At Renault Trucks UK & Ireland’s headquarters at Warwick in the UK Midlands, the wraps have come off a new product that takes the French truck manufacturer into new territory.
A range of 1-tonne Trafic Red Edition vans, in a selection of body types including crew cab, platform cab and combi versions, as well as panel vans in a variety of trims and layouts are lined up for test driving by the assembled commercial vehicle media.
The Trafic Red Edition joins the Master Red Edition as the second LCV offering from Renault Trucks. Grahame Neagus, Head of LCV & Municipal – UK & Ireland is excited about the company’s newest and smallest product offering.
“I think we’ve got something that will blow the socks off our customers,” he says. “Our mission is to create an aspirational, driver-centric range of products that go beyond the traditional 1 tonne market operators’ expectations by infusing our Truck DNA into the new Trafic.”
The Trafic is, of course, a familiar sight on our roads through the separate Group Renault and its Pro+ division. In 42 years of production it has amassed sales in excess of 2.2 million units over three generations.
Grahame believes that Renault Trucks Red Edition models will offer something different and extra for operators. “We’re the only brand to offer a platform cab in this segment. We’re introducing a new Exclusive model plus three Special Editions. The vehicles will have a unique visual identity and a level of equipment tailored to trade customers.”
Those Special Editions include a Dakar Edition complete with hand wash facility and Bosch jet wash, an 1894 Edition to commemorate Renault founder Marius Berliet, and a Racing Edition.
Among the specialised versions are a City Mover Luton-bodied version based on the platform cab which offers up to 17m3 load space with 950kgs payload, the OptiChiller – a purpose built Chiller conversion with roof top solar panels available in two versions, and two Multitrade models equipped for all types of SME tradespeople. To deter would be thieves, an additional security protection behind the load area doors called Optisafe is an option on every van or crew cab.
Venturing into a new segment will inevitably bring challenges but Grahame is confident the Trafic Red Edition will make a strong impact. “With our truck DNA and our heritage, that’s why we are different. That’s what we bring to the table amidst a whole plethora of other things. Not just the product, but how we sell it, the passion that we have for the product, and the services that back up that product. It’s the look, it’s the appeal, it’s the flexibility, it’s the support that we bring to this part of the market that we have never been in before.” Cathal Doyle
A full review of the Renault Trucks Trafic Red Edition will feature in the forthcoming issue of Fleet Transport.