As the latest step in the renewal of its range following the success of Logan and Logan MCV, Dacia has launch Logan Van on the commercial vehicle market. Modern, robust and affordable, Logan Van has benefited extensively from the Renault Group`s expertise in the realm of commercial vehicles. It features an extremely competitive load carrying capacity, while the standard version boasts a payload of 800kg which puts it at the top end of the small van segment.
The range of powerplants available for the model naturally includes the Renault-developed benchmark 1.5 dCi diesel engine. Logan Van`s main asset however is its price tag which meets the needs of tradesmen and traders looking for an affordable vehicle with a high load carrying capacity. The model is already on sale in Romania and Bulgaria and is scheduled for launch in its other markets from the end of 2007.
Logan genes
Robust design
Like all the vehicles in the Logan family, Logan Van has been developed for use across a broad spectrum of often extreme driving conditions. The drive station and controls are identical to those found inside Logan MCV and have been thought through in the same spirit of simplicity and using the same strong materials that have become a hallmark of the Logan range. The dashboard, door panels and upholstery exude an impression of solidity and are extremely durable in time, two key factors in the world of utility vehicles. The exterior has undergone the same protective treatment as all Logans, including the protection of steel panels thanks to wax-injected hollow sections, systematic use of sealants for body panel matings and uprated protection of the subframe against chipping by stones. Logan Van also comes with the same wide door protective strips as those introduced on Logan MCV.
Other features that have been carried over from the estate version to the van derivative of Logan are its raised suspension, higher than average ride height and an underbody shield which will enable Logan Van to take all the different road conditions it can expect to encounter across the world in its stride.
Modern powertrains
Logan Van customers can choose between the 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre eight-valve petrol engines or the 1.5 dCi diesel engine, all of which form part of the Renault Group powertrain range.
The 1.4-litre engine delivers 55kW (75hp) at 5,500rpm, with maximum torque of 112Nm at 3,000rpm. The 1.6-litre powerplant boasts a power output of 64kW (90hp) at 5,500rpm and torque of 128Nm at 3,000rpm. Both of these engines are robust and easy to service, two essential parameters when it comes to commercial vehicles. They also stand out through their high low-end torque which is available across a broad useful rev-band from 3,000 to 4,500rpm. For both engines, the first three gear ratios are short to favour pull-away and acceleration from low speeds, or when the vehicle is laden, while the fourth and fifth gears favour acoustic comfort and fuel consumption. Equipped with the 1.4-litre 8-valve block, Logan effectively boasts combined cycle fuel consumption of just 7.9 litres/100km.
The acclaimed benchmark 1.5 dCi diesel engine is packed with leading edge technology, including second-generation common rail direct injection for enhanced driving comfort, flexibility and particularly low fuel consumption. Thanks to fuel consumption of 5.3 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of just 140g/km, Logan Van 1.5 dCi stands out as a highly competitive proposition alongside the market`s other diesel-powered small vans. The 1.5 dCi also stands out through its low weight (127kg in working order) for a power output of 50kW (70hp) at 4,000rpm. Maximum torque is 160Nm at 1,700rpm, and 85 per cent of this figure is available between 1,500 and 3,500rpm. The life-lubricated manual five-speed gearbox mated with this engine has benefited from specific development, with gear ratios selected to make the most of the 1.5 dCi`s torque for punchy pull-away and acceleration performance even when the vehicle is loaded.
Finally, the combination of the 1.5 dCi`s low fuel consumption and Logan Van`s 50-litre fuel tank ensures a benchmark range for the vehicle of close to 1,000km.
Dialled-in safety
Logan Van benefits from the same high standard of active and passive safety as its sister car, Logan MCV. It is worth recalling that Logan uses the Alliance`s B-platform which it shares with Modus, Clio II, Clio III and even the Nissan Micra, while its front suspension is derived from that of Clio II and based on a MacPherson type layout complete with wishbone and non-filtered subframe. The rear suspension also employs the same programmed deflection H-section torsion beam concept as that used for the other vehicles built on the same platform, plus coil springs and vertically-mounted longer-travel dampers designed to cope with poor road conditions. A front anti-roll bar is standard equipment on Logan Van and the overall package ensures positive, balanced handling in all circumstances.
Logan Van`s brake dimensions have been revised to take into account the vehicle`s higher weight and payload. The model accordingly comes with vented front discs and nine-inch drums for the rear, irrespective of version. Versions equipped with ABS are equipped with the latest-generation Bosch 8.0 system and EBD Electronic Brakeforce Distribution as featured on Megane II.
In terms of passive safety, Logan Van can be ordered with optional driver- and passenger-side front airbags, while the occupant restraint system naturally comprises three-point seatbelts. Logan Van also benefits from Renault`s acknowledged engineering expertise in the field of impact resistance and absorption of kinetic energy. In case of front impact, the layout of the engine compartment permits the stacking up of mechanical components. Inside the car, the high energy-absorbing properties of the polypropylene honeycomb structure dashboard reduce the chances of knee injury in a collision and padding beneath the driver`s and passenger`s feet protects the lower limbs. In the case of impact from the side, the structure of the B-pillar protects the occupants` pelvic area in addition to the work that has gone into the lateral resistance of the seats and door-panel padding.
Practical features in-line with demand
Original opening panels
Logan Van features the same design and dimensions as Logan MCV, a synergy that has contributed to the minimizing of costs that has come to characterize the Logan project. Accordingly, like its sister model, Logan Van comes with passenger car-style rear side doors for all versions. These doors ensure wide access to the cargo area from both the right- and left-hand sides, while many vehicles in the same category only permit access from one side. The door interiors come with plastic protective lining.
At the rear, as is the case with Logan MCV, the 1/3-2/3 split upright doors open to three different angles: 40°, 90° and 180° - as a function of the load. The 40° aperture facilitates loading in cramped spaces, such as in garage or when another vehicle is parked just behind Logan Van. The 180° opening is more suited to bulkier loads.
Meanwhile, in keeping with the model`s commercial vehicle calling, the windows of Logan Van`s rear side doors, rear doors and rear quarter lights have been replaced by panels which protect the cargo area from prying eyes. And to ensure they are perfectly up to job expected of a commercial vehicle, all the opening panels have undergone stringent durability testing. The front doors have been tested over 75,000 opening/closing cycles, the rear side doors over 50,000 cycles and the rear doors over 100,000 cycles. These tests have clearly benefited Logan MCV too.
Outstanding carrying capacity
Logan MCV and Logan Van`s body structure was designed from the outset with both the passenger car and commercial vehicle variants in mind. Its strength and rigidity were consequently engineered to stand up the sort of constraints associated with commercial vehicle use, without neglecting either comfort or handling performance. The structure notably permits a standard payload of 800kg which puts Logan Van at the top-end of the small van segment.
Overall length has been extended by 200mm compared with Logan Saloon and this permits Logan Van to take a maximum cargo length of 1,936mm, an unprecedented figure in its category and which, combined with its payload, responds to a genuine demand from users like tradesmen and traders who may be called upon to carry long, bulky loads.
The cargo width of 1,420mm and maximum load height of 940mm give Logan Van a total load carrying capacity of 2.5 cubic metres, while the rear sill has been lowered to 582mm to facilitate loading.
A simple, practical cargo area
Compared with Logan MCV, Logan Van has a specific two-part floor laid on a frame placed on the original floor to produce a totally flat deck. Also to this end, the spare wheel has been housed in a carrier which is only accessible from the outside. All electrical cabling in the cargo area has been protected from damage by either threading it through hollow sections or covering it with resistant plastic shielding. An integral SMC bulkhead safely isolates the cabin from the cargo area for which a watertight plastic mat is optionally available.
The long list of accessories also includes a wood lining for the cargo area and exterior roof bars.
The Logan concept applied to the commercial vehicle world
Logan Van is part of the ongoing comprehensive renewal of the Dacia range which also extends to the realm of commercial vehicles. It is the third member of the Logan family which will go on feature a total of six models within the framework of Renault Commitment 2009. Logan Van has already started its career in Romania and Bulgaria and it is scheduled to be launched across the rest of Europe from autumn 2007. On its home market, Logan Van stands out as an advantageous replacement for the Pick-Up in the Dacia line-up.
Like other vehicles in the Programme, Logan Van`s design focused on both the carry over of technical solutions from one project to another and a `design to cost` approach that placed the emphasis on the notion of value to the customer when it came to taking technical and conceptual decisions. These overriding guidelines have resulted in a range of modern vehicles at extremely competitive prices, while Logan Van has also benefited from Renault`s considerable commercial vehicle engineering expertise.
Logan Van is produced in the Pitesti factory which already produces Logan MCV, a move that has minimized the impact of the new model`s arrival on the production lines in the Romanian factory. Production-related investments have been shared between the two vehicles and amounted to €110 million for a total outlay of €154 million. The maximum total production capacity for Logan Van is 200 vehicles per day.
In addition to being one of the least expensive models on the small van market, and on top of its outstanding price-to-load-carrying capacity ratio, the Logan Van range is also simple and clear. Two equipment levels are available in Romania and Bulgaria. The entry level `Logan` can be powered by either the 1.4 MPI or 1.5 dCi engines, both of which are inexpensive to run thanks to their low fuel consumption and low servicing costs. The alternative `Comfort Pack` equipment level is available with the 1.4 MPI, 1.5 dCi or 1.6 MPI engine and comes with power steering, driver-side airbag and central locking as standard.