Van News

No picturez please

2012-01-04T15:56:00.001Z

What a glamorous LolCat :)

The next evolution of mobile banking

2012-01-04T14:53:00.003Z

Banktech.com has written an interesting article on 8 bank technology trends that will shape the future of the industry, but the one that most interests me th most is the section on mobile banking technology:-

Mobile banking started as a novelty, something only techies and first adopters felt comfortable using. But as smartphones have skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years, mobile banking adoption has increased along with it.
Initially, many banks' mobile offerings consisted of their online banking model ported to an iPhone or Android device. As mobile has grown into a maturing channel, however, banks and their vendor partners have produced richer mobile offerings that take advantage of its unique capabilities. And the rise of the tablet gives financial institutions another unique interface through which to interact with consumers (see No. 4).
"Mobile banking, when it first became a hot topic, was very much an offshoot of the online channel," says Jacob Jegher, senior analyst with Boston-based Celent. "Now mobile is maturing to the point where it is its own unique beast."
While banks are embracing the mobile channel -- and continuing to support the old standby of online banking -- they are not integrating the technologies used to build e-banking solutions, according to Jegher. But that will begin to change in 2012. "We'll see banks continue to develop solutions for these multiple channels but using a single set of technology to do so," he predicts. A cohesive set of technologies, Jegher adds, will make mobile app and online development easier for banks to manage.

What's good for the banks should be good for us too, managing multiple accounts should continue to get easier and easier as technology marches onwards.

Pink Panther Video

2011-12-19T15:30:00.000Z

Legal Career Options

2011-12-19T15:18:00.003Z

Having a law degree can open up the door to a lot of exciting and diverse careers. Here are some of the many options for a career in law:

Lawyer

A lawyer is simply someone who is licensed to advise clients on legal matters and engage in the practice of law. As a lawyer, you will act as the advocate of your client in a court of law, and use verbal arguments and written documents to advance their case. Lawyers perform legal research, prepare and submit materials, and draft contracts. Lawyers are also responsible for making sure that their clients understand how the facts of their specific case are interpreted by the law.

There are many different specializations of lawyers, each with a very deep level of expertise in a specific field of law. For example, you could specialize in civil rights law, drug law, environment law, family law, immigration law, personal injury law, real estate and property law, and so many more.

The educational requirements of a lawyer are a minimum of seven years of post secondary education, which includes a four year undergraduate degree and three years of law school. Lawyers must also pass a bar exam.

Judge

A very prestigious and well respected career in the field of law is that of a judge. A judge presides over court proceedings, rules on all questions of law, maintains order between the opposing parties in the litigation, and makes decisions regarding legal disputes.

A judge also has many important duties such as listening to the witness testimony, informing defendants of their rights, instructing the jury, questioning witnesses, and imposing sentences on defendants who are found guilty. When the judge is outside of the courtroom, they will also be responsible for many tasks such as meeting with attorneys to go over the case, and establishing court rules and procedures. Some judges also perform marriages and issue marriage licenses.

To become a judge, you will need a law degree and will usually have to work for several years as an attorney before you will enter the judicial system. If you have excellent logical reasoning, critical thinking and decision-making capabilities you will be well suited to this job. You will also need to have a comprehensive understanding of criminal and civil laws and the court system. The career of a judge also requires a lot of writing, so you will need to be able to express yourself clearly and concisely.

Legal Consultant

If you have experience in the legal profession, you can turn your knowledge into a lucrative business by consulting for law firms and businesses and helping them solve their law-related problems. You can share your expertise on subjects such as management strategies, legal software, and marketing.

You might also be able to find work as a jury consultant or a trial strategy consultant on a large scale litigation case. A jury consultant is an expert on human behaviour who will be used in complex civil litigation to help attorneys select jurors and provide insight into their behaviour.
These are just a few of the exciting careers that can be had in the legal profession.

Puppy vs Cat

2011-12-16T17:07:00.001Z

Awwww!

Weird Mobile Apps

2011-12-16T16:18:00.003Z

123 reg's blog has a list of weird mobile apps, compiled in Oct 2010, showing that your mobile phone has myriad other uses that trawling the internet and checking your bank balance. Here we go:

The ASBOrometer. Ever wondered how where you live or work ranks in the anti-social behaviour league tables? Wonder no longer: the ASBOrometer uses government data to give you statistics for anti-social behaviour right on your iPhone. Just the thing if you’re the jumpy sort – next time you’re wandering in a strange neighbourhood, you can check exactly how safe you are.
Wheretheladies.at. This app is in development. It was recently covered on TechCrunch and uses information from Foursquare to find places near you which have the most women ‘checking in’ to them. Seriously. Whatever your opinion, it’s quite telling that there’s no corresponding service to help find where the men are at.
MEanderthal. This app comes from the highly-respected Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, yet still has the ability to make your photos look decidedly odd. It does this by transforming your face into the face of an early human. Disturbing? Yes. Educational? Probably. Give it a go to decide for yourself (warning: it’ll probably make your nose much bigger).
HealthMap. If the ASBOrometer hasn’t done enough for your levels of paranoia, hop on over to HealthMap, a service which tracks the global state of infectious diseases. Of course, it plots them on a nice map, so you can see exactly what outbreaks are happening near you. It could be essential, if swine flue returns this winter. Honest.
iLickIt. Like the website says, ‘to make the iPhone hygienic, clean it with an alcoholic wrap’ before you use this app. It’s the first iPhone game you can play with your tongue – you have to lick clean a plate displayed on the screen. Ideal for a gadget which gets carried all day in grubby or dusty bags and pockets and doesn’t react well to water.

The Duck song

2011-12-12T17:15:00.000Z

Random, but we like it

Unusual car accidents

2011-12-12T17:09:00.002Z

A video compilation of unusual car accidents, difficult to see if anyone suffered serious injury. Its also difficult to imagine how some of these came about!

Barra Dancers Perform at Disneyland Paris

2011-11-21T15:39:00.004Z

This photo of Radisson Blu Hotel at Disneyland Paris is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Dancers from the Jane Douglas School of Dance performed a 30 minute program to a 3000 strong crowd on the Videopolis stage at Disneyland Paris, as part of the International Festival of Highland Dancing.

Organiser Billy Forsythe MBE congratulated all the dancers taking part and said,” For those who had travelled furthest, be it in time (that was definitely from the Western Isles) or in distance ( that might have been from Alberta/Saskatchewan) I can only say well done for putting on a show that was incredibly polished and professional and would have been a WOW in any location around the world. And the sight of that Pre-Parade was simply stupendous. The whole of Disneyland’s Main Street, USA, was a tartan carpet constantly moving and changing - and the lines of the dancers were wonderful, straight as a die down the full length of the street. The Disney Artistic Director, who is responsible for all the shows and Parades at Disneyland, and her colleague, who is responsible for all the Cultural Development programme were Mega-Impressed by the Pre-Parade and said it was the best rehearsed and performed Pre-Parade they had ever had, and it had drawn more visitors to the Pre-Parade than any other they had put on. Well done Everyone ! “

The dancers and thir families also got to spend time in the park as well as embarking on a tour of Paris before heading home. The article doesn't mention where they stayed, but the Radisson Blu Disneyland Paris hotel is situated just minutes from the park.

BBC Alba’s De a Nis followed the dancers through rehearsals, excitement and preparation back stage and on the park rides, The programme will be shown on their Christmas special on 23rd December at 18:00.
Janice Anne from Radio nan Gaidheal’s Aileag also accompanied the dancers and captured an hour long programme which will be broadcast on the 16th of December at 4pm, which will be repeated on the 17th. You can also listen again for a week after the broadcast date.

Call to crack the whip on compensation claims

2011-06-15T13:52:00.002+01:00

Car and van drivers are paying higher insurance costs because of a sharp rise in fraudulent whiplash claims, which cost the insuarance industry nearly £2 billion a year.

Insurers are now calling for a clampdown on the fraud after it was revealed that one in every 140 people claims for a whiplash injury every year – the highest figure compared to the rest of Europe.

The NHS spends around £8 million a year treating injuries of this kind but insurers have been forced to pay out nearly £2 billion to claimants, according to The Association of British Insurers.

This drives up the cost of motor insurance premiums for honest consumers by 20 per cent, or £74, at a time when motor cover has soared by 40 per cent in the past year.

Around 1,200 whiplash claims are made in the UK every day, six times more than the number of people who claim for work-place related injuries each year. Three-quarters of personal injury claims in the UK are for whiplash, the highest level in Europe.

Speaking at this year’s Whiplash Conference in Leeds, James Dalton, the ABI’s assistant director of motor and liability, said: “Despite the statistics I doubt that that the UK has some of the weakest necks in Europe.

“Often difficult to diagnose, easy to fake and exaggerate, whiplash is a fraudster’s dream.”

The number of claims is rising thanks to ambulance chasing lawyers and claims management firms, as well as “cash for crash” incidents, whereby drivers stage an accident to make a claim, the ABI said. Last month a “cash for crash” gang was jailed for a £5.3 million insurance scam.

The ABI is now calling on insurers, doctors and lawyers to create a partnership, which aims to prevent whiplash, improve treatment and crackdown on fake claims.

Expert medical guidance is required on how genuine injuries can be diagnosed and treated. The association also wants to raise awareness among consumers about safe breaking distances, as tailgating is the main cause of the injury.

“We seem ill-equipped to effectively identify and treat whiplash, our compensation system is too slow in offering rehabilitation and paying fair compensation for whiplash injury to genuine claimants, and our compensation culture encourages fraud. All this must change.”

The ABI is also encouraging implementation of the Government’s proposals on civil justice reform, which would ensure genuine claimants get the compensation they deserve and access to rehabilitation more quickly.

Fleet World Awards

2011-05-16T14:10:00.003+01:00

Even if you are just purchasing the one vehicle for your business or personal use, what fleet buyers are thinking is a useful thing to know. The Fleet World Awards are seen by many as a helpful insight into the best value vehicles on the market. This years ceremony was recently held at the Royal Automobile Club in London's Pall Mall.

The Toyota Hilux is a make of pickup that has developed a reputation for being exceptionally tough, thanks in part to TV stunts. The reputation seems set to continue with the award for best pick up truck.

Both the Best Small Van and Best Large Van prizes were scooped by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles ever popular vans. Best Large Van went to the Crafter and Best Small Van went to the Caddy. The Caddy also landed the award for Best New Van, as the latest iteration of this pint-sized work horse is entirely reworked. Interestingly the car from which the Caddy was originally derived, the Golf, also picked up an award.

Fiat Professional’s Doblò Cargo van was awarded the title of Best Light Van. This is the second year running where it has picked up this prize. Citroën saw recognition for their fuel efficient LCV range with the Environmental Award.

Video: VW Califormia Review

2011-05-16T11:17:00.002+01:00

Review of a factory fitted VW California camper van.

Video: Fiat Doblo Review

2011-05-12T16:52:00.000+01:00

Van Factory In Luton To Stay Open

2011-03-25T11:12:00.003Z

Good news for the workers at the Luton Vauxhall factory. After much wrangling a deal has been reached which will see the plant produce the latest incarnation of the popular Vivaro van.

The Luton factory is Britain's largest van plant and it employees over 1,500 staff. The new deal is a joint venture between the General Motors owned Opel/Vauxhall group and Renault and will secure the future of the plant until beyond 2020.

It is planned that the plant will produce 62,000 vans a year. The Renault Traffic variant of the Vivaro that is currently produced in Luton will have production shifted to France in 2013. This will be at Renaults plant in Sandouville.

The news of the deal will come as a relief to the staff of the plant. There had been fears that it would be shut down. The Luton plant is the last large scale producer of vans in the UK. Although manufacturing is far from being in the forefront when it comes to financial investments at the moment perhaps Britain will be able to emulate the success that Germany has seen in reviving its economy by focusing on the sector.

At The Races

2011-02-15T11:55:00.002Z

The Volkswagen Racing Cup is a pretty unique racing series. As well as being the best supported 'saloon racing series' the cup is the only single manufacturer series where different models of various ages are allowed to compete with each other.

Obviously a variety of Golf's have proven popular in the series in the years since it started in 2000, but the companies vans have also made a strong strong showing. The charm of the series is really that such different vehicles that each have their own unique strengths. The small cars like the Lupo have their light weight on their side. There are entrants with powerful V6 engines, such as the Beetle. Where the vans get their edge is, of course, the superior amount of torque that they are able to deliver from their turbo diesel engines.

There are very relaxed and consistent rules that make it an easy series to get involved with. Any VW that has either raced in one of the last two seasons or is less than ten years old qualifies for a Volkswagen racing log book and entry to the series. This means you can give one of their used vans the new life it always dreamed of!

It is the Golf derived Caddy that has proven to be most suited to life on the track, notably in the capable hands of Simon Elliot, who you can see in action in the clip below, showing that van drivers are a force to be reckoned with.

Eliot will be behind the wheel of an updated Caddy in this year's series - and it will be great to see what the new model can do. If you would like to win a pair of tickets to the double-header at Oulton Park in Cheshire on 25th April, then there is a prize draw you can enter.

Cyclists - Listen to the Van Man

2011-02-08T10:08:00.003Z

Reading an article about the alarming increase of cycling accidents prompted me to point out one or two observations that I as a van driver have made when driving around doing my duties.

Cyclists are reminded that by observing some sensible practices they can remain safe on the road and are less likely to confuse other road users such as delivery drivers, have many other distractions - after all you don't want your expensice bike lookig like this do you?

So I thought I'd hunt out some authority information about road sense and share:

Solicitors from Access Legal's Cycle Accident Claims team include a number of cycling enthusiasts who are committed to spreading safe cycling messages to reduce the number of accident cyclists suffer - see regular updates about cycling issues on their blog. The following guide is from the blog's main website - www.access-legal.co.uk

Family and group riding tips from Legal-Access

It is advised that the adults themselves ride behind the children to keep them in view. However if there is two or more adults present, then the ideal set up would be one at the front of the group and one at the back
When in back you should only go as fast as the slowest rider
Don't cycle any closer than 1 foot between your front wheel and the back of the wheel of the rider in front of you
If cycling at the front, remember that you have people behind you, and will need more time to break then you will, increasing the danger. Try to avoid suddenly breaking or weaving
Ride no more than in a row of two, allowed plenty of room for traffic to pass. If traffic has built up behind you, you might want to pull to the side and allow it to pass

You can download the entire safer cycling guide from the site.

Vantastic

2011-02-07T17:00:00.000Z

Vantastic video about....you guessed it VANS

Volkswagen Van Gets Olympic Champion On The Road To 2012

2010-10-29T12:11:00.003+01:00

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is supporting Bryony Shaw, the Team GB Olympic windsurfer, as she goes for gold at the 2012 Olympics in London. Bryony, who won a bronze medal in the Beijing Olympics 2008, has been provided with a new Volkswagen Transporter Kombi to carry all her equipment as she competes at championships across Europe in preparation for 2012.

Bryony is Britain's number one female windsurfer and second in the RS:X world rankings. She has recently won silver in the 2010 World Cup Series and a proven medal winner over the last four years at the Weymouth World Cup event, which as the 2012 Olympic venue means she will be sailing on her home waters!

‘This is the perfect vehicle for my lifestyle and an extremely valuable tool in my bid for gold in 2012. The Transporter is great to drive, really comfortable over the long distances I have to travel, and has plenty of space to carry all my equipment – plus it looks cool,’ said Bryony.

The Volkswagen Transporter has evolved during its 60 years of production to become the most popular and iconic vans used by surfers and windsurfers, and in the tradition of surfer vans, Bryony’s has been customised with a roof spoiler, alloy wheels, tinted glass and bespoke, colourful graphics featuring her sport.

Her van is also fitted with a towbar, as she often needs to tow equipment, including a rib, and as it is a Kombi, it also has the added versatility of a second row of seats which fold forward to create a longer load length when needed.

David George, Head of Marketing for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles said: ‘We are delighted to be able to support Bryony as she strives to achieve her target of gold in 2012. Bryony is a great ambassador because she’s so passionate about our brand, and just like many of our customers, uses the van to carry the tools of her trade.’

Video: Two Wheeled Van Driving

2010-10-29T11:55:00.003+01:00

The star of this video is a man named Michele Stuntman. With a name like that it's no wonder he ended up in this line of work! Here he demonstrates the correct technique for two wheeled van driving.

The Evolution of Van Man

2010-10-22T12:10:00.004+01:00

by Elena Price

To mark the launch of the new version of the iconic Transporter van earlier this year, and celebrate how it has evolved during five generations and 60 years of production, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has commissioned research to take an in depth look at how the modern van driver’s interests and habits have evolved during this time.

The research sheds light on the stereotype of the modern van driver, sometimes known as ‘white van man’, and shows that today’s van drivers are now fitter, better read, healthier and more tech savvy than ever before. The study also found that an increasing number (over a third) are women.

Key to the research was how van drivers are perceived and how they perceive themselves. Over 53 per cent of the public feel that van drivers suffer from outdated and outmoded stereotypes of the 80s and 90s ‘white van driver’.

Over 65 per cent of the van drivers questioned take some form of frequent exercise, with over a third exercising more than three times a week. Keeping fit and healthy is also not a premise of just young van drivers with a large proportion (70 per cent) of van drivers over 55 exercising regularly. Staying healthy doesn’t just mean exercise either, as diet is important for the modern van driver with over 40 per cent passing on a pasty or packet of crisps in favour of an apple or a salad whilst on the road.

Whilst keeping fit is important to the modern van driver, a healthy and active mind is now also important. Over a third (37 per cent) regularly support the arts, enjoying great films, plays, and exhibitions - maybe even an opera or two.

Today’s van drivers are also keen to stay abreast of current affairs with over 80 per cent of respondents following the news agenda, with Scottish drivers being the biggest newshounds at 91 per cent. Whilst the modern driver is a great fan of traditional media, social online sites now play an increasingly important role in their lives – with over 60 per cent using a social network and nearly 20 per cent regularly tweeting .

Technology plays an integral part in both a van driver’s home and professional life with 72 per cent owning a laptop so they can now take their office on the road with them, while 57 per cent own a Smartphone or iPhone, and over half have already embraced HD TV.

David George, Head of Marketing, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles commented:

‘Our research looked to challenge some of the more outdated perceptions of modern van drivers and it certainly has. Van drivers, much like the iconic Volkswagen vans over the last 60 years, have most certainly kept up with the times.’

The research also looked at how ‘van proud’ modern drivers were with over a third taking pride in their vehicles and regularly cleaning them. Indeed younger drivers are the proudest with 62 per cent regularly taking to the chamois and polish to keep the dirt away, whilst across the country those in the East Midlands are the most proud of their van’s appearance.

Looking at van drivers across the country:

The fittest van drivers by region:
1. South West
2. North West
3. Scotland, Northern Ireland and Greater London
4. West Midlands
5. East of England

The biggest news fans
1. Scotland
2. North East
3. South East
4. West Midlands and South West
5. Yorkshireand North West

The most ‘van proud’ drivers
1. East Midlands
2. West Midlands
3. Greater London
4. South East and Scotland
5. North East

Automotive Markets Show Improvement in September

2010-10-15T11:58:00.004+01:00

The automotive industry witnessed a slight revival through the September period, following the disappointing figures of August. The stronger sales in September are not expected to be a sign of long term rebound after the recession however, but instead more of a positive note in a long term slump.

Brian Johnson, an analyst at BarclayCapital said on Monday that an upturn in those sales at retailers would be coupled with lower sales to those who buy in bulk, such as car hire and van rental companies. However this would be a positive nod to automotive manufactures as individual sales yield a much higher profit margin then fleet sales to larger firms or companies that deal in car and van rental, leasing, or other fields.

“We continue to expect sales to remain around current levels for the remainder of 2010,” he wrote, adding that he is sticking with his forecast of 12 million in sales for next year.

September sales numbers were predicted to be in the area of 11.7 million cars, vans, and trucks, a small but still increased margin from 11.5 million in the August period.

Brian Johnson went on to say “This would make September the best retail month in two years except for August of 2009, which was artificially boosted by the government’s Cash for Clunkers rebates. The numbers will be far higher than last September, which was a depressed month because Cash for Clunkers drew out buyers who would have otherwise waited until September.”

Across the nation this week is when the automakers report their figures for the month and on a year to year ratio. These results show that although sales are down the average price of of vehicles per is on the rise which means a higher profit. It seems although less people are buying those who are value paying the price for a quality reliable car van or truck.

The general consensus over low sales volumes is that consumers are still shaken in the economy, and employment, debt, and financial security are still issues. They believe that there are a large number of people that are stepping back and waiting for prices to fall before buying.However, automotive manufactures are now reducing their overheads and still profiting even with a lower sales volume. Those waiting for lower prices might be waiting a long time.

Van News Roundup

2010-10-15T11:16:00.003+01:00

Here are some Van and Commercial Vehicle related stories from around the internet this week:

30 Van's I'd Be Tempted to Get Into

30 Vans with crazy paint jobs including the Scooby Doo themed one below.

Mobil 1 Announces Britain's Best and Worst Roads.

"“The Mobil 1 Mission was a grueling test, travelling a long distance across a variety of terrain. But there were some real adrenaline-fuelled highlights. I experienced some phenomenal drives through scenery I didn’t even realise we had in this country.”"

Tyre safety campaign receives Highways Agency backing

"Organised by TyreSafe, tyre safety month will educate drivers about the importance and simplicity of checking tyre tread depth. With the Highways Agency’s endorsement, campaign materials will be distributed across the UK"

Video: World's Most Amazing Limos.

2010-10-07T11:49:00.000+01:00

This features the ultimate Limousine collection, From the 1960 VW Beetle to the Rolls Royce Phantom & Maybach 62S Stretch Limo's
Also Includes: Ferrari F40, F360 Lamborghini Diablo, Countach,
VW Passat, Beetle, Porcshe Cayenne,
BMW 760Li, Hummer H2, The worlds longest Limo at 100 FEET!

Who Let The White Van Man Out?

2010-10-01T11:09:00.004+01:00

If you are queuing in traffic and somebody is waiting to pull out do you let them in front of you? Chances are, if you are a decent human being and not in a hurry, you would let them out. you know what it's like to have people drive past ignoring your plight and you know what is the right thing to do. You might however base your decision on whether to let someone out on what car they are driving.

A recent survey has shown that people are least likely to let out from junctions those driving a white van. Why is it that people in commercial vehicles are our least favorite road users? Is a man driving a used van less deserving of the 'after you' hand wave? Perhaps it is because we assume that these people are being paid to drive rather than spending their leisure time trying to get somewhere?

Those driving Lorries, BMWs, Land Rovers and sports cars were also near the bottom of the list. Those most likely to get let out were Peugeot 207 and Vauxhall Astra drivers and good looking drivers in any vehicle. I wonder if good looking women in white vans get let out at junctions?

Driving a 100 Tonne Logging Truck part 2/2

2010-09-28T12:05:00.000+01:00

Driving a 100 Tonne Logging Truck

2010-09-25T10:49:00.000+01:00

Ever wondered what it's like driving a 550 hp 100 tonne logging truck?

Strong sales for Volkswagen across the board, and more for the future says CEO

2010-09-23T15:12:00.003+01:00

Volkswagen continue to prove that their ambitions for title of world largest car and vans manufacturer is not simply empty boasting. CEO Martin Winterkorn has even gone on to claim that as soon as 2018, we could see VW leading the world in both sales and innovative automotive design. VW hopes that its wide range of cars and vans for sale are set to dominate the market.

Its not hard to see why Winterkorn is so optimistic about VWC's future. A record of the first half of this year shows that Volkswagen sold well over 4 million vehicles across the periods of January to July. It only adds to the steam of good news previously attributed to its European divisions. Already the largest European automaker, their performance output rose again by 13 percent for the first half of the year. While in the month of July alone, Volkswagen had sold over 570,000 cars and vans worldwide.

“After a very successful first six months we got off to a good start in the second half of the year. Over the coming months we will continue on our growth path with our model range and will perform better than the competition. However, this will be a challenge, given an operating environment that is again becoming difficult. Now that incentive programs have come to an end, the global automotive market is expected to decline in the second half of the year. There will not be a return to the high pre-crisis levels this year,” - Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler

Sales figures for VWC were most significant in the Asia & Pacific regions, with a reported growth rate of 42 percent percent totalling 1.23 million vehicles. China, did well with its own substantial growth of 42 percent. However, pales in comparison to India, with an increase of 121%. The home European markets were no slouch either, with figures totalling 2 million vehicles sold, maintaining its already strong holding with a rise of 2.2 percent. In the Western Europe regions there were gains of 18.4 percent to 1.15 million vehicles. However the home German market remain very low key due to the diminishing returns of the cash for clunkers schemes that took place last year.

The models which preformed the best for VWC were the various people carrying cars/vans as well as Volkswagen's more commercial oriented vehicles. The core brands went on to sell 2.6 million passenger cars and vans during the first half of the year (January to July), at an increase of 14 percent. Demand in China for the already popular models such as the Lavida, Passat Lingyu, Jetta and New Bora only increased as well.

Video: The Biggest Truck in the World

2010-09-21T10:59:00.003+01:00

This week's video doesn't technically feature a van but it is about a commercial vehicle albeit not one you are likely to see during your daily commute. This is the kind of truck that many of us dreamed about driving when we were younger, it's huge and powerful. The description says that it is the world's biggest truck, I don't know if that is true or not but it is gigantic. The wheels appear to be about 12 feet high!

Volkswagen Provides British Gas with a New Fleet

2010-09-08T15:25:00.004+01:00

British Gas have begun the process of replacing their fleet of 10,000 vehicles with the help of Volkswagen vans. VW have so far provided 2,000 vans to the energy supplier including Caddy, Crafter and Transporter Shuttle models in a rather fetching shade of blue as shown below.

“Our on-going strategic relationship with Volkswagen is very important to our business. It enables us to provide our engineers with safe and reliable vehicles, which meet highest quality standards and offer excellent value in terms of whole life costs."
-Colin Marriott, General Manager for British Gas fleet

The vehicles Volkswagen are supplying are not the normal vans for sale. For improved safety the vans are fitted with speed limiters and racking to help control any load if the vehicle has to brake heavily. In addition, the new livery includes high visibility chevrons on the rear doors. Externally, the vans still feature the iconic British Gas flame, but the new livery is also designed to have more space to communicate information and features to keep customers, and potential customers, informed.

The replacement of their existing fleet is part of British Gas’ modernization plans. The new vans feature the pale blue that British Gas now use in their branding, replacing the dark blue many associate with the brand.

“We are pleased to see that the quality, durability and cost effective running costs of Volkswagen vans have passed the formidable British Gas acceptance criteria, and above all, proud to have our vans delivering such great service to British Gas and its customers.”
-Simon Elliott, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

Video: Yeti Concept Truck

2010-09-02T15:41:00.002+01:00

This is one weird looking truck, the wheels are taller than the cab! It might look a little ungainly but it seems to be pretty agile - handy if you live in the frozen north.

Master fabricator Rex Bailey used the Samson™ CNC machine to build the "Yeti" (the abominable snowman), a monster truck that drives through snow more than 3 feet deep. The 76-inch tractor tires, Unimog portal axles, and modified Dodge 3500 Cummins diesel truck are all joined together by custom-designed plates that Rex made with the machine.

Volkswagen Unveils New Race Touareg 3

2010-08-26T09:46:00.004+01:00

The Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 has dominated the Dakar rally for the last two years. After winning in 2009 they went one better this year and secured an all Volkswagen podium in positions 1 - 3. The Touareg 2 was the first ever diesel powered vehicle to win the historic race but it has now been retired.

The Race Touareg 2 has now been replaced by the Race Touareg 3 (who thought that one up?). The new version has had a number of improvements which VW believe will stand them in good stead to win in 2011.

Beneath the bodywork the twin-turbocharged 2.5-litre TDI engine has been optimised to allow greater economy while still producing 300 PS and 442 lbs ft of torque. It has also been revised to cope with the severe altitude changes incurred on the Dakar with the vehicle climbing to heights of over 15,000 feet above sea level. The Race Touareg 3 can now adapt to these conditions, meaning the performance doesn’t suffer despite the thinner air encountered at such altitudes.

In order to maintain these speeds in extreme off-road conditions the Race Touareg 3 needs to be able to withstand the rigours passing over sand dunes, through deep mud, and across gravel and broken tarmac roads. As a result the Race Touareg 3 is based on a high-strength steel spaceframe chassis with a pair of springs and damper units fitted to every corner in order to protect the vehicle against severe impacts. A set of specially developed BF Goodrich 235/85 R16 tyres provide the grip while a pair of wheels and tyres are carried by the vehicle at all times.

Volkswagen have also launched their new Amarok pick up which was the Official Support Vehicle of this year's Dakar rally. The Amarok will join Volkswagen's range of vans and used vans later in the year.

300mpg Electric Car Built by School Kids

2010-08-26T09:38:00.004+01:00

A class of children from the DeLaSalle Education Center in Missouri have worked with experts to produce an electric car which can achieve 300mpg. As the video below explains the kids built the car from scratch with expert guidance as part of their Automotive class. During the build they learned about the science of electric vehicles as well as incorporating maths and history lessons.

Video: How Not To Drive

2010-08-16T10:15:00.003+01:00

I didn't think it was possible to crash a van in a completely empty car park free of obstacles but people always manage to exceed my expectations. Lets hope this guy wasn't driving a rental van otherwise this video might be used to prove his liability!

Perhaps the driver of the van thought he was staring in The Fast and the Furious or maybe he was suffering from a bouffee delirant. Either way I don't believe that it was a woman driver as the title says - women just aren't that daft.

Monitor Your Fleet with Smart Cameras

2010-08-12T16:09:00.004+01:00

Each UK citizen is caught on CCTV camera around 300 times on an average day. Cameras cover much of our road network and you aren't hidden from view in your van (so stop picking your nose at traffic lights). There are still some areas where your actions go unrecorded however and chances are if you have an accident it will be in one of these blind spots.

Many fleets already using tracking software to keep tracks on where their vans have been but is this enough? What happens if you have a crash and the blame is unfairly attributed to you? Smart Witness sell vehicle CCTV systems which can record the movements of your fleet at all times.

The camera is backed up by an on-board GPS system which records the vehicle's location as well as the speed and direction of travel. The video below shows the results, note the speed and location in yellow text at the bottom of the image.

Volkswagen Launches New Van Maintainance Scheme

2010-08-04T11:44:00.005+01:00

Volkswagen have announced the release of a new used van and car maintenance scheme designed to simplify pricing in order to provide clarity for customers. Volkswagen hopes that its new pricing system will be provide peace of mind and easy budgeting to its customers in a time when finance is a concern for many.

“We’re launching this fixed price servicing programme as an extension of the Service Promise we introduced last year, allowing customers of older Volkswagens to enjoy the same standards of aftersales care as owners of newer cars. When we asked customers what they wanted, transparent servicing costs were top of the list. We’re confident that by introducing these and offering service and maintenance by Volkswagen experts with the latest training who have instant access to the right tools and technology, there will be no reason for owners of older vehicles to look outside the network for aftersales care.” - Stephen Butt Head of Customer Services, Volkswagen.

Volkswagen cars or vans aged between three and ten years, with an engine up to and including 2.0 litres in capacity will now cost £30 to MOT, while minor services are priced at flat rate of £119. Other services will fall into one of three categories:

Maintenance covers major issues such as air conditioning services, replacement of brake pads, and a cambelt change.
Convenience includes a courtesy lift, collect and deliver service or a loan car while the service is taking place.
Car Care for small dents, chips or alloy wheel refurbishment, enabling a professional repair to the vehicle.

Full details of the new fixed price servicing scheme can be found here or by visiting your local participating Volkswagen Van Retailer.

Van News Round Up

2010-08-03T09:29:00.003+01:00

Right I've been away for a few days so here is a quick catch up with what has been going on in the world of vans and commercial vehicles...

Tata Motors Registeres 41% Growth In July 2010

India's largest commercial vehicle maker, Tata Motors registered a growth of 41% selling 67,799 vehicles in July 2010

Gentex strikes SmartBeam deal with Volkswagen

Gentex Corporation has announced that its SmartBeam high-beam assist system is now available on nine Volkswagen models...

Mercedes-Benz Vario undergoes a facelift

The Mercedes-Benz Vario is undergoing a facelift and is set to receive a new drivetrain...

The Driverless Van Travelling from Italy to China

2010-07-22T10:32:00.005+01:00

Driverless cars have been around for quite a few years now, you've probably seen them on the television navigating test tracks with ease. They are normally like full sized remote control cars or have on board systems which can be pre programed for a set journey. Some are more sophisticated and feature on board cameras and lazers to help them avoid obstacles.

A team of Italian engineers have designed two driverless vans which are so advanced that they are capable of driving on public roads. The team are from VisLab who create artificial vision and intelligent systems at the University of Parma. They have set out on a journey from Italy to China to prove the road worthiness of their robotic vehicles.

The team are expecting to experience problems during the 8,000 mile trip stating ""We will definitely need some help by humans. It is not possible to have 100 percent driverless. This is why I call it a test, not a demonstration." There is no need to worry though, there will be operatives in the drivers seats of the vehicles ready to take over in the event of any technical issues. Each driverless van will follow a traditional human controlled van in convoy.

The Worst Van Advert Ever?

2010-07-22T10:18:00.003+01:00

This advert for the 1985 Toyota Van is pretty cringe-worthy particularly the bit where the driver sticks his head out of the sun roof with a drink in his hand. Clearly these were simpler times when a sun roof was something worth mentioning in a commercial.

Kent Police Get Stuck Rescuing Man from Security Van

2010-07-13T11:49:00.004+01:00

How many Police officers does it take to free a man trapped in a security van? Well according to recent events in Kent at least three officers are needed: two to get trapped themselves and one to phone the security company.

The man in question became trapped in his secure van after accidentally setting off the van's security system designed to protect it from potential armed robbers. As if that wasn't embarrassing enough there was a crowd of eyewitnesses:

"At first we didn't realise what had happened, the alarm on the van was shouting out 'this van is under attack, please call the police, please call the police'. Me and a colleague just thought it was a malfunction, but then I could see the van moving and knew someone was inside."

Things took a turn for the worse once the local police turned up. Two officers managed to get themselves trapped inside the van also without even freeing the driver much to the amusement of the crowd and fellow police officers:

"One managed to find a way into the escape hatch and got inside to see if the guard was OK, but then shut the hatch and got stuck himself. His colleague then somehow managed to get to the front of the van to try and free the pair, but she got stuck in the driver's seat as the doors would not open.

Then lots of coppers turned up and started laughing, but after about 15 minutes one of them had managed to get through to the security company and I believe some sort of pass code was activated to disable the alarm and all were then able to get out. The guard was fine and the police left laughing their heads off."

The fact that nobody managed to free themselves until the security company had provided the pass code goes to show just how secure these vans are. The police are probably just glad that they got trapped inside with the driver and not with an armed robber!

Amazing Solar/Wind Powered Van

2010-07-13T11:45:00.002+01:00

World Cup Fever Strikes Volkswagen Van Centres

2010-06-25T15:55:00.001+01:00

Image via Wikipedia

During the World Cup we expect to see countless cars with England flags attached on the roads showing their support for the national team. What are less common are cars and vans which are completely decorated. You may however of spotted some VW vans on the road with complete bumper to bumper designs in red and white.

With World Cup fever gripping the country, Volkswagen Van Centres are joining in with appropriately themed liveries for some of their display and demonstrator vans. In order to show their support for the England team several vans have been customized using the traditional red and white colours of the flag of St George.

Robinsons Van Centre in Norwich has turned a white Volkswagen Transporter van into a mobile England flag with a red cross on the bonnet and sides to replicate the St George cross, plus the England ‘three lions’ shield.

On a bigger scale, Abridge Van Centre in Essex has given Volkswagen’s biggest van, the Crafter, an even more striking makeover with an England flag and images of some of the players. This seems to have really captured the attentions of the locals due to it’s attention-grabbing design.

‘The Crafter is really eye-catching and people actually stop and point at it when you drive down the street,’ said Wendy Williamson, Brand Manager, Abridge Volkswagen Van Centre. ‘It’s amazing how many people are asking to drive it, and we’re sure somebody will want to buy it as it is,’ she continued.

‘These vans show our Van Centres are creative and on the ball. We hope the England team will be as clever and successful on Sunday,’ said David George, Head of Marketing, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

Hopefully the England team will put in such a good performance on Sunday to defeat the German team. If not and we go out on penalties the fact that Volkswagen is a German brand may be remembered by those who were so keen to buy the fully decorated Crafter van!

Video of the Week: Joystick Controlled Van

2010-06-25T15:52:00.003+01:00

This guy has customized his Ford E150 Van so that it is controlled using a joystick. The driver doesn't appear to move his right arm during the video so I'm wondering if this van conversion is due to a disability or just for fun?

Volkswagen SA Celebrate the World Cup

2010-06-15T09:57:00.004+01:00

It can't have escaped your attention that there is a bit of a football tournament going on in South Africa at the moment. The England goalkeeper Rob Green's cack-handed antics have made him a national punch line. Everyone is somehow remaining positive despite the overwhelming evidence that England will go out on penalties once again. What though does all this have to do with vans?

Volkswagen South Africa's 6000 employees have been getting involved in the world cup which is the first to be played on African soil. The staff are lucky enough to be able to watch games as they happen:

"Volkswagen of South Africa is making the World Cup accessible to all its employees by installing big screen TV’s in all the production areas so staff can watch the South African games. A further 6 000 South African National Team t-shirts and 7 000 vuvuzelas have been handed over to staff with 1,636 soccer tickets up for grabs as employee incentive programmes and lucky draws."

I can only imagine what effect the constant buzz of the vuvuzelas is having on productivity. The VW South Africa staff need to keep their head in the game as they are required to produce 600 VW vans and cars a day. The plant is doing well providing vehicles for South Africa and beyond, if you've ever been to SA you will have seen plenty of vans for hire and sale.

Volkswagen South Africa has arranged four roadshows for staff at their Uitenhage plant in the run up to the world cup. The events, which took place at lunch time in order to keep productivity at a maximum, featured Diski Dancers(Diski meaning football. The dancer performed moves based on football maneuvers such as the “sandwich”, the “shuffle”, the “heada” and the “shoe-shine”.

Video of the Week: Jet Powered Van

2010-06-01T09:23:00.001+01:00

Transit Van Tops Most Stolen List

2010-05-24T12:37:00.004+01:00

The humble white Transit van has topped the list of most stolen vehicles for the second year in a row according to the Association of Chief Police Officers Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS). It is thought that the Transit is most likely to go missing due to its potential contents.

“The rise in thefts of vans demonstrates their potential value in terms of spare parts, scrap metal and the prospect of stealing extra ‘booty’ within the contents of the van. Often, these stolen vehicles are dismantled quickly, so our advice to vehicle owners is to ensure that their security is as tight as possible.” - Detective Chief Inspector Mark Hooper."

The only other van to feature on the list was the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter which shows that commercial vehicles require tough security features. Commercial vans are like kinder eggs to thieves hence the prevalence of sticks stating 'no tools are left in this vehicle overnight' etc.

The list in full:
1. Ford Transit
2. Ford Fiesta
3. Vauxhall Astra
4. Volkswagen Golf
5. Vauxhall Corsa
6. Ford Focus
7. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
8. Ford Mondeo
9. Ford Escort
10. Vauxhall Vectra

So if you drive a commercial van remember to make sure your van is secure at all times. Empty the contents whenever possible and don't advertise to thieves by leaving the doors open unnecessarily. When looking at vans for sale consider the security measures in place to prevent your van from becoming a statistic.

Minivans In Japan

2010-05-24T12:33:00.001+01:00

Wow, the Japanese seem to love their minivans!

Van Art by Kevin Cyr

2010-05-10T11:22:00.002+01:00

These painting by Kevin Cyr reminded of of the series of photos which I wrote about here last week. Like Joe Steven's Vans and the Places They Were, the paintings feature lots of classic American vans documented side-on. The vans, which were from Brooklyn, New York, are all heavily graffitied and most are in a state of disrepair with rust visible around their edges.

Kevin Cyr painted the vans in a simple style which gives them the look of miniatures or zoological studies. Their plain, single colour backgrounds show them divorced from reality although their customized paint schemes show that they are anything but.

Cyr seems to have a preoccupation with vehicles - his other work includes paintings of lorries and campervans. He even creates die-cast miniature vans with an amazing eye for detail. Cyr says that he sees beauty in vans which to others may look unkempt:

In a culture in which people are easily lured by the appeal of status-enhancing symbols, I find beauty in derelict cars and unkempt landscapes. I have always been interested in painting vehicles and scenes that have defined the evolution of the American landscape.

Cyr has exhibited around the world and his work has been featured in numerous magazines. He has paintings of vans for sale with 20x200.com who specialize in affordable art in editions of 200. See more of his work at his site kevincyr.net.

Van Racing Video

2010-05-10T10:53:00.000+01:00

Our video of the week features some classy Banger Van racing in the sea-side resort of Skegness. This proves that we also have rednecks here in the UK!

The EU Considers Manditory Speed Limiters for all Vans

2010-05-05T15:30:00.000+01:00

A recently leaked draft report indicates that the EU is considering making speed limiters mandatory for all vans and light trucks in Europe in order to reduce emissions. The report, which found its way to Reuters details a possible 120km per hour(74.6mph)limit.

The report is part of a larger dialogue on the practicalities of introducing mandatory fuel efficiency standards for all vans for sale. This comes two years after the introduction of such standards for new cars. the report is expected to recommend reducing emissions to 150 grams of carbon dioxide per km by 2020 despite the European Commission recommending a limit of 135g.

The proposed changes have received some criticism here in the UK despite a national speed limit of 70 mph. The EU report states:

"These vehicles are almost exclusively used for commercial purposes and do not need to exceed 120 km per hour. The technology is available to do this; it is a cheap and effective way of immediately lowering emissions and many commercial organisations retro-fit them to their vehicles."

British politician Chris Davies believes that limiting the speed of vans is a good idea but doesn't go far enough: ""Vans are a tool for business and commerce, and we should be trying to reduce the costs for business," he said. "If we don't do better, we will leave business less efficient."

Vans And The Places Where They Were

2010-05-05T14:51:00.000+01:00

Vans and the places they were is an art project by the photographer Joe Stevens which features beautiful photos of some classic vans. The photos are all shot on medium format 120 film giving the images a warm often lacking from digital prints. Stevens began the project in 1996 and plans to finish it by shooting "the last remaining van on the final frame of photographic film in existence."

For more information and to see all the images visit Joe Steven's page at Arlo artists.

Post Election Environmental Legislation Expected to Boost Electric Van Sales

2010-04-30T13:05:00.000+01:00

The predicted rise in environmentally focused legislation following the general election is being seen as good news by electric vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. They are hoping it will lead to an increase in the take-up of electric vehicles. It is expected that the move towards lower emission vehicles will be encouraged by whomever wins the election.

Labour has previously proposed tax breaks for electric vehicle fleets in order to encourage the transition to electric vehicles where possible. There are of course many obstacles to going electric for a lot of van users such as the reduced mileage and lack of topping up points. Those who cannot update to an electric fleet until these issues are worked out will be looking towards vehicles with lower emissions and low running costs.

Boris Johnson has warned of his plans to charge vehicles with excessive emissions which wish to enter the congestion zone in central London. This plan was designed to encourage those still running older commercial vehicles to upgrade to new vans or even new fleets. This move is also being welcomed by van manufacturers as it is expected to speed up people's plans to upgrade to newer vehicles.

Bizzare Volkswagen Beetle/Camper combo

2010-04-30T12:27:00.000+01:00

Check out this weird Beetle/Camper combo from 1974. The trailer section attaches to a latch on the roof of the car in a slightly dubious manner. It's nicely colour matched to the Beetle though!

The great thing about this set up as opposed to using a traditional tow bar is that the range of movement is expanded. The driver is able drive freely without worrying about jackknifing the trailer. It hard to explain but it all makes sense if you see a video of the trailer in action.

Volkswagen extend hire and leasing finance offers on Vans

2010-04-23T11:28:00.000+01:00

Volkswagen have extended their van hire and leasing finance offers until the end of September. The finance offers are available on both the passenger carrying and van ranges. Customers are now able to get new Caddy Van from £189 a month, a new Transporter from £239 a month or a new Crafter from £349 a month.

We still offer traditional hire purchase and lease purchase finance, but more and more customers prefer the convenience and affordability of contract van hire and finance lease as it helps to improve their cash flow, manage their budgets and instead of having to sell the vehicle at the end of the term they can simply hand it back and start a new agreement for a new vehicle. -Simon Elliott of VWC

All vehicles purchased are eligible for free insurance for seven days and nights from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle Insurance. Volkswagen Van Centres also offer fixed-cost maintenance packages to suit individual requirements. More information available at the Volkswagen Vans site.

Drag Racing Plumbers Van

2010-04-23T11:20:00.000+01:00

This guy might be the only Plumber to ever arrive on time:

Van Sales Increase for 3rd Successive Month

2010-04-12T13:14:00.000+01:00

Today I am glad to be the bearer of glad tidings. Not only is it actually sunny outside for the first time in months, I also have good news about Van sales: They are up for the third month in a row. It seems that the van industry is slowly but surely recovering from the Recession and regaining growth.

New van registrations have been growing month on month since the beginning of the year with 34,691 registered in March. Whilst this is clearly a good sign the commercial vehicles industry is still not back where it once was. The first quarter of 2010 has seen 192,917 registrations which is a decrease of 22.4% on last years figure.

Those trading new or used vans, or operating van hire services will no doubt be feeling positive about the statistics. Whilst there is a long way still to go it is heartening to see things moving in the right direction. As the economy begins to recover the demand for vans is set to rise. Increased production will also be a positive step for the commercial vehicles industry.

What the industry needs now is continued, constant growth. The best way to return to previous levels is slowly, this will reduce the risk of supply outgrowing demand. Hopefully in three months time I will be able to report on six months of continued growth!

Video: Extreme Motorhome Racing

2010-04-12T12:37:00.000+01:00

From the crazed minds that bought you the 'Man with Van Challenge' comes a new video: Extreme Motorhome Racing:

Duck Survives Journey from Belgium to England in Van Grille

2010-04-01T12:19:00.000+01:00

This story might seem like an April Fools joke but I think that it is genuine, the Telegraph have done their ridiculous joke article elsewhere. Apparently a couple of guys were driving through Belgium in their white van when the struck a duck. The driver Paul Murphy, from Leeds took a look at the damage and discovered a hole in his radiator grille. He assumed that the duck had flown off (although perhaps not in the direction he was hoping) and thought no more about it.

500 miles later Paul stopped at a service station on the M1 to further inspect the damage and was surprised to see the body of the duck inside the grille. Assuming the duck was as dead as a dead duck he used a screwdriver to open up the grille and get the body out. Just when he was about to go and buy some plum sauce he noticed that the duck was actually breathing.

"All of a sudden I saw this green head behind the radiator. I couldn't believe it. My first thought was 'Oh dear, it's dead, what am I going to do here?' because it wasn't moving. When its feathers moved I put it down to the wind, but then I saw it was breathing. I couldn't believe it."

Plucky, as he was later named, only suffered from a broken wing and a bleeding beak. He is now recovering at the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals hospital in Leeds. Let this be a lesson to you - next time you hire a van in London make sure it doesn't have a Belgian duck wedged in it anywhere.

Commercial Vans Likely to Dominate Electric Vehicle Market

2010-03-24T12:32:00.000Z

So far electric vehicles have made little impact on the commercial market. Excluding the humble milk float few commercial vehicle fleets feature electric vans or cars. A new report by Frost & Sullivan predicts that the commercial sector will account for "70 per cent of the electric vehicle market in the EU and North America by 2015".

The limitations of the current crop of electric vehicles have so far prevented them from being widely used in the commercial sector. so far they are less reliable and harder to run than the traditional vans for sale. Improvements are expected as the technology advances over the coming years and this is likely to have a big effect on popularity. With this in mind Frost & Sullivan see the commercial sector leading the way and accounting for well over half of all new electric vehicle sales.

Proposed tax breaks for electric vans may make those operating traditional vans consider investing in new fleets. Buses are also prime candidates to be replaced: their repetitive routes mean that charging could be less of an issue. Bus routes tend to begin and end at the bus station which means that they can be charged on a day-to-day bases unlike long haul trucks and lorries.

How Not to Drive a Van Part #256

2010-03-17T11:10:00.000Z

Hint: vans with a tiny wheel base don't tend to take jumps well.

Volkswagen Lauches Free iPhone App

2010-03-09T18:12:00.000Z

Volkswagen clearly understand the appeal of the iPhone app, they have just released their 4th game to the App store. The latest game has been launched to promote the new Polo BlueMotion so it isn't your typical driving game. The Volkswagen Think Blue Challenge surprisingly has nothing at all to do with Avatar...

The new Polo is part of VW's BlueMotion range which aim to be highly fuel efficient in order to be more environmentally friendly and cheaper to run. This explains why the aim of the new game is to drive as fuel efficiently as possible. It might not sound terribly exciting but it is at least different, there are hundreds of driving games and as far as I know only one focuses on fuel efficiency.

"Fishlabs [who designed the game] has implemented the concept of fuel economy not only creatively, but also in an entertaining fashion, it shows that fuel economy can also be virtual fun." - Cornelia Lenz of Volkswagen.

As mentioned earlier, this is the 4th game VW have created although they have yet to create a game featuring their vans. I would like to see a game which allowed you to customize a classic old split screen van or at least something showing all of their vans for sale. Then again maybe I'm just a van nerd!

Is This The Van Of The Future?

2010-03-02T12:26:00.000Z

Is this what the camper van of the future will look like? I found this video on Youtube but I can't find any details about who created it, does anybody know the its origins? I'm not sure if this is based on actual inovation taking place or not but it is certainly interesting and prompts us to ask the question what will camper vans look like in the future?

Aside from debate about what might power the van of the future it is clear that it will need to fit a lot of features into a small space. Improvements in product design and materials will allow us to build lighter, more economical van which still feature everything plus the kitchen sink.

Van Registrations Remain Low

2010-02-23T12:34:00.000Z

New figures released by the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers) have shown that new Van registrations are predictably low. The stats show that January 2010's registrations were significantly lower than those for January 2009.

A total of 13,099 new commercial vehicles were registered in January down 34.5% year on year. These figures will come as no surprise to most in the new or used vans markets, although they are by no means totally bad news. It is hoped that the worst January since 1992 will encourage the Government to offer more support for van sales companies and those who rely upon them.

Paul Everitt of the SMMT is cautiously optimistic:

“New van and truck registrations continue to reflect a weak economic recovery and businesses reluctant to commit to new investment. These are the lowest January truck registrations since 1992, leaving most truck makers very disappointed at the slow start to the year. It is extremely important that government uses the upcoming Budget to encourage new investment in capital goods and help re-build business confidence."

Top Gear Man With a Van challenge

2010-02-23T12:24:00.000Z

The presenters of Top gear attempt a series of challenges in order to become a bona fide Man With A Van.

Campervans to be banned in New Zealand?

2010-02-16T11:37:00.000Z

Members of the Otago Conservation Board are concerned about the amount of litter found in their scenic tourist hot-spots are are willing to do anything to overcome the problem. That believe that Camper van driving visitors are to blame for the roadside litter and they have banded together to put it to an end.

The board thinks that 'freedom campers' should be banned if they are not willing to clean up after themselves. They have "voted unanimously to draft a letter to their Department of Conservation superiors calling for the Government to ban campervans." It has also been suggested that companies offering van hire should be made legally responsible for the actions of their customers.

This seems outrageous to me, if the campervan contains a bin it is up to those driving it to use it. Why should van hire be banned rather than action taken against those who litter?

Mercedes-Benz To Lauch Electric Van

2010-02-11T10:39:00.000Z

Mercedes Benz have announced their plans to manufacture an electric van this year. The van will be based on the Mercedes Benz Vito and will be 'world’s first with electric drive system ex factory' which means it will come off the production line battery powered rather than being converted. The initial deployment will be limited, around 100 vans are expected to be sold in 2010 to 20 fleet customers.

Mercedes announced their plans this week in San Sebastian says that they will make up to 2000 of the electric vehicles. They will have the same load carrying capabilities as the non-electric Vito although they will require recharging every 130 km. This makes the van ideal for urban use but not long distances.

Rat Look Vans

2010-02-04T10:19:00.000Z

Normally I try and keep this blog informative by covering all the latest news in the commercial vehicles sector but sometimes that can be hard work. Although we are starting to see some slight improvement in sales and manufacturing figures sometimes it all seems to be doom and gloom! I have decided to try and include some more light-hearted posts (hence the Youtube videos)in order to lighten the mood.

You might not be familiar with the term 'rat look' when it comes to describing vans and cars but you will have seen them on your travels. A Rat van will look deliberately distressed and at first sight may appear to be falling apart. If you were offered one of these by a van hire company you would think they were winding you up but these vans can actually be worth a lot of money.

photo via vwcampervanblog.com

It is normally classic older vans and cars which people choose to customize in this way in order to emphasize their age. Despite their appearances these vehicles are normally in great working order and normally a lot cleaner inside than out! The amount of time that goes into making a van look old and decrepit can be surprising. In fact the owners of these vans will have spent a lot of time and money on the look of their vehicles in order to cultivate this look.

Some car owners will rust one panel section which I always think looks a bit daft. If you are going to reject the idea that cars should look shinny and new then you might as well go all the way and have a car which gets complaints from the neighbours!

Crazy Van Jump

2010-02-01T16:56:00.000Z

I found this video on Youtube of a guy jumping his van over a bump in the road. Not the best way to treat your van but it looks like good fun!

Is the Worst Over for Van Sales?

2010-01-26T09:57:00.000Z

The news this morning that the UK has finally exited the recession (let's all agree not to say credit crunch) will be welcomed by many. Whilst we wont be expecting everything to return to normal just yet it is a clear sign that recovery is on its way. Those in the commercial vehicles industry will be pleased to hear that the economy is growing again after a difficult year.

Sales of used vans and new vans were badly hit by the recession as personal and business spending was greatly reduced. Most businesses kept outgoings to a minimum in order to secure jobs so increasing fleet size or investing in new vans wasn't an option. It is now hoped that sales of new vehicles will increase. This would most likely lead to an increase in used vans sales also.

Sales across Europe dropped by almost a third in 2009 although this eased towards the end of the year. The government's 'bangers for cash' scheme was criticized for focusing on private vehicles rather than supporting the commercial vehicles industry. Despite this sales have improved as spending has increased with December of 2009 only seeing a drop in sales of about 10% compared to 2008.

How Not To Drive Your Van in the Snow!

2010-01-13T13:54:00.000Z

VW to bring SmallCars to the European Market

2010-01-05T09:32:00.000Z

Volkswagen have continued their plans to expand buy purchasing a 20% stake in the Suzuki Motor Corporation. This was a calculated move on Volkswagen's part which reflects the changing face of motoring. As fuel become increasingly expensive (despite the drop in the price of oil) and ecological concerns become heightened smaller cars are becoming more popular. Volkswagen are hoping to combine their knowledge with that of Suzuki who have a reputation for building high quality small cars.

“Europe is shifting to compact and small cars due to rising petrol costs as well as concerns of climate change. Suzuki has the expertise to make small cars, Volkswagen does not. The German company has the expertise in environment friendly technology and has invested large sums. Combining the two will reduce cost of making new cars. Volkswagen, which has a stronger dealership network in Europe compared to Suzuki, could source small cars from India and sell them under its own brand name,”
R C Bhargava, Chairman of Suzuki

Between them Volkswagen and Suzuki are aiming to create the first small car with widespread appeal. The Mercedes Smart Car is the most common small car in the UK thus far but Volkswagen hope to be able to provide something even more popular. It is not yet clear what will be produced but given recent events it can be assumed that a more environmentally friendly car is likely to emerge.

The Suzuki-Volkswagen collaboration is also expected to target the Indian market. Suzuki currently sell 20% of their vehicles to India where the small car market is booming. India is developing at such a pace that car and van manufacturers are seeing it as a vital market with thousands of potential new customers.

“VW’s presence in the Indian market is fairly at a nascent stage, while Maruti (Suzuki) has over 25 years of experience. When you develop new cars, you need to tune them to the needs of the local market. Suzuki will bring about a number of such intangible resources that can greatly benefit VW operations in India,”
Abdul Majeed, auto head, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Scrappage Scheme: 250,000 Vehicles So Far

2009-12-29T12:41:00.000Z

The Governments car and van scrappage scheme is being haled as a success by some as it reaches the milestone of 250,000 cars scrapped. According to the SMMT 251,629 new cars where purchased via the scrappage scheme by the end of November 2009. This means that 21.6 percent of new cars sold in November had money off in exchange for the scrappage of a older model.

Commercial vehicle scrappage has been less significant accounting for 1.5% of the total vehicles scrapped. According to the SMMT 3,882 LCVs were traded in up until the end of November which accounted for 3.9% of new vans purchased. This could be down to the fact that used vans are popular with small businesses who cannot afford to upgrade even with the reduction in price provided by the scrappage scheme.

"Scrappage continues to have a positive impact on vehicle registrations ... it has helped to generate consumer confidence."
SMMT Chief executive Paul Everitt

The Hardest VW Restoration Ever

2009-12-22T11:38:00.000Z

Volkswagen's camper vans have achieved iconic status and vintage models are loved by owners all around the world. Not many other vans can boast such devotion from their drivers who spend hours renovating and discussing their vehicles.

Norwegian VW fan Morten Lund is perhaps more dedicated than most. When he learned that a 1957 Samba had been pushed into a lake in 1974 he set to work tracking it down. Lund hired a remote-controlled submersible which he used to locate the vehicle which was at the bottom of the 15 meter deep lake. He then hired a team of divers and a crane in order to lift out the rare model.

"It took me less than 30 minutes to get both front wheels rolling, and the steering works perfectly... The cargo floor and cab are nearly rust free – just some minor holes around the edges."

If Mr Lund manages to fully restore then van he will have a very valuable vehicle on his hands. Samba's have sold for as much as £56,000 which is a lot for used vans. The model is recognizable by its 8 roof-light windows.

Used Van Prices Continue to Rise

2009-12-17T10:33:00.000Z

The average resale price of used vans has continued to rise as the new vans market struggles to cope with the recession. The commercial vehicles industry is reliant on small business spending and as such has been effected by the recent economic problems. As new van sales reduce the demand for good quality used vans increases and those who are selling are able to command a higher price.

A recent survey by British Car Auctions has found that the average van is now sold for £3,902 up from £3,858 in October. This is a small rise but it shows an upward trend that is bad news for the commercial vehicles sector.

"Year-on-year values are now ahead by an astounding £1,089 - the biggest margin on record, reflecting the strong performance in November 2009 and just how weak the LCV sector was in November 2008."
Duncan Ward of BCA.

The decrease in new van sales is also providing an increase in van hire revenues. Both long term leases and short term cheap van hire are set to benefit from the stalling market as they arguably offer better value for money than buying a new van. The economic benefits of van rental are clear to anybody who has had an unreliable used van, with van hire the commitment is short and there is no drop in value.

Government Announces Tax Breaks for Electric Vehicle Fleets

2009-12-11T10:13:00.000Z

As predicted Alistair Darling's pre-Budget report included proposed tax breaks for owners electric vehicles. As my last post pointed out, the best way to get people to buy more eco friendly vehicles is to keep their prices down. Most people would be willing to drive a less polluting vehicles as long as the price is right. The report also contained good news for those operating van and car fleets who will also benefit from tax breaks.

The proposed tax breaks will encourage commercial and fleet buyers to upgrade to electric vehicles where possible. By avoiding company car tax fleet owners could make big saving by going green. Those operating in London will be financially punished for running older vans within the congestion zone.

“This will make business buyers much more interested in electric cars and vans,” Paul Everitt, CEO Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders

Unfortunately electric vehicles are not yet a viable alternative for many fleet operators due to their inability to travel long distances in between charges. Major technological advancements need to happen before electric vehicles can take over from traditional vans for the majority of commercial enterprises.

White Van Man Will Go Green, When The Price Is Right

2009-12-07T15:35:00.000Z

With the Copenhagen Climate change conference opening today it seems like a good time to talk about the future of the commercial vehicles industry. The white van of the future clearly needs to be green. This is obviously problematic as most individuals and small businesses are hesitant to upgrade their fleets during a recession, another problem is that environmental friendly vans have yet to be perfected.

A recent survey by Swinton Insurance has shown that White Van men (and women) are keen to use more environmentally friendly vans and fuel but, as Bruce would say, the price needs to be right. Of those questioned 73% would consider buying a more energy efficient vehicle as they're next purchase and 87% would turn to more environmentally friendly fuel if doing so were cost effective.

Those with van fleets and those looking at vans for sale were happy to consider Bio Fuel, More fuel-efficient engines and Low CO2 emitting engines. They were however concerned about cost with 64% considering it the most important factor. The popularity (in a sense) of congestion zones and fines for less environmentally friendly vans may lead to green vans being the most cost effective choice.

Sainsbury's Expandes Electric Vans Fleet

2009-12-03T15:42:00.000Z

Sainsbury's have invested in 50 new electric vans which to be used for home deliveries. The supermarket now has a fleet of 70 more eco friendly vehicles which they say will be used for 60% of deliveries in central London.

'This is cracking news from Sainsbury's which will help deliver to Londoners not only their groceries, but all the benefits of going electric, such as cleaner air and fewer carbon emissions.' -Boris Johnson

Whilst electric vehicles do not yet have the ability to cover as much distance as traditional vans they are ideally suited to inner city deliveries.

Volkswagen Celebrate Transporter's 60th Birthday

2009-11-26T16:55:00.000Z

Volkswagen are celebrating the birthday of their iconic Transporter van this month. The van, which is their biggest seller, was presented to the press by Heinrich Nordhoff 60 years ago. While it may not be the model one first thinks of when Volkswagen are mentioned but it has been consistently popular and the latest model will be available next year.

The Transporter is Volkswagen’s best-selling model in the UK and worldwide. Over one million of the current model have been sold since introduction in 2003, making a total of over 10 million since production started in March 1950.

The most sought after Transporter model is the T1 split-screen as shown in this previous post. The new model is expected to be available for sale in January of 2010 and will feature "a new range of common rail TDI engines offering lower emissions and improved economy by an average of ten per cent across the range".

Do You Need To Own Your Entire Van Fleet?

2009-11-24T12:08:00.000Z

An interesting idea for those operating large van fleets: do you need to own your entire fleet? Not that I would recommend you steal vans, but perhaps van hire could be an option. A recent post on Fleetnews suggested that some van fleets are larger than they need to be.

The idea is that a fleet size should be dynamic and able to react to different conditions. A busy few months? Rent some extra vans. Forced to reduce outgoing due to the recession? Keep your fleet size down to a minimum.

The article also suggested that this would keep down CO2 although this isn't necessarily the case unless you are actually operating all your vans all the time. The main benefits are more likely to be in keeping costs to a minimum by only using what you need when you need it.

Smart Car Rental Launched in Texas

2009-11-20T10:55:00.000Z

Texas is not the sort of place you would associate with small city cars. It is the land of giant trucks with giant cow horns on the grill being driven by giant men in giant hats. It is also the home of oil barrens so being eco-friendly is perhaps not a big priority.

Perhaps I've got the wrong idea about Texas which is apparently the home to a new Smart Car rental program. The cars are rented out by the hour and can be hired at short notice. They cost 19 cents a minute or $73.40 per day.

The scheme is being run by Daimler who ran a similar project in Ulm, Germany last year. Originally the cars were only available to Mercedes-Benz (who own Smart) employees but it was made available to all inhabitants last March.

The scheme is expected to be expanded to many more cities over the next few years. Traditional car hire and van rental companies have also shown an interest in providing small cars at their urban locations. Eventually electric cars may become the vehicle of choice for those exploring a new city. London already has several electric car hire companies and more are expected to follow.

Lorry Driving Flash Game

2009-11-20T10:47:00.000Z

I found this unusual lorry driving game and figured it would make a nice break from all the serious posts of late. Unlike most truck/van games this is all about parking rather than racing. It sounds easy but if you drive a van rather than a lorry you might find yourself jack-knifing it!

*Edit: the game wont embed so go here to play it*

Stolen VW Van Recovered After 35 Years

2009-11-09T11:44:00.000Z

Customs officials in Long Beach where surprised to find a mint condition 1965 Volkswagen van in a container bound for the Netherlands last week. They were even more surprised when they found out that the van had been reported stolen...in 1974.

The van was taken from an auto upholstery shop in Spokane, Washington state but was never recovered by the owner. All hope of finding the van had been abandoned and the owner's insurance company had paid out allowing him to pursue other vans for sale.

The insurance company Allstate are now the proud owners of a classic VW camper van.

"Allstate paid her $2,500 or so to settle the claim," he said. "Now it's worth $25,000. . . . It's in pristine condition. It looks like it's brand new. So Allstate wanted it."

The man transporting the van had bought it in good faith and had no idea that it had once been stolen.

Vans: Not Just for Van Drivers

2009-11-06T15:38:00.000Z

A recent survey by commercial vehicles manufacturer Vauxhall has found that more drivers than ever are happy to get behind the wheel of a van. 81% of those questioned who had taken advantage of van rental 'believed driver safety had been well-catered for'. 90% were happy with the level of comfort provided.

"It's really pleasing to see that attitudes about vans are changing, we've always been committed to enhancing the performance, comfort and the safety of our vehicles."

It is not clear from the press release if people's expectations had been exceeded but the results are certainly positive. Van usage seems to have crossed over to the point where those who have not previously driven a light commercial vehicle are willing to give it a try. Van rental seems to be an increasingly popular alternative to hiring a van plus driver.

Removal companies are presumably not happy about the increase in people hiring vans to transport their belongings. There is money to be saved however and in a difficult economy that means a lot.

Perhaps this is due to an increase in comfort and safety levels for commercial vehicles or perhaps it is just because more people have tried driving a van now. apparently 40% of drivers have now driven a van. We will be a nation of white van drivers before too long!

Decline in Automotive Production Slows

2009-10-26T16:55:00.000Z

More slightly positive news from the automotive industry this week: the decline in production has begun to slow down according to recent figures published by the SMMT. Whilst production levels are much lower than this time last year the deficit has reduced. Last month 16% fewer cars were produced in the UK than during September 2008. The Government's scrappage scheme is thought to have increased sales of new vehicles.

Production of vans has continued to shrink with only around 9000 commercial vehicles being built in September. This is almost half as many as during the same month last year. It seems that the scrappage scheme has been more of a success for private car sales than vans for sale.

Paul Everitt of the SMMT believes that these figures show that whilst the economy is improving businesses are hesitant when it comes to buying commercial vehicles:

"The UK economy is slowly emerging from recession, but businesses remain reluctant to commit to large capital investments and this is reflected in low demand for commercial vehicles."

What Does Your Van Smell Like?

2009-10-22T11:13:00.000+01:00

The designers of the new Mitsubishi's PX-MiEV hybrid concept have taken into consideration more than just the look and feel of the vehicle, they claim its interior is friendly on the nose as well as the behind.

Mitsubishi's new enhanced "cocochi" interior package offers an unparalleled array of technologies that both pamper the nose and use the olfactory capability as a tool. The PX-MiEV's upholstery is coated with an anti-allergen coating and visible light photocatalyst which Mitsubishi claims counteracts offensive odors, volatile organic compounds as well as ticks, pollen and other allergens.
In another layer of protection against unpleasant fragrances, each of the car's four seats are individually air-conditioned to increase air circulation.

Source: Independent

I can see the benefit of this for those who suffer from allergies but for the rest of us it might be a little over the top. Whilst this technology has gain Mitsubishi some good press it isn't the kind of technology we can expect to see in all vans and cars anytime soon.

I have often thought about selling a Van fragrance to try and capture the smell that weeks on the road and countless motorway pasties can produce. Whenever I have to use a hire van I find its cleanliness less welcoming than a good old lived in white van. The smell may be unpleasant to some but when you call a van home you learn to love it.

Volkswagen Vans Increase Market Share

2009-10-19T16:14:00.000+01:00

It has been a difficult few years for those in the transport industry particularly when it comes to commercial vehicles. Most van companies have reported drops in sales, some are even down by 50% compared to last year. Van sales are often seen of a good indication of how small businesses are coping with financial hardship, most don't upgrade or expand their fleets unless they are comfortable financially.

Volkswagen have reported that despite reduced sales they have managed to increase their market share in the last five months. the company now has 10.65 percent market share, an improvement of 2.3 percent. Sales of VW vans actually rose by 9% in September compared to the same month last year. This is positive news for a market that is a cause for concern for anyone with vans for sale.

Used Vans Price Still Rising

2009-10-15T11:09:00.000+01:00

September saw used van prices rise by on average 3 percent according to MotorTrader.com. The average price for LCVs was £3,862, £117 more than in August. This puts the year-on-year increase at £672 showing that the used van market is seeing increasing prices if not increasing sales. The rise in prices looks set to continue even as the market improves.

This is bad news for those looking to update their fleet in time for the proposed changes to the Low Emission zone in London. Those looking to invest in new vans will be hoping that an increase in avaliablility will put the power back in the hands of the consumer and decrease prices.

"With supplies of good retail quality vans remaining limited in September, prices remained very firm indeed. However, if supplies begin to increase significantly from corporate and dealer sources we could be seeing the current peak of market values - and it could be that values settle a little between now and Christmas."
Duncan Ward, General Manager at BCA

Should Smoking be Banned in all Rental Vehicles?

2009-10-14T11:14:00.000+01:00

Last month car rental company Avis banned smoking in all of their vehicles in order to cut down on cleaning costs. They said that customers were increasingly asking for smoke free cars and most objected to being able to smell the previous customer's cigarettes. Smoking has been banned in countless places over the last few years isn't it about time is was completely banned in hire cars?

Personally I would complain if I were to rent a hire car or hire van and find that it smelled like an ashtray. I'm no doctor so I'm not sure if there are any health risks associated with passive smoking once the smoke has disapated but I wouldn't want to risk it. At the very least those who wish to smoke in their hire car should have to pay extra for cleaning.

I don't believe in the erossion of people's civil liberties but when it comes to smoking I have very little sympathy. Making it harder for people to smoke is a positive thing and encourages people not to put their health at risk.

Boris Johnson Plans To Charge Vans Drivers

2009-10-08T09:50:00.000+01:00

In order to avoid paying fines to the European Union Boris Johnson must cut the amount of pollution caused by motor vehicles in the nation's capital. Currently drivers of buses, coaches and other heavy goods vehicles must pay a charge of £200 in order to enter the city wide Low Emissions Zone. By 2012 these charges will be extended to also apply to van drivers if their vehicles do not meet strict emission guidelines.

In practice this means that those with older vans have two years to either convert their vehicles or buy new ones in order to be able to work in the city and still make a profit. This means van hire companies, couriers and white van men will be forced to upgrade. Black cabs over 10 years old will no longer be issued with licences after 2012.

Johnson believes that these will help to reduce the amount of pollution in London to more acceptable levels. It is estimated that 10,000 vans in the capital will be subject to the £100 daily fines. Mr Johnson has not yet explained what the money raised by the fines will be spent on although it is likely to be put towards other methods of reducing pollution. The cost of enforcing the new laws will also be significant.

Van Hire Market Still Struggling

2009-10-07T17:04:00.000+01:00

Despite improvements in the housing market boosting their incomes van hire companies are still facing an uncertain future. The van hire market relies heavily upon the housing market afterall most people don't need to rent a van unless they are moving their belongings to a new property. It has been reported that the slowly recovering levels of property sales have bought a welcome influx of van hire customers but that doesn't seem to be enough to save some companies.

Van hire firm Northgate have had a difficult month which has seen their shares rise and fall in a dramatic fashion. First they released the news that their debt was much less than had been previously reported. The company claimed that they had managed to decrease its debt partly by selling off older parts of its fleet. This announcement saw Northgate's shares rise to higher than they had been for quite some time. the next day Northgate were forced to announce that they had 'miscalculated' the figures and they had actually reduced their debt by £173m rather than £205m since April. This had a predictable affect on their shares.

Electric vans..a viable alternative?

2009-09-29T11:31:00.001+01:00

The Guardian as an interesting article about a new wave of electric vans aimed at the commercial market:

"Range is an issue for our customers," explains George Smith, brand manager for Harris Van Centre who, after years of selling conventional trucks and vans, is convinced electric is the future. "But not as big an issue as you might think. When we first spoke to UPS about using electric vans on their courier routes in London, they looked at their mileage and worked out that the average distance travelled in the capital was 14 miles per day." Most commercial electric vehicles can cover about 100 miles on one six-hour charge.

Whilst this is an interesting idea I don't think many companies could make use of a van with such a limited range. There are clearly exceptions (such as local deleviery companies) but it is a shame that electric vans cannot yet compete with their traditional counterparts.

Welcome!

2009-09-29T11:21:00.000+01:00

Welcome to Muddy's Van News. This blog will be regualrly updated with the latest news about vans and other commercial vehicles. For more information about me visit my profile :)