UK van sales were down 35% last year – and sales are only rising slowly so far this year. So what can a poor manufacturer do to increase business?

In the case of Citroën, launch a series of new model variants with added spec and a lower prices to try and tempt those buyers who still have cash to part with it at Citroën dealerships.

The Enterprise moniker is available on Nemo, Berlingo, Dispatch and Relay.

All benefit, as standard, from air-conditioning, Bluetooth for improved communications and reverse parking sensors for improved safety.

In addition, Berlingo, Dispatch and Relay Enterprise models now feature USB connectivity for iPods, and Dispatch Enterprise models also include full steel bulkheads, electrically adjustable heated and folding twin-lens door mirrors and front foglights.

The Relay Enterprise is additionally equipped with a full steel bulkhead.

Trafficmaster Smartnav satellite navigation with Trackstar stolen vehicle tracking is also standard on Berlingo, Dispatch and Relay Enterprise.

The Enterprise vans provide their extra benefits for up to £560 less than the equivalent models optionally equipped to the same standard.

So can these lower price models cut the fleet mustard on the roads?

We tried a couple of them out for size.

Nemo Enterprise

Jump into a Citroën Nemo for the first time and the chances are you’ll fall in love instantly with this cheeky little van’s sassy looks, its fun handling and its massive loadspace for such a petite vehicle.

The Nemo – and its twin brothers the Peugeot Bipper and Fiat Fiorino – created a new sector when they were launched last year.

This van is built especially to winkle into small city streets yet will carry 2.5 cubic metres of cargo and loads up to 2.5 metres in length with a special passenger seat folded down.

Add to that a fuel economy figure of more than 60mpg and a CO2 emissions figure of just 119g/km and you have a pretty powerful fleet package.

The Nemo Enterprise is well-endowed with goodies.

Standard are ABS brakes, central locking, electric front windows and electric heated mirrors, a nearside load door, air conditioning, reversing sensors and Bluetooth connectivity.

It’s a shame we don’t get any mention of electronic stability control and there’s no passenger airbag either.

Apart from that, I can’t imagine a better place to spend a day than behind the wheel of this chirpy chappy.

Renault Master
30/09/2010 in Fleet Vans, Van Reviews, First Drive

  
” Renault has added style and substance to its heavy panel van with the launch of its new range ”

The body is new, the engines are fresh and the cab is much improved over the old model – but the first thing you’ll notice about the new Renault Master is that gaping grille – a sort of cross between a modern sculpture and a giant bean slicer.

Personally I love it and it’s hats off to the designers at Renault for making a bold statement for its new heavy panel van.

This van may essentially be the same as its twin brother the Vauxhall Movano, but Vauxhall’s grille is a much more sombre affair.

Both vans went on sale in May, offering for the first time front- and rear-wheel drive, together with gross vehicle weights up to 4.5 tonnes.

A single engine powers the new van – it’s a new one designed especially for commercial vehicles that weighs in at 2.3 litres and offers power of 100bhp, 125bhp and 150bhp, with torque of 210lb-ft, 228lb-ft and 258lb-ft.

All models have six-speed gearboxes.

This engine offers fuel economy gains of around 4.1mpg over the outgoing 2.5-litre unit, while servicing costs have dropped by 28% over the old model.

Standard features include ABS brakes, while ESC electronic stability control is standard on rear-wheel drive models.

Renault offers the usual staggering array of load lengths, roof heights and chassis-cab variants.

We tried this van for the first time in France and for this first UK test we drove, back to back, the RWD 3.5-tonne 150bhp medium wheelbase medium roof and the FWD 3.3-tonne shortwheelbase medium high roof 100bhp.

Rear-wheel drive

This van is a heavyweight performer and a half.

Although they come larger at 4.5 tonnes, our test model had that big truck feel and was definitely NOT something that can be thrown around the corners in a hurry.

The clutch is massively heavy and the gearchanges not the quickest in the world, but when there are heavy loads to be moved across long distances, this van won’t let you down.

The 150bhp didn’t feel hugely fast but the massive amount of torque – 258lb-ft at a low 1,500rpm – means that there will never be a shortage of oomph.

In fact this van will take off in second quite happily and will traverse roundabouts in top gear.

Load volume is a meaty 12.4 cubic metres and payload is 1,245kgs.

It’s a big climb up to the cab and the driver’s seat is firm and supportive.

This van took in a trip from Peterborough to Southampton during its test week and there were no back twinges at all.

And the passenger seats are comfortable too – unlike in some vans I could mention.

They are two separate ones rather than a single slab.

And bear in mind that Renault offers a very tasty TomTom sat-nav unit as part of the standard package.

It’ll set you back £900 as an extra on Movano and features a nice big colour screen.

Front-wheel drive

Climbing aboard this (slightly) smaller model immediately revealed a much different animal – the heavy clutch action was still there but this van felt much more lightweight and easy to manoeuvre.

Load volume was lower at 10.8 cubic metres but curiously payload was higher at 1,415kgs, thanks to the lower weight of the van itself.

All the handy little extras of the first model were there, including the little pull-out A4 document clip, and I really fell in love with the free sat-nav unit that features a nice big colour screen and an operation that’s a doddle, even for old technophobes like me.

Out on the road this engine isn’t exactly a ball of fire and I’d be tempted to recommend the higher-powered 125bhp unit as the best fleet option if heavy loads are to be carried.

The problem with lower power engines is that drivers will be tempted to floor the throttle at every opportunity to try and squeeze extra power out of the vehicle that just isn’t there.

The result is no more speed, reduced fuel economy and more engine stress.

My only major problem with the new Master is that Renault has chosen to add ESC as standard on rear wheel drive models only.

This life-saving device is standard on Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, VW Crafter and Iveco Daily and I was hoping that Renault (and Vauxhall for that matter) would follow suit.

But fleets which want it on FWD models will have to cough up £400.

That rather takes the shine off this vehicle, bearing in mind that Renault purports to take safety seriously