New Launches
Show Report: CV Show 2012
What a cracking event the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show turned out to be, thanks in no small part to Ford… Read More
Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Long-Term Test 1
We has just taken delivery of a Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Club Cab for long-term appraisal… Read More
Ford Transit ECOnetic Brief Test
We’ve been putting a SWB 100hp 2.2TDi Euro 5 Transit 280 ECOnetic through its paces… Read More
Renault Kangoo ZE 2011 European Launch
Renault is at the forefront of manufacturers offering a mass produced factory-built electric van… Read More
Fuso Canter 2011 European Launch
Fuso has completely revamped its range of light and heavy truck Canter chassis and chassis crew cabs… Read More
Iveco Daily 2011 European Launch
Iveco has introduced new, latest generation diesels to its Daily range, along with detail changes inside and out… Read More
Ford Transit 2011 European Launch
Ford takes the iconic Transit to the next stage with an all-new range of 2.2-litre Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 UK Launch
VW’s large panel van has undergone a serious makeover with changes to the front-end styling and the cab interior, as well as new Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Ford Transit Connect Electric Brief Test
We spent a day with the battery-powered Connect to get a better idea of what it’s like to live with in its natural, urban environment. Read More
Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL Brief Test
Currently undergoing trials with selected fleet customers in the UK, we managed to get behind the wheel of a battery-powered Vito E-CELL… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 European Launch
Volkswagen’s Crafter has undergone a midlife makeover and gets a new front-end along with new Euro 5 engines… Read More
New van sales on the rise in September
Sales of new vans up to 3.5 tonne rose 24 per cent in September compared to 2009.
The monthly new vehicle sales figures compiled by the Society of Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) show a significant month-on-month increase with a total of 35,309 vans up to 3.5t finding new homes. The total for September 2009 was 28,382.Ford was the big winner, managing to shift 9,568 which equates to an increase of 13 per cent. It’s market share, however, dropped from 30 per cent to 27 per cent. Despite this it still managed to outsell the combined total of second placed Vauxhall (5,000) and third placed Volkswagen (3,557).
The year-to-date figures for 2010 remain on the rise with a total of 168,554 vans up to 3.5t sold, an 18.4 per cent improvement over the same period for 2009.
The same cannot be said, however, for sales of vans and trucks over 6.0 tonnes. Month-on-month they were down 33 per cent and year-on-year they are currently down by 20 per cent.
Paul Everitt, chief executive of the SMMT said: “The rising van figures reflect a slow, but steady improvement in the UK economy, though they are still well below pre-recession levels. Truck volumes fell again after three months of growth and show the variable nature of the recovery. We need the government to use its comprehensive spending review to prioritise economic growth, as well as deficit reduction.”
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Latest Features
Show Preview: CV Show 2012
This year's Commercial Vehicle Show is returning to the NEC Birmingham on 24 – 26 April following a very successful 2011 event… Read More
Vans of the Year Awards 2012
Each year we sit down and decide which, in our opinion, are best light commercials around in each market segment… Read More
Manheim: Used Van Market 2011
Manheim Remarketing reports on used van values and trends in 2011… Read More
Iveco: State of the Nation 2012
The Italian van and truck manufacturer takes a look back at the 2011 UK van market… Read More
Bridgestone Eco-Rally 2011
Environmentally-friendly transport can be fun, as we discovered courtesy of a Transit Connect Electric… Read More
Euro 5 Switchover
There’s a flurry of activity in the 3.5 tonne panel van market and the reason is the impending October deadline for new vans to meet Euro 5 emissions levels… Read More
ESP on Vans Explained
ESP, or Electronic Stability Programme to give it its full title, is either standard or available as an option on all light commercials. But what is it exactly? Read More