Fresh Face For Vauxhaul's Stylish VIVARO Panel Van
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• New range of Euro IV fuel efficient and more powerful engines
• Both models available with ESP
• Movano also gets engine changes
LUTON, UK - July 27, 2006: Fresh faces and brand new engines are set to give Vauxhall’s New Vivaro a boost, while a new engine range for Movano adds further to the exciting changes planned for Vauxhall’s commercial vehicle range.
On sale in the autumn, New Vivaro and revised Movano feature new Euro IV compliant powerplants, and benefit from the best in GM’s technology, driver appeal and stylish design.
The new models represent the latest chapter in Vauxhall’s amazing commercial vehicle success story – one that has seen sales more than double since Vivaro’s introduction in 2002, to a record high of over 52,000 commercial vehicles sold in the UK last year.
New Vivaro – a fresh new look
Already regarded as one of the most stylish and distinctive models in its class, the British-built New Vivaro brings with it a few tweaks to make the successful formula of its original, unique styling stay fresh for the next few years.
A smart new V-grille and revised front light clusters, with indicators integrated into the lenses, gives New Vivaro a bolder front, while clear rear lamp lenses and revised clusters freshen up the back end.
New bumpers front and rear, along with a revised range of wheel covers and paint colours, complete the styling changes, while Vivaro retains its distinctive ‘bubble-roof’ and exciting, aerodynamic, profile.
Interior
Inside, New Vivaro gets a host of modifications to make life easier for the driver. Fresh upholstery and fabrics, along with alloy effect detailing on the gear lever and interior door handles of Sportive models show the attention to detail that has gone into the revised cabin, while a new and improved range of infotainment systems is on offer, including the option of colour sat nav for the first time.
The changes add to the Vivaro’s driver-oriented feel, with its car-like driving position, slick six-speed gearbox and surprising dynamic ability.
Desirable extras include rear parking sensors and a passenger airbag that can be deactivated via a button inside the door should you wish to carry a child in a rear-mounted baby seat.
A new three-button ignition key allows for separate locking and unlocking of the cargo and passenger compartment doors, meaning you can leave the cab securely locked while working out of or loading up the van, while up to three keys are available – particularly useful for fleet customers where more than one driver has use of the van.
Quality and running costs
Achieving the best in build quality and longevity was at the forefront of GM’s engineering team’s minds when developing New Vivaro. Built to incredibly high standards at GM Manufacturing Luton, Bedfordshire, New Vivaro was also extensively developed in the UK at Vauxhall’s Millbrook engineering centre.
Every element of the existing vehicles was looked at, and where possible improved. The gaps between the bumpers and panelwork, for example, have been significantly reduced, while in vans fitted with a glazed bulkhead the glass is now made from an anti-glare material to reduce the effect of blinding lights in the rear-view mirror.
The full stainless steel exhaust system has a much longer lifecycle than a normal mild-steel system, meaning less time and expense spent on repairs, while Vauxhall’s 18,000-mile service intervals and 100,000-mile, 3-yr warranty add further to the low running costs and added peace of mind.
Vivaro customers can also take advantage of Vauxhall’s new Premier Service Centres. Aimed at minimising downtime while maximising mobility, the Premier Service Centre promise includes CV-trained technicians at each PSC retailer, meaning they will guarantee a same day repair providing parts are in stock, while for diagnosis or repair taking no more than 90 minutes, no prior appointment is needed.
Should the vehicle need to be taken off the road, suitable alternative transport and onward mobility options are available. Every centre also has a dedicated service phone line for customers wanting to book in advance.
Covering a huge area of the country from Glasgow to Plymouth, there is a centre within one hour’s driving time of almost 90 percent of UK households.
Safety
New Vivaro builds on the excellent safety record of the existing model, with ABS as standard and optional ESP on all models across the range.
All models also come with Brake Assist, which helps apply the brakes to their maximum force in an emergency situation by reacting to the urgency with which the driver applies them and adjusting the brake pressure accordingly.
Optional Twin airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners add to the passive safety of the range, while all Minibus and Combi variants come with proper three-point seatbelts for each passenger.
Practicality
Side-loading doors can be ordered on the left-hand side, or on both sides of New Vivaro, while at the rear there’s a choice of twin doors or a lift-up tailgate, either glazed or with a solid finish.
The load bay offers 5.0 cubic metres of space (VDA Method) in SWB standard roof form, or up to 8.4m (VDA method) in long-wheelbase high roof form, while Vivaro can carry a payload of up to 1,271kg
Engines and transmissions
New powerplants include two all-new 2.0-litre CDTi units, which are fully Euro IV compliant. The engines develop either 90PS or 115PS – compared to the 82PS and 100PS of the existing 1.9-litre units. They offer higher performance with practically the same fuel consumption, but have up to 26 per cent more pulling power than their predecessors, with torque up to 240Nm for the entry-level unit, and 290Nm for the 115PS engine.
A further boost to high mileage users is that the new powerplants use a service-free free cam chain, rather than a rubber belt, reducing the cost of maintenance and minimising the amount of time the van must spend off the road.
A revised 2.5-litre CDTi powerplant will complete the line up, with 145PS and 320Nm of torque – up 10PS and 10Nm over the existing 2.5 CDTi. All Vivaros will get a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, while a six-speed TecShift automated-manual transmission will be offered on 2.0 115PS models for the first time, and also on 2.5-litre models.
Model range
New Vivaro is available in a wide range of model and trim combinations, with long and short wheelbases and standard and high roofs.
Dropside, 9-Seat Combi and 12-seat minibus variants are available, along with a long-wheelbase 9-Seat Vivaro Combi, offered for the first time in the UK. This important new variant offers all the space and comfort of a standard 9-Seat Combi, but with the added benefit of improved luggage space.
New Vivaro also comes in both short and long-wheelbase doublecab variants, offering the best combination of people and load moving capability.
Movano
Changes for the 2007 model year also see Movano getting a new range of engines. Vauxhall’s seriously big van gets a new Euro IV compatible entry-level 2.5-litre CDTi with 100PS, while the 115PS engine is replaced by a Euro IV 120PS unit. The existing range-topper, a 3.0-litre CDTi with 136PS, is replaced by a further development of the 2.5-litre engine, but this time developing 145PS and 320Nm of torque.
No styling changes will be made, and trim levels and prices for both New Vivaro and revised Movano will be announced closer to the models’ on sale date in late autumn.
Founded in London in 1903, Vauxhall is a UK brand aiming to deliver driving excitement and stylish and innovative design. Its vehicles benefit from the best of GM's worldwide capability while being designed to cater for the various and varied demands of modern day drivers.
GM's UK van plant in Luton and car plant in Ellesmere Port produce over a quarter of a million vehicles a year, as well as being major contributors to the local economies and communities in both Bedfordshire and Cheshire.
Total sales for 2005 were 369,834 (317,353 cars and 52,481 vans). UK production of cars and vans in the same period totalled 279,331 (188,917 cars and 90,414 vans).