The commercial vehicle market in Western Europe has been lead by Renault for the past twelve years.
Despite an overall drop of 28% in the market sector, the French brand still managed to pull 14.81% of the market share last year. Not content to rest on its laurels for this year they have just launched three new models, albeit that all are upgrades of existing well established and recognised ranges.
The biggest in every which way is the brand new Master which has undergone a major revamp on the styling front, as well as getting a totally new interior to offer impressive storage facilities and comfort for the business user. The new bold front end styling with large grille and new headlights emphasises a bold muscular approach to load carrying. New headlights go with this, as does a new larger rear light set-up with three triangular stoplights and better bumper protection. However, it is internally in the cab that the biggest change has taken place with a move to provide car style passenger comfort as found on smaller vans. Storage will no longer be a problem for those who require the cabin to be an office as well, with every inch of space being utilised with neat storage solutions. There is useful rotating laptop table in the middle of the seats, with concealed storage for said item in the top of the dash, which now incorporates a clever A4 clipboard. As a result, the Sat Nav, which is now a standard feature as opposed to an option, moves to the centre of the windscreen just above eye level.
Power comes from a new 2.3 dCi engine, which comes with a choice of three power outputs (100,125 an 150hp) all with six –speed gearboxes. Perhaps the biggest news here though is the option of a rear wheel drive version, which has allowed Renault to offer a fourth length to their long list of options. As well as increasing load capacity, the firm see it as offering more scope for those who wish to convert the van for other uses such a motor homes. You can now choose between four lengths, three heights and there are twelve carrying capacities, definitely something for everyone whatever the business! From a driving perspective, the vehicle is now very comfortable with good all-round visibility, although the high mounting of the Sat Nav did mean you had to avert your eyes from the road ahead, which was not always prudent on the tighter going of the test route! On the twisty country roads around Nice, there was little to split the front and wheel drive versions when talking about handling and the engine was just spot on in terms of power delivery and smoothness. However, the gearbox on the front wheel drive was noticeably smoother in operation.
Joining New Master in 2010 is the face lifted third-phase Trafic, which has been principally engineered to be more comfortable and driver-friendly. The dashboard has been redesigned to incorporate practical stowage spaces, while new equipment features normally associated with cars make life at the wheel even more comfortable. The 2.0 litre dCi version of Trafic Phase 3 also offers an appreciable reduction in fuel consumption. The revised Trafic delivers even more precise handling and enhanced ride comfort similar to that of MPVs thanks to the use of suspension technology derived from the latter type of vehicle. The combination of load sensitive hydraulic dampers and the variable rate suspension ensures a constant ride height and handling performance regardless of how much weight the vehicle is carrying. On the road it is as good as it always was, but it has certainly benefitted from the extra comfort levels.
Last up in the new line-up to test was the Kangoo Van Maxi, aimed principally at business users seeking maximum carrying capacity and flexibility within a compact footprint. The Kangoo Van Maxi has an extended wheelbase of 40cm, which, believe it or not, really does increase its versatility and load carrying ability. It is offered with two or five seats and is in a crew van option. It has very clever grille that automatically appears to protect the driver when the seats are folded flat for large loads. The 1.5 dCi engine has 85 or 105 hp options available depending on your load lugging needs. A morning pushing the long wheelbase around some roads better suited to a sports car showed that handling has not been compromised by the longer wheelbase and it is an excellent package for anybody looking for a smaller van with lots of carrying capacity. This latest addition means that Renault is the only brand in Europe to market a compact van that is available in a choice of three wheelbases, ensuring there is a version to match every type of business use.
At the same time, Renault is enhancing its business customer strategy with the launch of the new Renault Pro + network for the business user. Essentially a one-stop shop contained within a normal dealer with extended opening hours, dedicated business servicing facilities and a member of staff available purely for the business user to avoid queuing and time off the road. Each Pro+ dealer will have to stock a number of models and conversions for test. As a footnote, although all the new models mentioned are as green as you can get, if you want electric, Renault showed us a Kangoo Van with an operational range of 100 miles, which will be on sale next year! This zero-emission van will be particularly suited to business users looking for an optimised carrying capacity of three cubic metres and will primarily be intended for use in and around built-up areas.
