September 2005
The Iveco Daily has been voted Fleet Van of the Year 2005 at the prestigious Motor Transport Awards, which celebrate the best of the UK’s commercial vehicle industry.
Daily triumphed over the three other shortlisted finalists, comprising the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Vauxhall Movano, following a rigorous assessment by a panel including some of the most influential and respected Fleet Engineers and purchasers in the industry.
Storming to victory with the largest share of the votes cast, this latest accolade reflects Iveco’s performance during 2005, which has seen Daily sales in the all important light van market (3.5 tonnes) achieve a 9.6 per cent market share.
In the UK’s light commercial vehicle market (2.8 to 6.5 tonnes), Iveco has enjoyed a 6.5 per cent volume increase year to date, registering a total of 5,503 Dailys.
Chris Thorneycroft-Smith, Iveco’s UK Market Director, says: “We started the year by introducing a number of major innovations to the Daily range, together with new styling to further improve the vehicle’s appeal.
“This included the introduction of two new 3 litre engines, giving Iveco one of the most comprehensive engine line-ups of any van manufacturer in the UK, and providing an unbeatable combination of performance, economy and quietness,” he explains.
Motor Transport Editor Andrew Brown adds: “Vans play an essential role in any modern transport operation, and today’s vehicles need to deliver fuel economy, productivity, reliability and driver appeal. More than that, they need the back-up of a high quality dealer network.
“Our judges noted that the Daily performed well in each of these areas, and was worthy of additional praise for its breadth of range and strengthening residuals, which are giving operators better whole life costs.”
The full Daily range comprises over 3,000 different models with gross vehicle weights from 3.2 to 6.5 tonnes and includes a comprehensive selection of vans, chassis cabs and chassis crew cabs.
This guarantees the widest possible choice for operators ranging from large national fleets down to self-employed tradesmen.
Daily vans can be specified with one of eight different load space volumes, from 7 to 17.2m³, with the largest model offering unrivalled load carrying capacity as the largest panel van on the market.
Power comes from a line-up of five diesel engines, capable of producing between 96 to 166 hp, making Daily suitable for anything from delivering lightweight parcels to demanding ‘blue light’ emergency services applications.
There is also an environmentally friendly CNG engine for fleets operating predominantly in city centres, which is eligible for a 100 per cent rebate from congestion charging
The Fleet Van of the Year is one of the most fiercely contested categories in the Motor Transport Awards, an annual event which celebrates the very best of the UK's road transport industry. Run by industry newspaper Motor Transport, it culminated in a glitzy gala awards evening at London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Friday, September 2 - where Iveco was revealed as the winner by comedian Brian Conley and ITV newsreader Mary Nightingale, before a 1,300 strong audience.