Vivaro named ‘Van of the Year’!

The British-built Vivaro has been named ‘Van of the Year 2006’ by the nation’s van drivers and fleet managers.

The Luton-built model took the spoils against such strong competitors as the Ford Transit, VW Transporter and Renault Trafic in the Professional Van and Light Truck awards, held on the opening night of the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC, Birmingham.

Vivaro also won its class as ‘Best Panel Van, 4.6 - 6.0 cubic metres’, while there was further great news for Vauxhall as the Movano drove off with the award for ‘Best Panel Van, 13.1 cubic metres and above’.

This year’s PV & LT Awards took on a different format from previous years, with the judging panel increased to include a group of professional van drivers, as well as fleet and service managers, so that each vehicle could be assessed from a completely thorough standpoint.

PV & LT Editor, John Fife, said: "This year’s winner was radical when it first appeared, and Vauxhall’s Vivaro still cuts a dash on the nation’s highways. It introduced new car-like levels of comfort and driver appeal to the van market, and has helped push Vauxhall up the sales charts."

Speaking about the award for Movano, Mr Fife added: "When Vauxhall introduced the Movano it joined the big boys, not just in numbers but also in physical presence."

Receiving the honours, Vauxhall’s CV Brand Manager Steve Bryant said: "We are delighted with these awards, which reflect the emphasis Vauxhall has put on its CV range and retailer network over the past few years. Both Vivaro and Movano, along with the rest of the Vauxhall LCV range, offer the best in terms of choice, quality and support for the van user."

The award-winning vans are backed by Vauxhall’s extensive sales and aftersales network, with 173 dedicated heavy van retailers and 34 new Premier Service Centres, which benefit from increased opening hours and dedicated CV personnel.

In 2005, Vauxhall had a record year with over 52,000 LCVs sold in the UK. It is also Britain’s biggest van manufacturer, with over 90,000 LCVs a year built at GM Manufacturing Luton. More than 10,000 further vans a year will be built in Britain when production of New Astravan starts at GM Manufacturing Ellesmere Port later this year.