Renault Ireland expands LCV factory build range

Renault is consistently the third best selling van and light commercials brand in Ireland behind Ford and VW. Less known in Ireland is the fact that Renault was also the number one van/LCV brand in Europe many years up until the last two years when it has been overtaken by Ford but remains solidly in second position, so all told, it’s a major player in light commercials.

Also not well-known here, is that since 2016, Ford, PSA Group (includes Peugeot, Citroen and now Opel/Vauxhall) and the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi alliance have created stand-alone light commercial vehicle (LCV) business units to take advantage of cross-brand synergies, increase profits and ultimately take market share from rivals in an intensely competitive market.

Back to Renault Ireland, which takes the vans sales very seriously and this is further emphasised by their introduction of a range of special versions of its LCV range.

As you’d expect the Master is the mainstay of this extended factory finished offering. The Renault Master is available as a van (3 wheelbase options), crew cab, chassis cab, platform cab and dropside. To complete its range of traction models, the Master is available in single or twin-wheel versions.

Now first of the special factory conversions is the new Master ‘Business’ van is designed for parcel deliveries. The passenger seats are replaced by a secure door access through the bulkhead to the rear and an optional ‘jump’ seat. The cargo area can be shelved/racked to suit the buyer’s requirements. The side sliding door is only used when loading the vehicle. This Renault Master Van (FWD LM35 dCi 130) Business starts from €28,650, excluding optional extra specification.

There are three other specialist factory-built Master variants – a box van with a tail-lift option, as well as a choice a dropside pickup or a tipper version of that. Engine options and wheelbases choices are available.

The standard box van retails from €37,150. It has a load volume capacity of 20m³, and The tipper single cab is from €33,900 and has a load capacity of 1,100kg and can tow a suitable trailer up to 2,500kg. The dropside is also a single cab and offers a payload of up to 1,115kg, from €33,900.

Remember Renault also recently introduced an electric version of their Master, which is available to order in Ireland, and has re-introduces a van version of its Megane Tourer (estate).

The latter has no VRT reduction applied but it is an impressive car-derived van that targets both the fleet and owner-operator business.

And of course the extensive Kangoo (from €16,950) and Trafic (from €23,945) van ranges are a big part of the growing Renault LCV line-up.