LDV Van 2015 Overview
They had a false start under another importer, but now the LDV range of affordable light commercial vans is under the authority of respected importer Ateco.
LDVs (Leyland DAF Van) are no longer made in Europe, but are made in China by that country's largest automaker, SAIC.
They bought the lock, stock and stem of the LDV factory and moved them to a new location in China, where they now produce hundreds of thousands of pieces.
Same
And more importantly, they are in every way the same as the highly acclaimed European version, with the possible exception of light alloy 16-inch wheels and badges.
Ateco believes that a small operator can get all the benefits of a quality European style van for half the monthly rent with its V80 model. This may mean not paying $1000 a month, but paying $500 instead. A big difference.
Design
A handsome van by any delivery driver's standards, the V80 is available in several configurations, including low, medium and high roof, as well as short and long wheelbase. There's even a 14-seater bus available, starting at $29,990 for the SWB low roof manual van.
It looks a lot like a Benz Vito with its boxy lines, and the short wheelbase car we drove was capable of accommodating two full-size pallets in the cargo area. The payload of the short wheelbase model is 1204 kg, while the longer wheelbase model is 1419 kg.
Side sliders on both sides and a 180-degree barn door at the back make loading easy.
The central locking system for security is automatically activated as soon as you start the car.
The luggage compartment is lined and fitted with a high grip mat. A full width/height load barrier is available with a clear plastic curtain.
The V80 has dual front airbags, rear parking sensors and electronic brake force distribution.
In Australia, it has not yet received an emergency rating.
Engine / Transmission
Operating costs are low due to the fact that the LDV uses proprietary components from international manufacturers. The transversely mounted engine is a 2.5-litre VM Motori turbodiesel four-cylinder made in China under licence, and the same goes for the newly available six-speed automatic. Other components of the LDV van have a similar origin.
The standard manual transmission is a five-speed.
The power achieved is 100 kW/330 Nm with a combined fuel consumption of 8.9 l/100 km. Tank capacity 80 liters.
Drive goes to the front wheels, disc brakes all around, and British automotive engineering firm MIRA recalibrated the V80's suspension and other dynamic components.
It features power rack and pinion steering and a commendably tight turning radius.
Driving
We had a shorty V80 with a new automated manual transmission - ostensibly an automatic with slightly slower shifts than a regular torque converter automatic. But anything is better than swapping cogs by hand in heavy traffic.
The car has enough acceleration and torque to pull heavy loads and handles like any other delivery van on the road. It has a particularly tight turning radius, which is comfortable, and the driving position is pretty standard for a van—upright seat and flat steering wheel. There are plenty of amenities in the cabin that are overshadowed only by centrally located instruments that are hard to see.
Everything else is good - low floor for easy loading, large doorways, 100,000 year / XNUMX km warranty, roadside assistance, dealer network throughout the country.
One for Vanni on a budget, almost a 2015 version of the “legendary” Kia Pregio, but better—much better.
