Authority, a VAG spokesman told CM.
The Colt Car Company, which imports Mitsubishi cars and vans, has been the strongest objector to the advertisement. "We were horrified," a spokesman told CM.
Colt criticises the detailed translation of the test results as well as the principle of using an advertisement which condemns competitors so strongly.