The Iveco Daily is set to get both mechanical and cosmetic revisions as part of a detailed 'Model Year' freshening up of the popular van range which was introduced three years ago. Due to be officially launched towards the end of next month the new Daily MY has made a brief debut appearance at an Italian football match, driving out onto the pitch at half time in a surprise promotional stunt which included music, dancers, acrobats, branding on the pitch side advertising hoardings, and spinach props ("spinach" will be a central theme of the new van's marketing campaign).

First introduced in 1978, the Iveco Daily van range underpins the commercial buses-to-trucks division's line-up and the most recent Daily version, commercialised three years ago continued the success story each generation of this van which has brought new innovations to the European light transport segment. In fact, each successive product generation has set new standards for light commercial vehicles: the chassis frame, direct injection turbodiesel, intercooler, natural gas engines, 17 cubic metre van with 210 cm interior height, common rail and 6-speed transmission. The Daily was first to introduce these features onto the market and in the process, set new benchmarks for the competition.

The five turbodiesel engines available on the new Daily three years ago (2.3-litre with 96, 116 or 136 hp and 3.0-litre with 146 or 176 hp) were all Euro IV compliant and carried over from the previous model. However now Iveco will take a big step forward and adhere to the Fiat Group's core philosophy of being at the leading edge of environmental responsibility by ensuring that all the engines in the Daily MY are compliant with the EU's tough new Euro V regulations.

Into the revised range will come a new version of the F1C 3.0-litre 'twin stage' common-rail turbo diesel engine, now with 170 bhp. In another technological advance of Iveco, in the near future the engines will have the current DPF system replaced with the advanced new Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) method which is already in production use on the Stralis truck range, a model range which is also Euro V engine compliant. Completing the power unit additions will come a new gas "bi fuel" option. This latter environmentally-friendly powerplant will be launched under the "EcoDaily" brand name.

Externally the front of the Daily MY has been given much more distinction and prestige with the incorporation of a separate chromed grille which is reminiscent of the last-generation van. To complete the stronger visual effect the large enveloping unpainted front bumper now has its top surface colour coded and features a lower spoiler mesh that replicated the mesh used in the new grille. Inside the Daily MY gets a comprehensive facelift to improve a cabin that is getting outdated. A new dashboard features as do new seat and panel materials that are of a higher quality.
 
The Daily MY will be introduced to the media during an official Iveco press conference at the end of June (22 to 24 June) while simultaneously the new version will join the 12th edition of the Overland tour which takes place this year, a tough exploring adventure trip across the world that has been used as a promotional tool for the Iveco Massif and Daily 4x4. Also featuring on the Overland tour two years ago was the Fiat 500.