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
Van sales bounce back in August
Following disappointing July registration figures for light commercials up to 3.5 tonne, last month saw a healthy 22.8 per cent month-on-month increase compared to 2010 with a total of 10,640. As of the end of August the year-to-date sales stand at 161,040, a rise of 20.9 per cent over the same period last year.Ford topped the league as always, taking a 27.9 per cent market share with 2,965 registrations, an increase of 33.9 per cent compared to 2010. Volkswagen took second place, shifting 1,392 vans, closely followed by Vauxhall with sales of 1,215. Year-to-date figures, however, put Vauxhall solidly on the second step.
Pick-ups and 4x4 vans continued to perform well, but it was the 2.0t – 2.5t sector that was the star turn. It showed a 51.8 per cent month-on-month increase compared to 2010. The 3.5t – 6.0t sector continues to struggle with a month-on-month drop of 39.7 per cent.
“August saw the strong and sustained bounce-back continue across much of the van and truck industry as operators returned to more typical replacement schedules,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive. “With the commercial vehicle market up by over 20 per cent for the year-to-date, industry is optimistic, but short to medium term economic uncertainty is likely to temper the rate of future growth.”
