BUSINESSVANS WWW.HPMMAG.COM Got a story? Ring us on 01732 748041 or e-mail twood@unity-media.com Stylish two tonner moves more Ford’s new two-tonne Transit offers increased cargo capacity, smart load-space features and an enhanced driving experience. HPM’s Alex Willis reveals more in his round-up of vans news... Model-for-model, the load volume of Ford’s new two-tonne Transit has been increased by around ten per cent compared to the outgoing Transit. For example, the L2 van’s maximum volume with standard full steel bulkhead has risen from 10.3 to 11.2cu m enabling it to now transport four Euro pallets and carry items three metres long along the floor. The largest Jumbo van can swallow 15.1cm3 of cargo behind the bulkhead. The load area, which has more vertical side walls and larger, more practical door openings, can accommodate key standard-length items, including pipes or building boards. The side load doors now have an opening width of 1,300mm for easier loading and unloading with forklift trucks. Smart new features include a high-grip rear bumper step offering a class-leading step height; an easy to clean durable plastic floor covering that rises 100mm up the side walls for easier washing and sweeping and LED lighting (optional) to provide maximum interior illumination. Available in front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions, the all-new Ford Transit also offers extended two-year/30,000 miles service intervals, with the time required for scheduled maintenance over 90,000 miles cut from 5.4 to 4.2 hours over the outgoing model. Ford analysis of a basket of 23 repair items shows that the new model is class-leading for non-scheduled maintenance times. For example, the labour required for a rear brake disc repair has been cut from 2.6 to 1.3 hours. Expensive fuelling errors are avoided by the standard-fit Ford Easy Fuel system. The standard Ford Transit powertrain features the Dagenham-built 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel engine with a choice of three power ratings (100, 125, 155PS) and a six-speed manual transmission. Customers also have the option of 125P and 155PS HDT6 engines which meet the Euro 6 standard. The cabin is more spacious than the outgoing model, with increased shoulder room, head clearance and visibility and a more comfortable driving position with a steering column fully-adjustable for rake and reach. An all-new interior incorporates a range of smart stowage solutions, including a full-width overhead shelf and a large hidden compartment under the dual passenger seat. A 230V power socket can be used to charge tools or laptops without the need for special adaptors. Pioneering technologies which will help enhance drive awareness and confidence during long working days at the wheel include: adaptive cruise control with forward alert; lane keeping alert and driver alert; rear view camera with trailer hitch assist; static cornering lights and tyre pressure monitoring. The vehicle also includes ‘curve control’ designed to slow the vehicle in a safe and stable fashion when it enters a bend like a motorway exit ramp too quickly, along with load adaptive control, roll stability control and hill start assist. RELIABILITY LEAD According to a Fleet News survey of the 50 largest UK contract hire and leasing companies, Ford is identified as the most reliable van manufacturer and the Transit as the most reliable van. In this annual survey - the largest study of its kind in the UK - companies themselves rank the best performing vehicles for reliability based on actual breakdowns and warranty claims. Those responding to the survey represent a combined fleet size of 170,000 light commercial vehicles. HIGH-ROOF GAIN The high-roof version of Ford’s Transit Custom offers 20% greater load volume than the equivalent low-roof model at an additional cost of just £500. This van features 370mm greater load height than the low-roof model to increase the distance from floor to roof to 1.78m, and offers a maximum load volume of up to 8.3cu m (with a full bulkhead fitted). Unique in the segment for its all-steel roof, the Transit Custom high-roof offers more durability than a composite roof construction along with roof rack compatibility and a maximum load of 100kg. A load-through hatch in the bulkhead enables loads up to three metres in length, such as pipes or ladders, to be safely carried inside the vehicle (up to 3.4m in long wheelbase model). CITAN POWER AND PETROL Two new engines are available for the Mercedes Benz Citan light van range. The 110hp 111CDi becomes the most powerful diesel model in the line-up and is expected to account for about 20% of Citan sales. It is available in long and extra-long wheelbase guises offering a payload of 735kg and maximum 3.8cu m load volume. The second power unit is a 114hp 1.2-litre model, dubbed the Citan 112. Like the new diesel, it gets a six-speed manual gearbox, rather than the five-speed transmission used in the rest of the line-up. A-ROADS ARE RISKIEST A Road Safety Foundation report has revealed that single-carriageway A-roads are the most dangerous routes. The research, entitled ‘Measuring to Manage’, analysed 44,373km (11%) of UK roads, focusing on motorways and major A-roads, where 51% of accidents are said to take place. It revealed that 62% of fatal and serious crashes occur on single-carriageway A-roads roads, compared with 15% on mixed single and dual-carriageways, 12% dual-carriageways and 11% on motorways. It also stated that drivers are seven times more likely to have an accident on an A-road than on a motorway and that drivers running off the road accounted for 30% of all deaths. The Mercedes Benz Citan light van 20 FEBRUARY 2014 HEATING & PLUMBING MONTHLY
HPM February 2014
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