Luton in Northamptonshire
Self-drive vehicle hire firm Wrights of Northampton has started to take delivery of a 40-vehicle order of MAN TGE vans – a mix of Luton bodies and panel vans. The new vehicles, 10 chassis cabs with bespoke Luton bodies, and 30 panel vans, join the expanding Wrights fleet of 145 vehicles, 100 of these being MAN products. Richard Sharpe, managing director, Wrights of Northampton, said: “We’ve been operating MAN TGE vans across our fleet for some time now and have always found them to be solid, reliable and efficient vehicles.
These new vehicles, the Lutons, the low-height flat-frame Lutons and the panel vans, will, like the other TGE’s we operate, be valued additions and we’re looking forward to having them on the fleet.” Established in 2016, the company offers hire of small car-derived vans, LWB 3.5-tonne panel vans and Luton vans both with and without tail-lifts. It also offers 7.5-tonne box vans and curtainsiders, with and without tail lifts.
This latest vehicle order, of 40 vehicles in total, includes six MAN TGE 3.140 4,490 mm wheelbase chassis cabs, four MAN TGE 3.140 4,490 mm wheelbase flatframe chassis cowls and 30 long wheelbase 3.140 panel Vans. The Flatframe Chassis Cowls, due to their reduced chassis heights, are 190 mm lower than the standard chassis cabs. All of the vehicles are front-wheel drive models.
Upon arrival the 10 TGE chassis were despatched directly to two individual body builders. Four standard height chassis went to JC Paine in the West Midlands and were bodied with 4.2 metre Luton bodies featuring wide lath roller shutter doors, an aerodynamic pod above the cab, and 500 kg tail lifts. Six vehicles, two long wheelbase standard height chassis and the four reduced height Flatframe Chassis Cowls, went to Commercial Vehicle Bodies in Northampton.
Commercial Vehicle Bodies bodied the Flatframe Chassis Cowls with 4.2 metre walk-in walk-out Luton’s, featuring barn doors, allowing for maximum aperture space and a kerbside door. These too all have aerodynamic pods above the cabs.
All the new vehicles are powered by the MAN Euro6D 138bhp 2.0 litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engines, which are capable of producing 340Nm. They all feature the optional eight-speed automatic transmission.
“Customers prefer a highly specified vehicle with easy to understand controls, especially for things like air conditioning, heating and navigation. We’re constantly told that the TGE feels very familiar and very Audi and VW car like, this makes the handover process very easy,” concluded Sharpe. To ensure a safe environment for both driver and passengers, all of the vehicles are fitted with ABS and ESP, Crosswind assist, Multi-collision brake and integrated reversing cameras.
To ensure customer goods are secured the bodies have been fitted with both floor and wall lashing points.
Throughout their working lives these new vehicles will be serviced in-house at Wrights Commercial Fleet Management using MAN parts. Author
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