VW has picked up Awards not just for vans, but for the Amarok pick-up, and for its service package
THE results have been announced for the 2014 Business Van of the Years Awards run by Business Vans, in association with MAGMA Automotive. And it’s Volkswagen which has marched off with the most trophies.
The German manufacturer clinched ‘Van of the Year ‘ and ‘Best Large Trades Van’ for the Transporter while the Amarok won by ‘Best 4×4 Double Cab’ and ‘Best Utility Vehicle’ titles.
And it didn’t end there. Amazingly, Volkswagen also carried off the title of ‘Best Heavy Van’ with the Crafter, while its servicing plan won the title of ‘Best Servicing Package for Van Owners’.
The Business Van Awards judges
Mark Cartwright Mark is the head of vans and light commercial vehicles at FTA, responsible for spreading the Van Excellence message to SMEs
Marcus Puddy Marcus is the director of commercial vehicles with the biggest leasing company in the UK, LexAutolease, serving both SMEs and large fleet customers.
Richard Bunn Richard is director of White Hot Vans, which specialises in selling vans to his local SME database of trades and small businesses, based in St Albans, Hertfordshire .
Eddie Parker Eddie is fleet LCV consultant at GE Capital Fleet Services, a major leasing company in the UK with a specialist vans section.
Rod Lloyd Rod is managing director of Low Cost Vans, a significant supplier of vans to the business market. Low Cost Vans won our Best Small Fleet Van Leasing Award
Keith Hawes Keith is managing director of Magma Automotive Services which specialises in automotive services to the SME sector. Keith is chairman of the Business Van Awards judging panel.
Meanwhile, Renault picked up two awards for the Kangoo and Kangoo ZE electric – ‘Best Small Trades Van’ and ‘Best Green Van’.
Ford won ‘Best Crew Van’ with the Ford Transit Custom, Citroen was awarded ‘Best City Van’ for the Nemo, Vauxhall won ‘Best Local Delivery Van’ with Corsa Van and Mitsubishi Fuso carried off ‘Best Builders’ Truck’ for the Fuso Canter.
Mercedes-Benz, meanwhile, won ‘Best Finance Package for Van Owners’.
We lined up a host of the industry’s big hitters to help us decide on the winners, so those who picked up awards can be assured that their products and services are indeed the cream of the crop.
In these days of continuing financial austerity, it is hugely important that tradespeople choose exactly the right vehicles for the job.
It is estimated that around 30% of people are driving the wrong vans for their requirements – and a mistake at buying time can be disastrous as, don’t forget, you’ll be living with that mistake for years until the under-performing vans are sold.
So competitions like the Business Van of the Year Awards 2014 are vital as they give readers essential pointers towards which vehicles and services they should choose.
One area which puts Volkswagen firmly in the lead, for example, is its network of Van Centres which are spread across the UK.
Volkswagen has expended a huge amount of time and effort in setting these centres up so that tradespeople can walk in and get good solid advice on a wide range of business topics.
Editor Ralph Morton commented: “Congratulations to Volkswagen and its Transporter model for winning the inaugural Business Van of the Year Award.
“It’s so right, too. The Transporter is the ideal all-rounder for the trades, offering quality, value and reliability in equal measure – exactly what any small business running a van requires.
“Added to which is the back up of VW Van Centres which makes the Transporter the complete package.”
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