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Top vans hit the big city

23rd October 1997
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Page 18, 23rd October 1997 — Top vans hit the big city
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They're becoming increasingly difficult to find, but behind the concept vehicles and styling exercises CM's Toby Clark and Charles Young managed to sniff out a number of new LCVs at this year's London Motor Show. New models were displayed alongside more established offerings from Ford, Vauxhall, VW, and Peugeot. And gas power's increasing popularity was reflected with a number of major manufacturers showing dual-fuel vehicles. If this report has whetted your appetite, the show continues at Earl's Court until 26 October.

• Peugeot launched its Boxer crew-cab, seen here fined with a Howson Garner alloy dropside body. It's available now at a base price of £18,265 (ex-VAT—which cannot be reclaimed) plus delivery. Peugeot expects to sell around 300 a year and has already had enquiries from a couple of local authorities. The model shown can be yours for around £22,000 and has a 2.5TDI engine, powerassisted steering and a payload of 1,670kg.

• Citroen will launch the Multispace, an estate car based on the Berlingo van, from next spring. It's a cut above most other "combi" vans, with a properly trimmed five-seat interior and fairly easy access to the rear seats. It comes with a rear hatch rather than twin doors (this is now an option on the Berlingo) and it's offered with a full-length fabric sunroof.

• Ford took an outside stand to show off the Transit, including this new 3.2m-wheelbase chassis-cab, shorter than the existing 3.5m model. The chassis will form the basis of a pickup fined with an Ingimex aluminium body kit. This model conceals a dual-fuel petrol! LPG engine, converted by Hendy Power Products using a Dutch-built Vialle kit. The system has separate fuel injectors which introduce LPG in liquid form, controlled by the petrol version's EEC-V module. The 60-litre LPG tank gives a gas-powered range of around 220 miles. The conversion costs £1,695 and Hendy claims that a typical diesel van user could recoup that cost in 30,000 miles.

Peugeot hoped to display its new Expert Combi van but it didn't quite make it in time. Similar to the TD van, it has sliding windows in the side doors, fixed windows in the rear and a folding/removable rear bench seat. It will be available from March and customers will have to pay VAT. The two Expert vans have been reduced by £300. In the meantime, Peugeot showed this Rancho concept vehicle, based on the Partner van, and rather wilder than Citroen's equivalent Multispace. • Volkswagen's L146 will be available here in the next few weeks. Pictured is the first righthand-drive chassis-cab in the country, decked out as a recovery vehicle with a Caddy pickup on the back. VW hopes to sell between 200 and 300 LT46s a year including medium and long-wheelbase vans, chassis-cabs and double cabs with 2.5TDI and 2.8TDI engines. The long-wheelbase vans have a high roof; medium-wheelbase vans are available as either high-roof or flat-roof models. The 2.8TDI will soon be available in the 1135.

10 Toyota's Hilux

pickup has been given a facelift, and 4x4 models (below) now get a turbocharged version of the 2.4-litre diesel.

The new engine puts out 90hp (67kW) rather than the 78hp (58kW) of the naturally aspirated type, and peak torque has gone up by 39%. The cabin is roomier than before, overall height is increased and 4x4 versions—normal or Double Cab—are fitted with a limited-slip differential and driver and passenger airbags. Toyota also showed three "fun" concept vehicles designed in Europe for European markets, including the Funcargo (above). Intended mainly as urban transport, its body style—"based on the image of a helicopter"—would make it a great small van.

The Motor Show provided us with more details on Vauxhall's dual-fuel Combo which is available with a full manufacturer's warranty. The 60-litre tank in the load space costs about 116kg in payload and 516mm in load length. The engine is virtually unchanged apart from the addition of a CNG fuel system. The Combo has to be stationary while the fuel is switched (via a button on the dashboard) but it automatically returns to petrol if the gas runs out. A number of local authorities have shown interest; Vauxhall expects to sell a few hundred a year.

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Organisations: Earl's Court

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