John Charles reports from Europe’s biggest commercial vehicle event, held in Hannover.
Nissan reveals new strategy and models
Nissan announced plans at the show that could lead to a doubling of LCV business revenues and top-level customer satisfaction in the LCV market globally.
As part of a plan to introduce 13 all-new products during its mid-term business plan period, Nissan will introduce a small van globally in 2009.
The vehicle, inspired by the NV200 Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2007, will hit the road in Japan next spring and then in Europe in the second half of 2009.
Nissan also announced its intention to market a hybrid-powered LCV by the end of 2012.
The Hybrid Cabstar will spend a high proportion of its working life in urban areas, where stop and start traffic is the norm.
Nissan estimates that reductions in CO2 and fuel consumption will amount to about 30%.
“We have not yet reached our full potential,” said Andy Palmer, corporate vice- president, Nissan Motor Company LCV business unit.
“We aim to expand our business much further with smart new products and services that meet the needs of our customers, both in Europe and around the world.”
It was also revealed that the next generation of Nissan panel vans will be stand-alone Nissans, not rebadged Renault Trafics and Masters.
Mr Palmer said Nissan planned to make smarter use of the Renault-Nissan alliance in future as far as vans are concerned.
He said: “We’ll still be sharing engines, transmissions, platforms and market intelligence but the emphasis has changed.”
First showing for new Ford Fiesta van
The all-new Ford Fiesta van made its public debut at the show.
Based on the new Ford Fiesta hatchback which is about to go on sale in Britain, Fiesta van will be available in the UK in Spring 2009.
Steve Kimber, Ford of Britain’s commercial vehicles director, said: “A commercial vehicle is not just a tool that has to deliver goods in a reliable and cost-efficient way – it’s also a business card.
The Fiesta van shares many of its key qualities with the car on which it is based.
“From its driving quality to the latest technologies, this is a practical van for today’s image-conscious business world.”
Preliminary technical data shows that the load volume is targeted to exceed 1.0 cubic metres, with a maximum useable load length of round 1,300mm, as well as a maximum load box width of 1,278mm (1,004mm between the wheel arches) and a height of up to 936mm.
Final measurements will be confirmed closer to launch.
The new van is available with a choice of engines: 1.25-litre 82bhp 16v petrol unit, a 1.4-litre 68bhp TDCi turbodiesel and a 1.6-litre 90bhp TDCi turbodiesel with standard diesel particulate filter.
The fuel economy figures of the Fiesta van are targeted to match those of the Fiesta car, with a combined fuel consumption of 67.3 mpg and average CO2 emissions of 110g/km on the diesel engines.
Volkswagen pick-up makes its debut
Volkswagen has revealed the fourth model in its commercial vehicle line-up with the debut of an all-new pick-up.
Aiming to set new standards in the one-tonne pick-up class, the new model will go into production at the end of 2009.
It will be built at Volkswagen’s Pacheco plant in Argentina and introduced initially to markets in Europe, South America, South Africa and Australia.
The pick-up is all-new and is the first commercial vehicle to be designed under the command of Volkswagen Group design chief Walter de Silva.
As such it exhibits what is referred to as ‘historical DNA’, in other words design elements which link it to other group models and give it a distinctive yet familiar appearance.
The truck measures 5.18 metres in length and is 1.9 metres wide.
Green Mercedes theme
A high-efficiency concept diesel van, the Mercedes-Benz Vito BlueEfficiency, made its debut at the show.
It featured an economical six-speed transmission, stop-start function, and a comprehensive package of aerodynamic improvements, which means it uses 1.5 litres less fuel per 100km than a standard Vito, while cutting 40g/km off the vehicle’s CO2 emissions.
Volkswagen is also incorporating fuel-efficient diesels into its range.
The Crafter BlueMotion Studie at the show is a 3.5-tonne van with VW’s latest Euro 5-compliant diesel engines, giving fuel economy of 31.04mpg.
LDV to rebrand as Maxus ‘in near future’
GAZ, the Russian firm that bought LDV two years ago, will rebrand the company as Maxus ‘in the near future’, according to marketing director Guy Jones.
And the company’s stand at the show gave a clear indication of its new black and orange corporate identity, which is already being applied to new European dealers and will be rolled out across the entire network from next year.
“The UK dealer council is supporting the change to Maxus,” said Mr Jones.
LDV currently has 72 sales dealers and 123 aftersales outlets in the UK.
The Maxus brand currently applies to LDV’s product range, so the rebranding would be “similar to MINI”, Jones added, where the brand and model range are one and the same.
But clearer model-specific branding is likely to be added in the future, as LDV wants to add more models to its range, particularly a smaller van to plug the gap left by the Cub, a rebadged Nissan Vanette that was sold from 1996 to 2002.
A suitable vehicle could be produced as a partnership with an existing van maker, or could be acquired. “We have several options on the table,” Mr Jones said.
Maxus premier
The show saw the world premier of the Maxus electric vehicle.
The prototype is on test with key customers as the company finalises specifications, launch plans and markets across Europe.
The new electric vehicle prototype has been developed by GAZ Group’s UK business, LDV Group.
Unveiling the new prototype, LDV’s chief executive, Evgeniy Vereshchagin, said: “The ECV1 has been designed to maximise safety while optimising loadspace and payload, with batteries ideally packaged between the chassis rails.”
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