was a a very busy year in the light commercial
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market. Although UK sales were not substantially increased (the LGV market sets the pace at the moment), a lot of new and heavily revised models hit British roads. Indeed, some areas of the market are awash with competent vehicles, making a purchasing decision more tricky than ever. This is demonstrated in the hatchback and high-cube sectors. The panel van market is more complicated, with new front-wheel-drive models competing against more traditional rear-drive vans which have been developed and refined to a high degree.
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SEVEL The most important launch of the year was that of the new Sevel van: the Fiat Ducat°, Citroen Relay and Peugeot Boxer appeared simultaneously, replacing the first product from the Franco-Italian joint venture which has lasted since 1981. The new van is impressive. The payload is competitive, ride and handling are very good, driver comfort has improved and build quality seems up to the mark. But the best part is the load space; taking full advantage of its front-wheeldrive layout, the Severs load volume and ease of loading set new standards. This van should be as good to work in as it is to drive, and we imagine that the high-roof variants, with low floors and full height load doors, may frighten a few parcels-van builders. TRANSIT The biggest name in panel vans wasn't going to take the new Severs arrival lying down: still committed to the rear-wheel-drive platform, Ford accepted that the standard Transit's load volume and accessibility couldn't match that of the Sevel, but chose to emphasise driver comfort, safety and (one of the operator's biggest concerns these days) security
The 1995 Transit is a major advance in sound deadening and cab comfort; it has three proper seat belts and optional driver and passenger airbags; and an engine itnmobiliser is standard (even on diesel models), with a tracking system as a further option.
Ford also made a tilt at the bigvolume market with the Transit High Cube, a Motor Panels-converted model that approaches the size (12m3 or so) of the biggest
Sevel vans. It also represents a move into the Nem Daily's market: the High Cube will be available in a four-tonne GVW Transit 230 model (along with single and twin-rear-wheel chassis-cab versions).
Meanwhile, the Daily itself is now available in Britain—as in the rest of Europe—as a tachofriendly 3.5-tonner, thanks to the gradual winding-down of the Iveco-Ford pact.
There were few other major changes in the panel van sector: VW's Transporter (already one of CM's favourites) and Renault's Trafic received a few refinements, as did vans from Toyota—who substituted the short-wheelbase Hiace Compact for the Liteaceand LDV, the former Leyland Daf Vans.
LDV continues to develop its SVO and bodybuilding operations to offer a "one-stop shop", and so far the strategy seems to be working. Like other manufacturers, LDV has had to modify its engine range to meet impending emissions legislation: the direct. injection Perkins Prima engine was dropped from the 200 range in favour of a PSA (Peugeot) diesel.
Another notable development was the restriction of petrol engines to high.performance models: few would now dispute the economy and flexibility of diesel power, so surviving petrol variants tend to be relatively powerful. Some manufacturers, such as Citroen, no longer list petrol-engined panel vans; Ford, Mitsubishi, Fiat and Peugeot all offer two-litre units of well over 100hp.
HATCHBACK VANS There has been an escalation in power outputs at the lightweight end of the market, too, with the tiniest hatchback car-derived vans boasting zippy petrol engines or surprisingly torquey diesels, of which the beefiest is the 65hp (47kW) 1.9-litre unit fitted to the Renault Clio Van. This exceptionally fine-handling van, with an amazing turn of speed, looked set to become the fastest van on the autoroute, seizing the title held for years by Peugeot's recently deceased 205.
Then Peugeot fought back with the 106 Van; it's only available with a 57hp (42kW) 1.5-litre diesel, but it can hurtle with the best of them (CM tests it in full next week).
The 205 wasn't the only model to disappear: VW dropped the Polo Van in anticipation of the new version—due this year— and fated the Golf Van with the naturally aspirated Umwelt engine rather than the turbocharged unit, with little change in performance but exceptional economy.
Ford simplified the Fiesta Van range to just two variants, in line with the rationalisation of Escort and Courier models; Vauxhall came up with the Corsayan, which sets a high standard of equipment and cab design. This is just as well, as "hatchvans" have become one of the most competitive areas of the commercial market.
HIGH-CUBE VANS The high-cube CIW market has moved up a gear, too, with the massive marketing push for Vauxhall's Combo. The attractive Portuguese-built van combines the front end of the Corsa with a reskinned Astramax load box; its vital statistics are impressive, the cab is (naturally) pretty driver-friendly, and
its initial pricing must have frightened Ford, makers of the market-leading Courier. Meanwhile, the Escort Van and Astravan carry on, with new engines, improved equipment and different nomenclature.
Nissan's Sunny Van hasn't changed but still looks comfortable, well-equipped and pretty good value; our long-term test van has been 100% reliable, as would we expect from its three.
year warranty. '
Citroen now sells its van range, including the C15 Champ, with a two-year warranty, while Renault has given the Extra a mild facelift which includes the option of an angled tailgate.
Another manufacturer to offer a long warranty is Fiat, with a choice of terms available on its new Fiorino Van.
The new vehicle looks little different from its predecessor, but the running gear has been completely revamped and the body stretched: it's now the biggest of the high-cubes and could take sonic of the microvan market now owned by Daihatsu's Piaggio-built Hi-jet.
PICKUPS
The Fiorino's pickup variant has recently been introduced to the UK (it's tested in CM this week), and
should appeal to users of the Volkswagen Caddy, abandoned a few years ago. It's an inexpen sive, reasonably civilised machine, just one of a number of new products in a sector that has declined dramatically over the past couple of years.
The disappearance of the Ford P100 and Peugeot 504 left a hole in the two-wheel-drive pickup market: FS0 and Tata have introduced budget-priced models which are proving popular.
The FS() Pick-Up (sic) uses a Peugeot diesel engine, while the Indian-built Loadbeta uses Tata's own development of a Peugeot unit. Tata produces a van on the same platform, though this falls uncomfortably closely in price to better-equipped, more capacious high-cube vans.
There has been little change in the more expensive end of the pickup market, still dominated by Japanese-built vehicles such as the Vauxhall Brava, which has gained a low-blow turbo-diesel to meet forthcoming emissions regulations. and a Crew Cab variant that will have the Tman champing at the bit.
But Ford has made a stab at replacing the P100 with the Flareside, a Transit dressed up with aluminium load bed and plastic body kit—it may sell like hot cakes.
Pickups remain a niche mar
ket, but this rash of new models might stimulate potential buyers-1995 should uncover any real trends.
1995
We won't see as many brand new vans hitting the showrooms as last year, but there are some interesting models in the pipeline. In a couple of weeks Mercedes will unveil the important and all-new T1N range, which should see it well into the next millennium— they are relying on it to steal sales from the Sevel and Transit outside the comfortable German market.
Nissan will show its new panel van, based on the platform of the Serena personnel-carrier. Hard on its heels will be a van variant of the 1995 Ford Escort.
Also waiting in the wings are Seat's Ibiza-based van, the 35tonne Tata 407, the new Volkswagen Polo Van and a facelifted VW Transporter, with a new interior that incorporates airbags.
Safety and security will continue to be major themes of model changes, but the most obvious trend is the improvement in driving comfort. If you're a van driver—you've never had it so good.
L by Toby Clark