RENAULT VANS – CV SHOW 2006
27 April 2006 - Renault

UK debut of new Master 16 Seat and new Trafic Crew Van +

New, innovative Trafic DoubleDeck Dropside now available from £18,600
Launch of new state-of-the-art van customer website, www.renaultvans.co.uk
Europe’s largest van marque, Renault, has a significant presence at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC, Birmingham, 25-27 April, where the Master 16 Seat and Trafic Crew Van + make their UK debuts, alongside an innovative Trafic conversion, the DoubleDeck. Renault will also announce full details of its new van website at the show, www.renaultvans.co.uk, which goes live on 27 April.

Renault Vans – Stand 4465, Hall 4

Based around the ''No. 1 in Europe'' theme, Renault is using the show once more to highlight the depth and breadth of its van range, with a total of 11 products on display. In addition to core products of Clio Van, Kangoo Van, and panel van versions of their larger siblings, Trafic and Master, two models from the recently-launched Commercial Passenger Vehicle (CPV) range and three conversions are also on show.

Show visitors will be the first in the UK to see two new models from the new Commercial Passenger Vehicle range in the metal, the Master 16 Seat and Trafic Crew Van +. The Trafic 9 Seat will also be featured. Elsewhere on the stand, emphasising Renault’s ability to offer tailored products for specific industries, two Master-derived off-the-shelf conversions appear, namely the Luton Van and Double Cab Tipper, plus the new Trafic DoubleDeck Dropside.

Last but by no means least, adding a touch of glamour to proceedings is Renault F1 Team’s latest creation, the R26. Following Renault F1 Team’s double title success in the 2005 FIA Formula One World Championship, this year’s title-defending challenger, which has already won all three of this season’s opening races, is sure to draw in the crowds throughout the show.

www.renaultvans.co.uk – just a click away from the van of your dreams

Proving why the company is Europe’s number one manufacturer of cars and vans, Renault’s UK subsidiary will be launching a new website during the show, dedicated solely to its van customers, www.renaultvans.co.uk.

Designed to give its current and prospective van customers the same high standard of online interaction as its car buyers on www.renault.co.uk, Renault has invested a significant sum in developing its latest website. Available to view from 27 April, the site is in keeping with the company’s recent radio and press advertisement campaign, ‘We love you guys’, and will enhance the brand’s presence in the UK as well as providing potential customers with invaluable information at the touch of a button, any time day or night, 365 days a year.

Visitors to www.renaultvans.co.uk are just a click away from a whole host of useful online services and tools, including:

Online showroom – customers van take a virtual tour of any new Renault van, with 360° views, both inside and out
Details on Renault’s business services and latest customer offers
Online service and test drive booking
Interactive budget planner to work out monthly van finance
‘My Renault’ area, includes an interactive forum, plus owner services for Renault van owners, servicing and warranty matters
Find the nearest Renault dealer and/or Renault Van Business Centre and download directions on how to get there
Recognising that the needs of van operators vary almost as much as the businesses themselves, arguably the site’s finest asset is the van configurator section, which allows tradespeople to select from a wide list of tools and equipment and the site will calculate the most appropriate van for the user’s specific needs.

Trafic Crew Van +

The UK was the second largest European market for the Trafic Crew Van last year behind France, due in no small part to its popularity in the construction and public sector industries. To build on the six-seater Trafic’s success, a new trim level called ‘+’ has been launched to offer even more comfort for its passengers, with prices from £16,725, just £450 more than the standard versions.

Among the equipment additions to this latest addition to the Trafic Crew Van range are: carpet mats front and rear, driver’s armrest with lumbar support, four folding armrests, improved rake to the seats (18.5° versus 14° on standard versions), large wheel stylers and rear opening windows.

Six versions of the new Trafic Crew Van + are available, with the choice of two engines, 1.9 dCi 100 or 2.5 dCi 140 and either short or long wheelbase guise. The fuel-saving Quickshift6 gearbox is also available on the dCi 140 engine with either wheelbase.

New off-the-shelf Trafic Double Deck Dropside

The new Trafic DoubleDeck Dropside is an innovative vehicle, offering two load spaces, one a large and traditional dropside with a bed height of 900mm, the other a spacious, secure and weatherproof lower deck with a bed height of 660mm. The extra storage area is lockable and therefore particularly useful in terms of security for tools but also for protecting items and perishable supplies from the elements without the need for specialised tarpaulin. An easily accessible tool draw is also incorporated into the design. Available with a standard gross vehicle weight of 2.9 tonne and up to 1100kg payload, the Double Deck offers a stylish and practical alternative to the standard dropside.

TopDeck:
Superstructure and load bed subframe pressed galvanized steel, bonded and mechanically fixed to the vehicle floor pan to form a one-piece monocoque structure. Flooring, resin coated 12mm mesh faced birch plywood. Sides extruded aluminium section fitted with over centre catches.

LowerDeck:
Load tray pressed aluminium sheet, weather proof and secure extending out 1400mm from the bodywork, with a draw depth of 265mm, which allows the operator to store large items such as plasterboards (for example, 24 sheets of 1.25m x 2.5m x 9mm), sheet materials, ladders and up to 10 cement bags, in a lockable, dry environment, along with an easily accessible tool pod. The draw itself is operated via an oval, powder coated, self-locking steel bar, by twisting the bar the draw can be pulled open and if, at any point the bar is released, the draw locks in place, meaning that it cannot ''overtake'' the operator on gradients and also does not need to be opened fully if only limited access to the rear tool pod is desired.

Based on the Trafic Platform Cab PCLL2.9dCi 100 or 140, it has the following technical characteristics:

Upper deck: length 2725mm, width 1950mm
Lower deck: length 2750mm, width 1250mm, depth 265mm
Vehicle length with draw extended: 7000mm

Gross Train Weight: 4940kg
Lashing rings on floor 350kg
Gantry payload: 250kg

Two versions of the new Trafic DoubleDeck are available to order now, with a choice of dCi 100 or dCi 140 power. The former boasts a payload of 1100kg and maximum torque of 240Nm, while the latter offers 977kg payload and 310Nm of torque. They cost £18,600 and £20,000 respectively, excluding VAT and on-the-road charges.

Renault Commercial Passenger Vehicles (CPVs)

New Trafic 9 Seat

The current Trafic range has been extremely successful since its launch, with the introduction of the six-seater Crew Van last year adding an even greater passenger-carrying dimension for customers, particularly in the construction industry. The new nine-seat versions, launched just a few months ago, now add even more flexibility to the range, plus a wealth of interior comfort features and overall refinement.

The new Trafic 9 Seat is designed to be one of the most comfortable and practical minibuses in the market, with seating for the driver and eight passengers, boot space of 1m³ and the added convenience of a tailgate with twin sliding side doors and opening windows. Even greater versatility is available as the vehicle’s third row of seats fold, creating a cavernous boot area of up to 2.5m³.

Aside from the new product’s undeniable passenger and load-carrying ability, it also has two other fine assets. Firstly, its built-in safety. As with a full M1 vehicle, the Trafic 9 Seat has impressive safety credentials with the seats and seatbelt anchorage points tested up to a 20 G deceleration rate, ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) and ESP with ASR traction control all fitted as standard. Secondly, there is its fuel economy and running costs, where Renault’s highly-regarded 1.9 dCi engine returns 37mpg on a combined cycle and only requires servicing every 18,000 miles.

Core equipment includes: 30W CD-RDS radio with fingertip controls, ABS with EBD, alarm, driver’s airbag and remote central locking. All seats are fitted with headrests and three-point seatbelts, with load-limiters and pre-tensioners on the rear seats. For customers seeking to transport their family, friends or clients in even more luxury, several options are available, including: air conditioning with heat reflective windscreen (£650), electric windows and door mirrors (£275) and metallic paint (£325). All option prices listed exclude VAT.

Available in two short wheelbase and low roof versions, SL27dCi 100 and SL29dCi 100, the new Trafic 9 Seat costs £15,963 and £16,440 respectively (excluding VAT and on-the-road fees). The version on display at the show is converted as an executive minibus with alloy wheels, colour coded bumpers, chrome side step bars, DVD player, leather seats, re-lined roof and carpets, plus tinted windows.

New CPV range - Master

Not to be outdone by its smaller sibling, there are three different versions of the new factory Master minibus, offering seating for between six and 16 people. Two of these new products are on display at the show, the Master 9 and 16 Seat.

New Master 9 Seat

With an extra row of seats compared to its 6 Seat sister, the new Master 9 Seat is available in a choice of three bodies: SL28 and SL33 (short wheelbase, low roof) and MM35 (medium wheelbase, medium roof).

Core equipment on these two vehicles includes: 60W CD-RDS, alarm, ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution), remote central locking, tinted glass and trip computer. Several options are also available, including: air suspension (£1,500 – excluding 6 and 9 Seat SL versions), cruise control (£250) and satellite navigation with electric door mirrors and windows (£1,250). All option prices listed exclude VAT.

In addition to the five-speed manual gearbox available on the dCi 90 and the six-speed manual gearbox on dCi 120, Renault’s new, robotised gearbox, ‘Quickshift6’ is also available with both the dCi 100 and dCi 120 engines, offering fuel savings of around 10% compared to the manual version of the same engine.

New Master 16 Seat

Not content with launching two new nine-seat minibuses, Renault is also now offering a factory 16 Seat to complement the existing 17-seat off-the-shelf Master minibus conversion. Equipped with a 62mph speed limiter and digital tachograph, the new Master 16 Seat is also fully compliant with EC2001/85 and PSV regulations. The Master 16 Seat benefits from easy access with an electrically operated sidestep, and for increased passenger safety, all seats and seatbelt anchorage are tested to M1 standard.

The new minibus is available with a long wheelbase, medium roof body (LM39), plus a choice of two of Renault’s class-leading diesel engines – dCi 100 and 120, with either manual or Quickshift6 transmission.

For further information on Renault’s van range, visit Stand 4465 in Hall 4 of the NEC or see www.renaultvans.co.uk from 27 April.

www.renault.co.uk

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