Van partnership deal
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• After years of speculation, Renault has linked up with Leyland Dal' to develop a range of vans for the mid-1990s.
The vehicles will be of between 2.5 and 4.2 tonnes gross weight. They will be built at the former Freight Rover plant in Washwood Heath (which currently produces the 200 and 400 Series Leyland Daf vans) and at Renault's Trafic and Master plant in BatiHy, France.
Investment in the range will be around FFr2 billion (2200 million), and total output should reach 90,000 a year. The new vans, which will supersede the Leyland Daf 200 and 400 and the Renault Master, will be marketed independently by the two companies.
When rumours of a Renault/ Leyland Daf vans tie-up began
in 1987 (CM 3 December 1987), they were strongly denied — the two companies say that serious talks have only been going on for six months.
Renault has also made a deal with Chrysler for the production of a four-wheel-drive vehicle, and it has recently started talks with Volvo on the possibility of co-operation in the car and truck businesses (CM 1925 October).
Leyland Daf has also been casting about for a partner to build a successor to the recently re-engined 200 and 400 Series vans. When Daf took over Leyland and Freight Rover in 1987, it undertook to fund the development of a new van with 2100 million, but Leyland Des current sales volumes would scarcely warrant that level of expenditure.
Both companies have faced strong competition in the van market from Ford's Transit, the Peugeot/Fiat SEVEL vans, and latterly from the Japanese.