LDV V80 Reviews

They've had a false start here under another importer but now the affordable LDV range of light commercial vans is here under the stewardship of respected importer Ateco.LDVs (Leyland DAF Van) no longer come out of Europe but are made in China by that country's largest automaker SAIC.They bought the LDV factory lock, stock and barrel and relocated it to a new place in China where they now crank out hundreds of thousands of the things.And more importantly, they are just the same in every way as the highly regarded European manufactured version except perhaps for the alloy 16-inch wheels and the badging.Ateco reckons a small operator can have all the advantages of a quality European type van for half the monthly lease payment with its V80 model. That could mean not paying $1000 a month but instead paying $500. Big difference.A handsome van by any delivery driver's measure the V80 is available in a number of configurations including low, mid and high roof, and short and long wheelbase. There's even a 14 seat bus available with prices starting at $29,990 for the SWB low roof manual van.It looks a lot like a Benz Vito in its square lines, and the short wheelbase vehicle we drove was capable of taking two full size pallets in the load area. Payload in the short wheelbase model is 1204kg up to 1419kg in the longer models.Side sliders both sides and 180 degree barn door at the rear facilitate loading.A central locking system for security automatically activates as soon as you fire the vehicle up.The load compartment is lined and has a high-grip cargo mat. A full width/height load barrier is available complete with clear plastic curtain.The V80 has dual front air bags, rear parking sensors and electronic brake force distribution.It hasn't been crash rated in Australia yet.The running costs are low thanks to the LDV using proprietary components from international manufacturers. The transverse mounted engine is a VM Motori 2.5-litre turbodiesel four cylinder design made in China under licence and the same applies to the newly available automated manual six speeder. Other components of the LDV van would share a similar origin.The standard manual is a five speeder.Achieved power is 100kW/330Nm with fuel consumption of a combined 8.9L/100km. Tank capacity is 80 litres.Drive goes to the front wheels, the brakes are discs all round and British automotive engineering outfit MIRA calibrated the V80's suspension and other dynamic components.It has power assisted rack and pinion steering with a commendably tight turning circle.We had a short faux delivery run drive in the V80 shorty with the new automated manual box – ostensibly an automatic with somewhat slower changes than a conventional torque converter auto. But anything is better than swapping cogs by hand in thick traffic.The vehicle has plenty of acceleration and torque to pull heavy loads and behaves like any other delivery van on the road. It has a particularly tight turning circle which is handy and the driving position is fairly standard for a delivery van – upright seat and flat steering wheel. There are plenty of creature comforts in the cabin that is only marred by centrally located instruments which can be difficult to see.Apart from that, it's all good – low floor height for easy loading, large door apertures, three year/100,000km warranty, roadside assist, a nationwide dealer network.

If you've ever travelled in the UK anytime in the past 20 years (or just watched police shows from that country) you will have noticed dozens, if not hundreds of vans with LDV badges.Purpose built by Leyland and DAF, hence the title LDV standing for Leyland DAF Vehicles, the vans had a reputation amongst users as honest, though not particularly interesting vehicles.LDV got into serious financial strife in the early years of the 21st century and in 2005 the rights to build LDVs were sold to Chinese giant SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation). SAIC is the largest vehicle manufacturer in China and has formed partnerships with Volkswagen and General Motors.In 2012 companies in the SAIC group produced a staggering 4.5 million vehicles – by way of comparison that’s over four times the number of new vehicles sold in Australia last year. Now LDV vans are being imported to Australia from a Chinese factory.The vans we are getting here are based on the 2005 European design, but have had quite a few updates in the meantime, particularly in the safety and exhaust emission fields.In these early days in Australia the LDV is offered in a relatively limited number of models. A short wheelbase (3100 mm) with a standard roof height and a long wheelbase (3850 mm) with either a mid-level roof or a high roof.Future imports will include everything from cab-chassis to which various bodies can be attached, to people movers. Pricing is important to buyer perception of Chinese vehicles at this early stage of their establishment in this country.On the face of it the LDVs look to be about two to three thousand dollars under their competitors, but the LDV’s importers calculate that they are about 20 to 25 per cent cheaper when you take the high level of standard features into consideration.Over and above what you would expect in a vehicle in this class, the LDV van comes with air conditioning, alloy wheels, foglights, cruise control, power windows and mirrors, and reversing sensors. Interestingly, a senior member of the Chinese embassy in Australia, Qui De Ya, attended the media launch of the LDV. Amongst other matters he stressed the importance of social responsibility to the Chinese people. The Australian importer, WMC announced that in line with this it has donated an LDV van to the Starlight Children’s Foundation, the charity that helps brighten the lives of seriously ill Aussie children.The load area on every model imported to Australia is accessed through sliding doors on both side and full-height barn doors. The latter open to a maximum of 180 degrees, making it possible to get a forklift right up to the rear.However, they don’t open 270 degrees to make reversing into a really tight area possible. The latter is probably less important in Australia than in cramped cities in Europe and Asia, but would nevertheless be useful at times.Two standard Australian specification pallets can be carried in tandem in the big load area. The width between the wheelarches is 1380 mm and the arches are pleasingly small in the volume they occupy.Build quality is generally good, though the interior isn’t to the same standard as commercials built in other countries. One of the LDVs we tested had a door that needed a hefty slam before it would close, the others were fine.Power for the LDV vans comes from a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine designed by the Italian VM Motori company and built in China. It produces up to 100 kW of power and 330 Nm of torque.During the 300+ kilometre drive program organised by WMC, the Australian importer of LDVs, we found the engine to be strong and willing in its actions. It wasn’t as happy to pull at low revs as we anticipated in a commercial vehicle, but once it got up to 1500 revs it gets on song and is happy to hold high gears on fairly steep hills.At this stage only a five-speed manual gearbox is being fitted, automatic transmissions are under development and are likely to be on offer by the time the LDV moves to people mover status. The manual gearbox is light and easy in its actions, not something that’s simple to engineer in a vehicle with a transverse engine and front wheel drive so the engineers deserve a real compliment on this.LDV vans have more styling flair than is the norm in this market segment and although it’s not the quietest engine around it has a truck like sound that’s certainly not out of place.

The biggest automaker in China, SAIC, has just put a toe in the water here with a selection of LDV vans. SAIC sells 4.5 million vehicles a year and is in cahoots with GM and VW as wells as a swag of well know component manufacturers. LDV is handled here by WMC motor group, a privately owned company that already has Chinese brands Higer buses and JAC light trucks under its wing. LDV (Light Duty Van) is the product of a bold move by the Chinese more than a decade ago when they purchased the LDV plant in Europe and transplanted it to a location near Shanghai. They upgraded both the line and the vehicle bringing them into the 21st century. Up to 75 per cent of components in LDV vans are globally sourced.Prices for the first three models are $32,990, $37,990 and $39,990 in ascending order. There is one spec' only with generous equipment levels that includes aircon' with multiple vents, 16-inch alloys, ABS, dual front air bags, reverse sensors, cruise control, remote keyless entry, power windows and mirrors.The vans are well set up for work with a low centre of gravity, low floor clearance, passenger vehicle comfort levels, plenty of cargo space, good axle load allocation and crash benefits. The interior is well endowed with storage options and has three seats.It will target tradies, rental fleets and freight organisations. WMC hopes to win conquest sales over the likes of Hyundai iLoad, Iveco, Benz Sprinter, VW Transporter, Fiat Ducato and Renault among others.Comparing apples with apples (i.e. similarly specced vehicles), the LDV offers a value proposition despite being pitched higher than expected. It's a couple of grand under the most likely competitor, well entrenched iLoad, and is the lowest price van on the market today.Called the V80, the new front drive vans feature a four cylinder, 2.5-litre, turbo diesel engine from VM Motori, manufactured under licence in China. The initial batch of vehicles is five-speed manual with a six-speed automated manual (semi-auto) due later this year along with a drop side, tray back cab/chassis, people mover and other variants.Three variants are available initially; a short wheel base low roof, long wheelbase mid roof and long wheelbase high roof. They have load capacities of between 9-12 cubic metres, or two pallets and payloads between 1.3 and 1.8 tonnes.No crash rating was available but four stars seems attainable with stability control and a couple of more airbags.It's pretty good to drive too - a lot better than expected particularly in terms of ride and performance. The gas filled dampers give a smooth ride even over rough roads and the engine has plenty of performance once underway. It's good for 100kW/330Nm output.The manual change mechanism is similar to other offerings in the segment and the interior could also be from any of LDV's competitors - not flash but utilitarian and hard wearing. They need to reposition the instruments onto the left side of the dash instead of the middle.WMC is also offering the V80 as a wheelchair accessible vehicle available, ready to roll from the dealers. Currently, this type of vehicle is fitted-out by third party manufacturers at high cost and with long delays.It's a tempting workhorse from LDV that benefits from a solid European influence and competitive pricing.

A British van has started its second life as an affordable Chinese load hauler. It’s called the LDV V80 and has just gone on sale in Australia.LDV has a convoluted history, with more twists and turns than a Tom Clancy blockbuster. Owners included companies from England, America and Russia, before it was mothballed in 2009. Chinese company Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corporation (SAIC) bought up LDV and the rights to its only product, the V80 van.SAIC is huge - building 4.5 million cars last year and has joint ventures with both Volkswagen and General Motors in its home market.The V80 van is now made in China. It is largely the same as the model that was introduced in Europe in 2005 and was originally developed in conjunction with Daewoo, before it went belly up back in 2000, so it is not new by any means.There are two models available: a short wheelbase version aimed at the Hyundai iLoad and Toyota HiAce and a long wheelbase version, available with a regular roof and a high-roof body, which lines up against the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit and Fiat Ducato.It is cheaper than all its rivals, but not by a lot in the case of the short wheelbase version. Pricing for that model is $32,990, which is around $2000 less than a Hyundai iLoad and $4000 less than a Toyota HiAce. The long wheelbase model is $37,990, with the high roof variant adding another $2000.SAIC and its importer Australian importer WMC isn’t relying on dirt-cheap prices, unlike Chinese rival Great Wall. It is hoping a high level of standard gear will encourage customers to switch to a Chinese brand.It has fitted a lot of gear as standard, including 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, airconditioning and LED daytime running lights as well as dual sliding doors and rear barn doors.  The cruise control is not like normal systems though, in that it is not adjustable. If you want to slow slightly or speed up a little, you have to turn it off, change your speed manually and turn it on again.The interior is basic and the quality is good, better than some rivals but not quite to the standard of others. The centrally-mounted instrument cluster, with a speedo on the left, is awful and it is almost impossible to tell how fast you are going from the driver’s seat. The V80’s rear doors feel extremely flimsy and the metal door skin surface was not even.Anti-skid brakes (with front and rear discs) are standard, along with driver and passenger front airbags. There are no side airbags or electronic stability control, although SAIC is reportedly working on them. It has not been tested by Euro NCAP or ANCAP yet and while SAIC’s own testing suggests a four star result, many customers will want to wait for an official rating.The V80 is a much better drive than this writer was expecting. It tackled some tough roads on the launch and coped well, much like rival vans. The ride is much the same as other vans and cargo space and access through the doors is excellent – load capacity runs from nine to 12 cubic metres and payload ranges from 1300kg to 1800kg.The Chinese-made VM Motori 2.5-litre common rail turbo diesel (with 100kW and 330Nm) is not bad on the whole, but is sluggish below 2000revs. It has a Hyundai-sourced five-speed manual (there is not auto option yet), which shifts smoothly and features a light clutch. It is a front-wheel drive.Overall, the V80 gives a good impression but it needs to be a lot cheaper for customers to walk away from proven vans such as the iLoad and HiAce and take a punt on an unproven Chinese brand. 

First it was the Koreans and now the Chinese are ramping up a workhorse presence in Australia. A sharply-priced entry into the light-commercial van market by Chinese giant SAIC - badged as an LDV - is now on sale in Australia.VALUEIn a way it’s similar to Hyundai's iLoad commercial van and its $5000 dearer iMax peoplemover set-up, LDV importer/distributor will offer a peoplemover variant of its van range. The Chinese brand is starting its commercial model at prices $1500 below the Hyundai's entry-level turbodiesel iLoad.The LDV V80 commercial range will have pricing starting from $32,990 for the SWB model, or an extra $5000 for the mid-roof long-wheelbase model; the tallest high-roof LWB model starts at $39,990. The LDV SWB model is around $4000 below the Toyota HiAce turbodiesel.DESIGNThe van range comes in short and long-wheelbase models with a choice of roof height and is aimed squarely at tradespeople and those in the business of moving people but the brand has plans for a peoplemover to join the fray.DISTRIBUTIONWMC - AKA the White Motor Corporation, is already the Australasian distributor of Higer buses and JAC trucks and has finally added LDV (Leyland Daf Vans) to its stable after several months of delays. The long-running British commercial vehicle brand was bought lock, stock and barrel by SAIC in 2009 and from that - as well as joint ventures with GM and Volkswagen - was born the new LDV V80 van range now on the market in Australia.AVAILABILITYThe upcoming Shanghai motor show is expected to reveal more about the SAIC peoplemover plans, but WMC CEO Neil Bamford says there should be an LDV V80 peoplemover in Australia by the end of the year. "There are a few ADR issues we need to get through - R&D are indicating the issues are not insurmountable so we should be in a position later in the year to bring a passenger version out," he says.The company is putting together larger-capacity bus and wheelchair transport models with Byron Industries but is planning a seven or eight-seater peoplemover before 2014 arrives. "We'll have a lower-roof 7 or 8 seater, they are releasing one of those at the Shanghai motor show in April, I'm heading up there to see that," he says.Mr Bamford says SAIC is moving on hurdles for a peoplemover model going on sale here - including the availability of stability control (by the end of 2013) and the installation of an auto, believed to be a six-speed automated manual gearbox from Magneti Marelli. "We'd love the automatic here tomorrow, this market likes the auto, it's in R&D at the moment and we're expecting a prototype in the third quarter and then production will follow, I think it will be end of this year or early 2014," he says.The brand is claiming to be in the Australian market for the "long term" and a slow start is not unexpected - estimates of 50 vans a month (compared to Hyundai and Toyota tallies of 500 a month) from a dealer network that currently numbers 34, although Mr Bamford would like to see that number rise to 40. But don't expect to see WMC bringing fellow SAIC stablemate MG into Australia from its Chinese home - it's an empahtic no from the CEO. "No, not at all - the brands we have at the moment will be our bread and butter for some time to come," he says. 

Chinese vehicles are now well established in this country thanks to Great Wall. Other players are arriving including LDV, a 21st century version of the Leyland/DAF Van (LDV) company that was popular in Europe a while back.It went broke due to competitive forces but the entire manufacturing plant was purchased by China's biggest automaker, SAIC, and re-established in the city of Wuxi where it is once again cranking out commercial vehicles including vans, tray back utilities and small passenger buses.More than that, the new LDV V80s are quite possibly a much better mouse trap than the originals due to a number of reasons, not the least being SAIC's deep pockets which allowed new machinery and upgrades, new designs and quality components used on its vehicles.LDV hits the market in this country early next year with a 40 strong dealer network selling a seven model range of 1.3 tonne vans including short and long wheelbase in a variety of roof heights.VALUEThey all share the same powertrain and similar styling inside and out and the word is, the LDVs will undercut other players in the van market by as much as $5000 comparing apples with apples. Better yet is the fact that LDV vans will be well equipped right from the entry model and all will have side sliders both sides capable of allowing forklift pallet loading as well as twin rear barn doors that open to 180 degrees.All will get LED driving lights and alloy wheels, cargo mats, full size spare, half height load protection panels, six heavy duty tie-down lugs, aircon, power windows and mirrors, cargo barrier and reverse sensors. LDV is being distributed by WMC the same outfit that distributes Chinese made Higer buses here.TECHNOLOGYThe LDV's engine is a 100kW/330Nm 2.5-litre VM Motori turbodiesel four out of Italy -- the same manufacturer used by umpteen other carmakers. The manual transmission is a ZF unit and so will the five or six-speed auto when it arrives later on.DESIGNAll doors including the two for passengers are large and the load doors give full pallet access for two pallets in the short wheelbase, three in the long. But WMC is still in the process of sorting out the audio system that currently isn't available with a CD player. They use USBs everywhere else. Presumably a replacement unit will also feature phone and audio Bluetooth. Storage in the cabin area is adequate, better in the larger vans.DRIVINGWe got Australia's first drive of the short wheelbase entry level model and the long wheelbase high roof variant last week in Sydney. Neither was registered and both were here for evaluation purposes but are representative of what we'll be getting. Both were just like driving an equivalent size European van, better in some respects. It is like any other van in terms of comfort, ride quality and drive feel. Some local calibration to steering and suspension has taken place.The VM Motori engine offers excellent performance and pulling power with both vehicles hardly noticing the 500kg ballast that had been loaded for the test drive. The five-speed manual change feel is as good as any in the class, possibly better than the others. It has a tight turning circle, well weighted steering and easy to use controls.Drive goes to the front wheels with the rear axle boasting triple leaf springs for heavy loads. And it looks good - a bit like a Benz Vito or an Iveco. WMC has plans in quarter two next year for a cab/chassis version with a tray back as well as a number of passenger vans offering seats for between 8-15 people depending on the size.Presumably, all will have the same powertrain. Wheelchair access vehicles and motorhomes are also under consideration.