Free power for Transits school dinner
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Citroens gofor
• Power steering is now a standard fitting on all Ford Transit 190 LWB models.
Ford is offering the former £402 (ex-VAT) option at no extra cost; existing showroom stocks of models without power assistance will be discounted by the same amount.
Ford will maintain the "delete option" for customers who do not want it. Power steering is a standard fit across the Transit range in some European markets, but according to commer cial vehicle manager Mike Platts, Ford will not standardise power steering on SWB models unless there is sufficient demand.
Short-wheelbase customers benefit from other reductions. Models fitted with rear tailgates are offered with a £40 discount on the optional wash/wipe. Price is now £95 (ex-VAT).
All Popular models are offered with an optional Delivery Pack" at no extra cost — a side loading door can be specified instead of the stereo radio. Platts denies that the price reductions are designed to counter disappointing Transit sales, down 25% on January and February 1991. According to SMMT figures, sales of light CVs between 1,801kg and 3,500kg GVW are down 17% over the same period.
"We are not pushed by the market situation," says Platts. We are projecting 115,000 sales for medium vans this year; last year was around 111,300. Although it was running at 102 or 103,000 in January, stability will bring it back at the end of the year."
The Southampton plant, which has been on a three-day week since the beginning of the year, will continue short-time working for at least another month. Platts could not say how much longer it might continue. El The Ford Transit plant at Southampton has produced its one millionth built-up Transit. The LWB 190 Popular diesel will be exported to Spain. Final assembly of the Transit was moved from Langley to Southampton in 1972. Last year, the plant produced 55,000 built-up Transits and 6,000 kits for final assembly in Portugal. • Catering Management Services (West Country) of Bridgewater, Somerset has taken delivery of 12 petrol-powered Citroen vans.
They will be used on a contract with Somerset County Council to deliver 2,500 packed school meals daily.
The 11 C15E 600s and one C25E 1000 will operate on a four-year contract hire agreement, with the C15s covering 20,000km a year and the C25 22,500km.
All the vehicles are insulated and refrigerated; the conversion work was carried out by Western Refrigeration Services of Mere, using Sifo refrigeration equipment.