For the third year running, the Piaggio Porter light
commercial vehicle range has delighted the judges on the
voting panel for the What Van? Van of the Year
Awards. Having outperformed all the competition in its
category, Piaggio Porter has once again been awarded the
coveted title of Microvan of the Year.
With three top awards and numerous commendations from
previous years to its name, the Piaggio Porter range has
consistently achieved recognition by What Van? as
a class-leading brand that just keeps getting better.
One of the key appeals mentioned by the judges over the
years has been the sheer diversity of the range, which
includes a Panel Van, MPV, Tipper, Big Deck, Pick-Up and
Chassis, with payload capacities ranging from 560kg to
685kg and more than 50 specialist bodywork variations.
This diversity will increase even further early next
year when a 4x4 version will become available from
March.
It’s not difficult to see why the Piaggio Porter range
keeps on impressing the judges with such an innovative
model line up that caters to a variety of different
business needs. For example, the Porter Van offers small
business users an unbeatable combination of compact
exterior dimensions with outstanding interior volume,
providing a load area for up to 3 cubic metres of cargo.
The twin sliding doors and top-hinged full width
tailgate provide unrivalled accessibility to this
crucial interior space, and along with the
forward-control cab layout, these features make the
Porter van ‘perfectly suited to multi-drop delivery
work’, says What Van?.
The Porter MPV is based on the same steel body shell as
the Panel Van but also includes two large windows in
each side for passenger comfort and increased all-round
visibility. The standard fitment of twin glass tilting
sunroofs and the option of two, four or six seat
variants proves once again that form ideally meets
function in the Piaggio Porter range. Although the
Porter Pick-up is diminutive in stature, its microvan-size
belies the vehicle’s strength and practical
capabilities. Built on a sturdy, steel frame chassis,
the Pick-up boasts an up-rated suspension which
increases its payload to a remarkable 680kg, well above
the average for a truck of this size.
The Tipper is marginally bigger than its Pick-up cousin
in both length and load area and holds its own in the
market as the only factory-built tipper in this sector.
With the option of either standard 300mm high steel or
400mm high alloy drop sides, along with a dual hinged
tailboard, the Porter Tipper offers incredible
versatility for unbeatable value for money. The Porter
Big Deck is exactly that – a Pick-up truck with a 20
percent bigger load deck than the standard Porter
Pick-up. In fact, the size of the Big Deck makes it so
practical and convenient that even palleted goods fit
comfortably on the spacious deck. The Big Deck also
comes with a choice of alloy or steel drop sides and a
maximum payload of 685kg.
As the level of taxes such as road fund licence are now
linked to vehicle emissions ratings, the Porter Electric
provides a convenient solution to the rising cost of
vehicle ownership.
|
 |
|
With three top awards and numerous commendations
from previous years to its name, the Piaggio Porter
range has consistently achieved recognition by the
important What Van? magazine who see it as a
class-leading brand that just keeps getting better. |
|
|
 |
|
For the third year running, the Piaggio Porter light
commercial vehicle range has delighted the judges on
the voting panel for the What Van? Van of the Year
Awards. Having outperformed all the competition in
its category, Piaggio Porter has once again been
awarded the coveted title of Microvan of the Year. |
|
|
The long-life, maintenance-free Lead-Gel batteries produce
zero emissions, which means the Porter Electric is handily
exempt from taxes such as Vehicle Excise Duty and Congestion
Charging. Combined with the ultra-low running costs of the
Porter Electric, choosing this vehicle could represent a
significant saving for small businesses or local authorities
who need to run a fleet of vehicles in a city like
London. All Piaggio Porter models are available in the
Electric version and are capable of a range of 85 miles,
with two useful recharge options of either the standard 8hrs
or a 2hr ‘fast charge’.
However, the Porter Electric is not the only clever
innovation to come from Piaggio. Where the Porter range
really comes into its own is with the bespoke equipment
conversions it has to offer. What Van? describes the Porter
as ‘a handy platform for all sorts of specialist body work’,
such as cherry pickers, gritters, waste bin collectors and
many more. These options are all made possible by the Porter
Chassis, a simple chassis cab version of the Porter which
provides a solid foundation on which to build many types of
custom vehicles.
Also highly appreciated by the What Van? panel is the
remarkable manoeuvrability of the Porter range, noting that
‘parking in confined spaces is a doddle and the van’s
compact height allows you to wriggle into places where
overhead clearance is restricted’. In fact all the Porter
models boast class-leading agility with a tight turning
circle and compact dimensions which ensure that even heavy
or bulky goods can be delivered into the narrowest of
locations, even those inaccessible to other vehicles.
Described by What Van? as ‘a definite plus’, the
consumer package for Piaggio light commercials offers a
generous 3 year/unlimited mileage warranty, covering any
factory fitted or specialist body work, along with two years
roadside rescue and recovery. With a 33-strong dealer
network across the country, and plans to expand this number
to more than 40 in the next few months, Piaggio Porter is
quickly developing a solid reputation in the UK as the
market leader for light commercial vehicles.
Tim Slaughter, Managing Director for Piaggio LTV, says, “We
are delighted to report that Piaggio Porter is going from
strength to strength since we took over distribution earlier
this year. Receiving this prestigious accolade from What
Van? once again only goes to prove the value and quality
of the Porter range.”
|
|
|
|
