END OF YEAR UK - RENAULT VANS - The commercial arm increases sales by 1.5% & Increased market share.

• Renault van sales up 1.5 per cent to 25,842 vehicles in 2016
• Renault van market share grew to 6.8 per cent
• Renault van sales in the UK considerably outpace the van market growth rate
• Strong LCV growth beats 2015’s record year for Renault LCVs in the UK
• Renault has been Europe’s number one LCV manufacturer for eighteen years

Renault van sales experienced a record-breaking year in the UK, growing by 1.5 per cent to 25,842 vehicles in 2016 in a van market that grew by 0.5 per cent, according to official figures released today from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 

Renault’s LCV market share for 2016 stood at 6.8 per cent – up 0.1 percentage point on 2015.

The award-winning Trafic is still proving popular with British businesses with 15,271 of the third generation model being sold in the UK in 2016 – up 11.5 per cent versus last year.

Commenting on the results, Paul Flanagan, Managing Director, Groupe Renault UK & Ireland, said: “It’s great to have yet another record-breaking year for Renault vans in the UK having beaten 2015’s record year. With our offering of an innovative and efficient range of vans to suit every business need, supported by our ever-growing Renault Pro+ network, 2016’s performance reflects Renault’s ever-increasing appeal in the UK van market.”

Renault has been Europe’s number one LCV manufacturer for the last eighteen consecutive years and was Europe’s number one electric van manufacturer in 2015.

The Renault LCV range consists of the Kangoo compact van comprising of Kangoo, Kangoo Maxi and 100 per cent electric-in-use Kangoo van Z.E, the Trafic panel van, available in both Passenger and high-roof bodystyles as well as the large Master van in Passenger, Panel and Crew Van specifications. A comprehensive range of converted LCV products are also available to order, built by Renault and Renault-approved coachbuilders. The 100 per cent electric-in-use Twizy Cargo quadricycle is also a part of the LCV line-up – a unique way of transporting smaller items around urban environments with zero emissions in use.

Groupe Renault, which comprises Renault cars, vans and Dacia, significantly outpaced the UK vehicle market during 2016, with sales totalling 137,436 vehicles for a market share of 4.5 per cent – up 7.9 per cent from the year before and outpacing a total market growth of 1.9 per cent. These results make Groupe Renault the fastest growing volume franchise in the UK, outperforming the overall market for the fourth consecutive year. 

	Volume			Market share
	2015	2016	change	2015	2016	change
Renault cars	75,618	85,102	12.5%	2.9%	3.2%	0.3%
Renault LCV	25,458	25,842	1.5%	6.7%	6.8%	0.1%
Dacia	26,228	26,562	1.1%	1%	1%	-
Total Groupe Renault	127,343	137,506	8%	4.2%	4.5%	0.3%

WHAT VAN ? - Mercedes takes teh safety award for the seventh and every year its been around.

What Van? has once again honoured Mercedes-Benz with the Safety Award for 2017 – an accolade that the manufacturer has held for a record-breaking seventh consecutive time.

In fact, since the Safety category was added to the What Van? Awards, Mercedes-Benz has received the honour each year.

This year, there was a special mention for the Blind Spot Assist system. Blind Spot Assist enables the driver to monitor those areas that are not easily visible. 

The system utilises two near-range radar sensors in the rear bumper and covers the area to the left and right in adjacent lanes. If these sensors detect a vehicle in the blind spot while driving, a red hazard warning triangle lights up in the relevant exterior mirror. 

If the assistance system detects that the driver has activated the indicator and wants to change lanes anyway, an audible warning is issued and the red warning symbol starts to flash.

In addition to the Safety Award, Mercedes-Benz Vans was also highly commended in the Large Van Award category for Sprinter and also in the Website Award category.

The What Van? Awards are decided by its expert editorial panel comprising decades of experience in the industry. James Dallas, Editor at What Van, said: “A vast range of effective safety kit in its LCV line-up, including Blind Spot Assist, means Mercedes-Benz continues to be the clear leader in this vital area of the market.”

Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans, added: “Blind Spot Assist is a fantastic example of how our safety systems benefit the businesses that use our vans – by helping to prevent accidents, the driver and other road users remain safe and the van remains on the road and earning its keep.

“It is a small system with a mighty impact and we are very proud to maintain our 100% success in this category.”

WHAT VAN ? - The VW Caddy & Amarok are highly recommended & the website wins too !

• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles extends winning streak at What Van? Awards
• www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk claims Website of the Year Award 2017
• Volkswagen Caddy and Amarok ‘highly commended’ by What Van? judges

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has finished a very successful 2016 with more awards, this time courtesy of What Van?. The brand’s fully-responsive website claimed the ‘Website of the Year’ Award and both the Volkswagen Caddy and Amarok were highly commended.

The website – www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk – includes comprehensive overviews of the complete range of vehicles offered by the brand, along with links to downloadable brochures and price lists. 

The easy-to-navigate site also offers customers the ability to book vehicle services online and gives full details of offers and finance options available.

Customers can also find information regarding the brand’s conversion programme and available accessories for each model.

The brand’s website has received a number of updates during 2016, including the launch of a new online configurator and the introduction of a revised used vehicle section.

The online configurator offers new vehicle customers the opportunity to define the specification of their new vehicle from the comfort of their own office without the need for a pile of brochures or multiple website pages open. 

The simple step-by-step feature helps the customer choose the right vehicle, specification and options using useful images and descriptions. 

Once completed, the system generates a unique code that can be saved, shared with friends or colleagues via email and social media or taken into a Van Centre for the sales team to make the purchase process more streamlined.

The new used vehicle website allows customers to search quickly and easily from around 2,000 vehicles online from across the entire network. 

Once the perfect vehicle is found, customers can access the contact details for the Van Centre that is selling it, or, new for 2016, ‘Reserve Online’ by making a deposit via PayPal or ‘Make an Offer’ – a simple to use contact facility to start a negotiation. 

James Dallas, editor of What Van? commented: “Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles was a clear winner of the ‘Website of the Year’ Award for 2017. 

The brand’s site is easy to use and offers a strong all-round package that competently covers a wide range of products and services.”

The What Van? Awards judges also highly commended the Caddy in the Small Van category and the Amarok in the Pick-up Category. Dallas added: “The Caddy features a commendably high level of safety features, rock solid build quality and first rate on-the-road performance, which impressed the judges. 

The Amarok offers blistering performance on road for a pick-up and is highly capable when venturing off the tarmac too.”

WHAT VAN ? - The Duster from Dacia wins for the second year running as best 4x4 van.

• Dacia Duster Commercial 4x4 wins ‘Best 4x4 Van’ for second consecutive year
• Robust commercial SUV praised for its grip, ruggedness and affordability
• Priced from £10,095 (excl. VAT) – Duster is the most affordable new commercial SUV in the UK

The Dacia Duster Commercial 4x4 has been named ‘Best 4x4 Van’ for the second consecutive year at the What Van? Awards 2017 at an awards ceremony held in London this afternoon.

Based on the popular Dacia Duster compact SUV, and launched at the Commercial Vehicle Show 2015, the Duster Commercial 4x4 was praised by judges for its off-road capability, driving style and value for money. 

The Duster Commercial offers the perfect package for many tradesmen – based on the passenger car version of the vehicle yet with a 1,604-litre maximum load capacity and cost benefits thanks to its classification as an LCV.

James Dallas, Editor, What Van? said: “The versatile Dacia Duster Commercial, which retains the award from last year, is an excellent value for money proposition for operators who need to tackle tricky conditions such as icy or muddy tracks.”

Louise O’Sullivan, Head of Dacia UK said: “It’s great to see the Duster Commercial 4x4 again holding its own in this category. The Duster Commercial 4x4 applies the Dacia philosophy to LCVs – providing a no-nonsense solution to businesses looking for an affordable and reliable vehicle that’s also capable of being rugged and heading off-road when needed.”

The Dacia Duster Commercial 4x4 has a flat load area in lieu of rear seats and a payload of 550kg. Available in two different trim levels – Ambiance and Lauréate – the Duster Commercial 4x4 receives Bluetooth connectivity, electric front windows and a heated rear screen even on entry level versions. The Lauréate version adds features such as cruise control, leather steering wheel, alloy wheels, air conditioning and electric heated door mirrors. 

The Duster Commercial is offered with one business-oriented diesel engine – the dCi 110 unit, the best-selling Groupe Renault diesel powertrain, either as a 4x2 or a robust, go-anywhere 4x4. The 4x2 dCi 110 returns up to 64.2mpg (NEDC Combined), with CO₂ emissions as low as 115 g/km and is available from £10,095 (excluding VAT) for the Ambiance entry level trim. Meanwhile, the 4x4 dCi 110 returns up to 60.1mpg (NEDC Combined), with CO₂ emissions as low as 123 g/km and is available from £11,795 (excluding VAT) for the Ambiance trim.

Dacia offers a comprehensive selection of low-priced option packs to help owners secure payloads and protect their vehicle during a life of hard work. There is a choice of steel or mesh bulkheads between the passenger and cargo areas; privacy film for the tailgate window and mudguards.

The What Van? Awards are decided by the expert editorial panel of What Van? Magazine, calling on their combined decades of experience in the light commercial vehicle industry. The What Van? Awards seek to reward the best products, companies and services in the industry for their ability to make life easier, cleaner, safer and more efficient for light commercial vehicle operators in the UK.

WHAT VAN ? - Fiat Professional wins two honours at What Van? Awards 2017

• Fiat Professional wins two honours at What Van? Awards 2017
• Doblo Cargo named Light Van of the Year for second successive year
• Fiorino Cargo wins Small Van of the Year category
• Awards underline strength in depth of the Fiat Professional LCV line-up
• Range further strengthened with arrival of all-new Talento and Fullback pick-up

The strength in depth and all-round appeal of Fiat Professional’s light commercial vehicle

line-up has been highlighted again with a brace of coveted category wins at the prestigious What Van? Awards 2017.

First the hugely successful Doblo Cargo was named Light Van of the Year by the influential title for the second year running.

This capped an incredible 12 months for the widely-acclaimed model in which it was also named Light Van of the Year by VansA2Z and Best Small Van by both Van Fleet World and Trade Van Driver.

Meanwhile, the Fiat Professional Fiorino Cargo – the compact van built for the city – fought off fierce competition to be named Small Van of the Year.

The awards judges were impressed by the Doblo Cargo’s versatility and practicality as well as the driving dynamics and comfort delivered by advanced features such as the van’s sophisticated bi-link suspension.

In the case of the Fiorino Cargo, the model’s frugal engines and compelling whole-life financials set it apart from the competition.

James Dallas, Editor of What Van?, said: “Being both versatile and practical, the Doblo Cargo remains the best light van around.

“And with its frugal, Euro6 engines, the Fiorino Cargo makes a great deal of sense for any city-based operator.”

Accepting the award, Alejandro Noriega, Country Manager at Fiat Professional, said: “We are hugely proud of both the Doblo and Fiorino and are delighted to see them claim two more high profile awards for our brand.

“These awards are particularly special as they are awarded by a panel of experts who truly understand the LCV market and who know what van customers are looking for.”

He added: “These awards are further evidence of the strength and competitiveness of Fiat Professional’s van line-up, which has recently been bolstered by the arrival of the all-new Talento and Fullback pick-up, and underline the huge strides the brand is making as it aims to achieve its growth aspirations and further enhance its reputation.”

With a payload of up to one tonne, a load volume of up to 5.0m³ and a range of highly efficient engines, the multi award-winning Doblo Cargo has proved a big hit with fleet operators. The Doblo 1.3 90 HP MultiJet II Tecnico is currently available from £149 per month (exc VAT) on business contract hire.

The Fiorino meanwhile is perfectly designed for the city – agile in traffic and easy to park while retaining and impressive load capacity of up to 2.8m³ and a payload of up to 660kg. The Fiorino 1.3 75 HP MultiJet II is available from £139 per month (exc VAT) on business contract hire.

WHAT VAN ? - The Renault Trafic takes the Editors choice award at this years ceremony.

• Renault Trafic wins ‘Editor’s Choice Award’ at What Van? Awards 2017
• Praised by What Van? judges for its innovation and design
• Available in Panel Van, Crew Van & Passenger variants from £18,245 (exc. VAT)

The Renault Trafic has made it three years in a row at the What Van? Awards, having previously won the title of ‘Best Medium Van’ for 2015 and 2016, by picking up the ‘Editor’s Choice Award’ at the What Van? Awards 2017 at a ceremony in London this afternoon.

Editor, James Dallas bestowed the Trafic with his personal award, praising its innovation in the LCV sector and its clever design.

James Dallas, Editor, What Van?, commented: “Bringing excellent engines and clever innovations to market, the Renault Trafic is an outstanding van that has had a huge influence on the crucial mid-sized sector.”

Steve Wilson, LCV Product Manager, Renault UK, commented: “We’re delighted that What Van? has yet again recognised Trafic with a very special accolade. 

The Trafic has a long and successful history in the LCV sector – both in Europe where Renault has been the number one LCV manufacturer for 18 years and in the UK where we surpassed 200,000 Trafic sales in 2016 – and is much loved by every kind of business so it’s fantastic to see Trafic recognised by What Van? for the third consecutive year.”

The Renault Trafic is available with four efficient turbodiesel engines, in a choice of three bodystyles – Panel Van, Crew Van, to carry up to six people and equipment; and Passenger, which seats up to nine people in comfort. 

The Trafic van boasts fuel economy of up to 57.9mpg (NEDC Combined), CO₂ emissions as low as 155g/km, and is priced from £20,160 (excluding VAT).

The third generation Renault Trafic provides one of the best load capacities on the medium panel van market with clever solutions to make the loading area more practical. Innovative features such as the blind-spot eliminating Wide View Mirror (winner of What Van?’s Innovation Award in 2015), mobile office storage and functionality, a load-through bulkhead offering load lengths of up to 4.15m, touch-screen infotainment, as well as sophisticated stability control, are available.

The What Van? Awards are decided by the expert editorial panel of What Van? Magazine, calling on their combined decades of experience in the light commercial vehicle industry. The What Van? Awards seek to reward the best products, companies and services in the industry for their ability to make life easier, cleaner, safer and more efficient for light commercial vehicle operators in the UK.

Renault LCV sales in the UK were up 11.2 per cent year-to-date, as at the end of November 2016, to 23,702 vehicles – outpacing the UK van market, which was up by 1.6 per cent.  Renault had a record year for LCV sales in 2015 in the UK with 25,458 LCVs sold – up 40 per cent on 2014.  Renault has been Europe’s number one LCV manufacturer for eighteen consecutive years.