Peugeot's new sector creating Bipper goes on sale today, and we have just given it its first drive on UK roads. We bring you an exclusive video preview. 

Launched in 2001, the Connect quickly established itself as one of the best small vans on the market, thanks to its robust build and driver friendly design.

However, time has seen rivals introduce newer products, with Citroen's Berlingo and Volkswagen's Caddy the main antagonists.

To keep things fresh Ford has given it a facelift, which inlcudes new grill, lights and bumpers - though it's not wholly successful, making the front appear a little glum.

The rear gets new lights, and there's also redesigned side mouldings.

Inside there's a new dashboard (lifted from the company's S Max passenger car), seats and colour scheme; and it works well, giving the Connect a modern, progressive look.

Also now fitted as standard are ESP, traction control and hill launch assist.

On the road the Ford feels, well, pretty much like the old version, and that's a good thing.

It retains that bullet-proof quality, making it easy to drive and live with. Steering and suspension provide excellent communication, while handling is failsafe whether laden or unladen.

And this inner strength also gives an insight into the ownership costs for the Connect. Build quality is among the best in class making this a van that'll stand the test of time, retaining its value when the time comes to selling.

THE VERDICT

The latest version of Ford's Connect continues to garner our respect thanks to its all-round class. It might be putting on the years; however the update does enough to maintain its position as arguably the best small van on the market.

Engine: 1.8-litre Duratorq TDCi

Power: 74, 89, 109hp

Torque: 175, 220, 250Nm

Transmission: Five-speed manual

Payload: 607-902kg

Price: TBA

Taking a practical approach to fuel economy is Ford's Transit ECOnetic, which combines a number of features to shave off mpg.

They include improved rolling resistance tyres, a shift indicator light to inform the driver of optimal gear changing, modified engine calibration and low friction oil, a standard 70mph speed limiter and low-drag wheel covers.

There's also shorter gearing in first gear for improved pull away performance and a longer top gear which is claimed to improve highway fuel economy by 10%.

Currently only available in 280SWB 2.2-litre 115 TDCi guise, Ford claims the ECOnetic can achieve 39.2mpg on a combined cycle, while average CO2 output is 189 g/km.

Due to its specific design the ECOnetic isn't expected to sell in great numbers, however don't be surprised to see this approach replicated by the likes of Mercedes and Volkswagen, who've already exhibited similar modifications on show vans.

And unsurprisingly it drives just like any other Transit, which means it steers, handles and goes without any discernable negatives.

The engine is well mated to the new six-speeder and gives a nice spread of torque from low-down, avoiding the need to use the revs.

Inside, the cabin retains its high degree of practicality, though the overall dimensions are a little tight for taller drivers.

THE VERDICT

If the ECOnetic's modifications seem a little underwhelming in terms of technology, they also make practical sense at this point in time.

By focusing on the vehicle's existing areas of energy expunging and combining the results you get a van that requires little extra investment and no alteration in ownership/servicing.

Combine this with an informed driving style and you should significant gains in fuel economy.

Engine: 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi

Power: 114hp

Torque: 300Nm

Transmission: Six-speed manual

Payload: 1,097kg

Price: TBA

While hybrids, electric, LPG, CNG and hydrogen are all being mooted as possible alternatives to diesel power in the future the reality is we're still 99% reliant on diesel technology, with no creditable substitute in sight.

So a shaving here and an improvement there all adds up.

And it's this approach that's behind Mercedes' ECO-Start. Available on its Sprinter, the system turns off the engine when the vehicle becomes stationary and in neutral with the clutch depressed, then restarts it when the clutch is engaged ready to move off.

Claimed to save up to 10% in fuel consumption when operated in the urban environment, where stop/starting is commonplace due to traffic lights and jams, it costs £545 (though this reduces to £250 when air-con is specced due to sharing of components) and is available on all four-cylinder manual versions.

So do we like it? Well yes. When used in the correct environment with the appropriate driver training then it will noticeably reduce CO2 output and just as importantly, save you cash.

Of course it's not for everyone. Those flying down motorways and A-roads will find the number of times it's engaged in a day are negligible, and therefore deem it irrelevant. But pick your application wisely and it makes sense.

Furthermore, as it's fitted to a Mercedes you shouldn't have to worry about it not starting up again one day (predictably when sat in the world's longest traffic jam), and that also means it'll be cost effective to run over the lifetime.

And drivers will also like it due to the spacious and well finished cabin that will help to blot out that traffic hell.

If you want niggles then the engine doesn't quite match the rest of the van's quality while the gearshift can be a little resistant when cold.

But step back and assess the Sprinter ECO-Start as a whole and it's hard to ignore its potential and the vehicle's all-round class.

Ford Fiesta Van. We've had the ice age, stone age, rock ages and now the digital age and CM is embracing this brave new world by taking our industry-benchmarking roadtests online and on camera.
"This will be easy" I though to myself but as you can see in the next video. However, things aren't as easy as they seem. Placement, posture and confidence are all vital ingredients but a good memory is your greatest ally, only this time my memory failed me with disastrous (for me) and hilarious (for you) consequences.

At the end of the very long day you'll be pleased to know that we actually managed to fashion a proper workable video out of all that. Keep checking back to roadtransport.com to see the proper Ford Fiesta Van video.

On first impressions we thought this PSA Group/Fiat developed van to produced the Nemo/Bipper/Fiorino was a tad too small for most tastes.
However to show that we're open minded about such things we've taken an example on a long-term test and this being the Fiat version it gets its own engine - a 1.3-litre unit from the company's acclaimed Multi-jet range producing 75hp and 190Nm of torque.
Available in two trim levels - priced £9,360 and £10,035 respectively - the base model gets ABS with EBD, ladder bulkhead, radio/CD player and not much else, while the LX (our test vehicle) adds remote central locking, electric windows and nearside sliding door.
Small van, small engine, do we need to continue? The laden run for the Fiorino produced an impressive 51.4mpg, while unladen the figure of 55.8mpg gave some insight into its potential when running light.
Packing a load volume of 2.5m cubed is not a bad deal considering, and this extends to 2.8m cubed when you spec the folding passenger seat option (£85). This combines with a payload of 610kg, which again is impressive for a van of this size.
It's a given that the Fiorino's interior isn't going to be a palatial spread, but tight packaging has made it far from a squeeze. Importantly, for a vehicle this size and its assumed role, driver access is more than adequate, and with the ladder bulkhead there's enough rear seat travel to allow for sufficient leg room (though a previous encounter with the full height bulkhead option reduces this).
Complementing the arrangement is an adjustable (for reach and rake) steering wheel and a seat that comes with lumbar support and arm rest as standard - a smart move that'll be appreciated on the urban grind.
Of course being compact it's highly manoeuvrable around town, with the quick steering allowing you to change direction smartly, but it's out on the open road where the Fiorino really surprises.
It feels exceptionally stable and confident at high speeds, with little disturbance from cross-winds and larger passing vehicles.
This is helped by the perennially smooth Fiat Multijet engine. It's a more tempting proposition than the equivalent 1.3-litre unit used by its Citroen/Peugeot counterparts and allows for a relaxed driving experience; however this good work is partly negated by the sloppy five-speed shift that's noticeably loose in operation, slowing down the swapping of cogs due to ill defined gates.
By adding its own Multi-jet engine to the mix, Fiat has enhanced its version of this little van.
Fiat's take is by no means a step up in overall power; it's more about the progressive way it delivers it, plus it's smoother and more fuel efficient than the Citroen/Peugeot offering.
This positive compliments the Fiorino's impressive overall ability, which tricks you into thinking you're driving a larger vehicle - in a good way.

To read the full road test check out the 30 July issue of Commercial Motor

There are few commercial vehicles that cross the business divide and gain recognition in the wider public psyche. Ford's Transit is one example, leading the way in a mass movement of tradesman (and tools) that has become as much a part of the landscape as the Premiership and Tikka Masala. And Toyota's Hilux is another. Whether in this country, were it dates back to 1972 or abroad, where it has backed revolutions, shipped drugs and saved lives. What we have here is the sixth generation version, complete with 2009 facelift, which adds a restyled exterior, tweaked suspension and larger brakes, while the D-4D 3.0-litre version (producing 169hp) gets a five-speed transmission to replace the previous four-speeder. Prices start at £13,995 for the single-cab HL2 120 and rise to £21,795 for our all-singing, all-dancing test vehicle, the automatic Invincible. While the addition of an extra cog wasn't going to produce any revelation in terms of fuel consumption, it did lift the figure from 30.1mpg to 31.0mpg for a laden run, while unladen saw it creep up to 35.0mpg from 34.5mpg. In the rear a payload of 1,075kgs stands up well, while the load bed dimensions work out at 1.0m cubed. The Hilux also provides arguably the best cabin in the class,from the driving position, which is commanding without being overbearing, to the clarity of the control layout, the it avoids any pick-up clichés. On the move the suspension tweaks are impressive producing possibly the most confident riding pick-up on-road. While off-toad no matter what the conditions are thrown at it, it remains unruffled, digging in with confidence, while the suspension does a good job of soaking up peaks and troughs without transferring the action into the cabin. Contributing to this effectiveness is the 3.0-litre engine. Full of torque and urgency, it offers more than enough power to get up any gradient without stressing, allowing you to concentrate on staying on track. If we had to pick a machine to go into battle with, or just off-road, the Hilux would be at the top of the list.

The timing for Ford's launch of the latest version of its Ranger pick-up is a strange one especially when one considers the market for these types of vehicles is down nearly 50% for 2009.

Despite the numbers, Ford has taken the view that attack is the best form of defence and it is hoping the updated Ranger will bring about a return to the happy times.

Four trim levels are on offer starting with the base XL, followed by the XLT, Thunder and finally the range-topping Wildtrak. Softer styling, engine refinement and commanding driving position ticks all the right boxes and the Ranger is one of the few commercial vehicles that manages to be comfortable, luxurious and practical all at the same time.

We're not sure about the Wildtrak's on-road performance, which is mainly down to the larger 18-inch wheels and tyres that fail to soak-up bumps in the road.

Off-road the Ranger is as you'd expect it to be, but with the anti-stall device installed (principally designed to stop the dual-mass flywheel from overheating) it makes off-road driving a little too simple and unengaging.

If you're in the market for a tough, reliable and comfortable pick-up then the revised Ranger is definitely worth a look. The revisions help to increase appeal as does the high level of specification on each respective variant. Read the rest of the first drive in Commercial Motor 27 August.

Despite the publicity and hoo-ha Dick Denby and his 'superlorry' did not progress the argument for longer vehicles in the UK.

Although he was bold enough to put the argument on the front pages by taking to the road in the B-train 'superlorry' (someone at the BBC must have been up all night thinking of that one) the bravery of the local constabulary and VOSA in stopping the 'superlorry' created a media scrum that helped miss the whole point.

What is more an antiquated design and bating, by the likes of Radio 2 presenter Jeremy 'the nations heartbeat' Vine, allowed the issue to become swallowed up by pre-conceived ideas about road congestion being caused by trucks, with the 'superlorry' only adding to the mix.

The real debate is yet to be fully formed but it's likely the government will endorse extending the overall length of semi-trailers to match drawbar combinations. Industry experts, while falling short of publicly condemning the B-train employed by Dick Denby, see it as the easiest solution.

In the fullness of time longer combinations will be explored and endorsed. The 25.25m combination trialled by the Dutch government will eventually be used here, once government have their eyes prised open to the cost benefits of improving productivity. The design will embrace the Swedish model for longer vehicles; prime mover with a body using a drawbar application towing a full-length semi-trailer on a dolly or fixed front bogie.

As for it causing more congestion... The American crime writer Rex Stout once said: "There are two kinds of statistics, the kind you look up, and the kind you make up."

With that fresh in your mind, statistics from the 35th edition of the Transport Statistics Great Britain, published by the Department for Transport, reveal that there are less goods vehicles on Britain's roads today, than in 1950 when records began.

Fifty-nine years ago there were 3.97m vehicles, which included 439,000 goods vehicles and 1.98m cars. By 2008 the number swelled to 34.2m vehicles, of which there were 27.0m cars and...wait for it...436,000 goods vehicles.

So the next time Jeremy 'the nations heartbeat' Vine or a rail appreciation club member tries to tell you that moving freight onto rail will help reduce congestion, kindly refer them to Rex Stout.

VW has released the first official images of its new pickup, the Amarok, and we have 'em here for you. It's certainly a looker and and you don't have to even squint your eyes to see the Polo/Golf influences of VW's current designs. Read the news news story for more info, but in the mean time have a look at the full gallery of pics...

Click through for more.