It was a matter of time before Chrysler re-entered the commercial van market in North America and now we know what’s coming. Starting in 2013 Chrysler’s Ram division will produce a version of Fiat’s Ducato Van to square off with Ford and GM’s commercial vans. This could be a real player in that segment but time will tell.

From Auto News.com:

Chrysler Group plans to add a large expansion to its current facilities in Saltillo, Mexico, to assemble a Ram-branded version of the Fiat Ducato commercial van for North America.

Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler Group, said this week at the Detroit auto show that the expansion of the Saltillo plant would make it “the center for production of light-commercial vehicles in North America for us.”

A Chrysler spokesman would not confirm the size of the investment, but company sources said it was expected to be about $500 million. Chrysler already operates a truck assembly plant, a stamping plant and two engine plants in Saltillo, about 180 miles southwest of Laredo, Texas.

Marchionne said the front-wheel-drive full-sized commercial van shares a platform with the Peugeot Boxer in Europe.

Read the full article.

After decades of dominating the commercial van market Ford is taking a huge risk by killing the best selling Econoline Van and replacing the workhorse with the Euro Transit Vans! Obviously the E-Series neded a redesign but will Ford leave some commercial consumers wanting more than what the Transit will deliver? If that indeed happens there will be openings for competitor to snatch some new sales from former Econoline buyers.

From StraightLine.com:

I think we all have an Econoline story. I know at least one person in this office learned to powerslide in a modern one. Another would consider selling his child for a first-generation, flat-nose pickup version. And I don’t know how many families I knew growing up in New England that needed every one of those seats to haul the kids to school.

But, all things must end and the body-on-frame, big-engined Econoline (now E-Series) is set to be replaced by 2013 by the full-size Ford Transit.

The New Transit will be built in the same Kansas City Assembly plant where the F-150 is built, but Ford is injecting some $1.1 billion into it for the new production. “The new Transit will be the smartest, most fuel-efficient way to move cargo or people,” said Tim Stoehr, Commercial Truck Marketing Manager for Ford.

Read the full article.

Form AutoBlog.com:

Mercedes-Benz has been sufficiently pleased with the performance of its Sprinter van that it is now seriously considering importing a smaller sibling for its full-size load lugger.

Benz has offered a smaller commercial vehicle, the Vito, in various world markets since 1996, and the second-generation model underwent a mild facelift in 2010. Available with a range of CDI diesel engines in both cargo and passenger-carrying configurations, the Vito has recently been testing in all-electric E-Cell guise. If the Vito does make it to North America, we’re unlikely to get the complete range – this light commercial vehicle is available in three lengths, two roof heights and in both rear- and all-wheel drive.

While the Vito is indeed smaller than the Mercedes/Freightliner Sprinter carryall, it’s not as diminutive as the Ford Transit Connect we’ve come to know in the States. In its smallest form, the baby Benz spans 187.5 inches, nearly seven inches more than the Turkish Ford. In extra-long format, the Vito rings up at 206.2 inches, which is still well shy of the aged Ford E-Series van (216.7 inches in its shortest form), making the Vito something of a tweener in size.

For the moment, our source tells us that the idea of importing the Vito is in “an early stage,” and even though consumer clinics have been held to judge market interest, the van has not yet been given the green light.

Read more from AutoBlog.com.

What will Chrysler name it’s new commercial lightweight van? Don’t know yet but it should look real similar to this Fiat Doblo spotted in Michigan!

From Automobile:

One of our sharp-eyed readers managed to snap a few photos of something peculiar while on his way home from work — a European-market Fiat Doblo van wearing Michigan manufacturer plates.

Given the tie-up between Chrysler and Fiat, seeing the Doblo on U.S. roads isn’tthat strange; especially since there’s a chance this exact van may eventually be sold through Chrysler’s U.S. dealer network. Rumors have long swirled that the Doblo could join the Ram Trucks portfolio, providing the company with a light commercial van that can battle Ford’s Transit Connect here in North America.

European-spec Doblos are offered with the choice of five engines paired to either a five- or six-speed manual transmission. Diesel options range from a 90-hp, 1.3-liter, turbocharged inline-four cylinder to a 135-hp, 2.0-liter turbodieselI-4. The two gasoline-powered options use a 1.4-liter, naturally aspirated inline-four good for 95 hp (120 hp when powered by CNG). If the Doblo crosses the pond, a gas offering may be the only engine choice — but we think Fiat may have to upsize what’s found underhood in order to appease power-hungry American buyers.

Read the full article.

This is a major victory for Nissan and the all new NV200 commercial van! In some ways this is even better than an award as can you just imagine how many potential business customers will be riding in these new Nissan vans in the Big Apple?

From CNN.com:

The iconic New York City taxi cab will soon look like a Nissan van, following a competition that pitted the Japanese automaker against two other finalists. Under a 10-year contract, Nissan won a deal to supply New York City’s taxis starting in 2013.

The new cabs will be based on Nissan’s NV200 commercial van. Among its special features will be a “low-annoyance” horn that works in tandem with blinking lights to gently urge pedestrians and drivers to get out of the way.

It will also have a mobile charging station and USB outlets that can be used by passengers.

Perhaps most importantly, though, the Nissan vans was the cheapest of the three to buy and operate, according to city officials, largely due to its fuel efficiency.

Click through for more on the Nissan cab and the other two finalists for Taxi of Tomorrow.

Add Chrysler to the list of companies entering the recovering commercial van business. This business resembled a 1970′s market with Ford and GM dominating approximately 95% of sales.

Per DetroitNews.com, the automaker will use its partnership with Fiat SpA to bring a pair of Italian commercial vans, the Ducato and the smaller Doblo, to North America next year to compete in a segment that is rebounding as businesses start spending again.” These entries from Fiat/Chrysler will join the Nissan NV stable of vans that just went on sale in February of this year. Sales of commercial vans probably bottomed so this could be just the right time to enter this segment as the rebounding curb could be significant. With that being said it won’t be easy to pry away those fleet sales from the longtime champ E-Series from Ford Motor!

Chrysler Group LLC wants to become a player in the recovering commercial van sector.

The automaker will use its partnership with Fiat SpA to bring a pair of Italian commercial vans, the Ducato and the smaller Doblo, to North America next year to compete in a segment that is rebounding as businesses start spending again.

The plan is to introduce the two vans under the Ram brand next year as 2013 models, said Fred Diaz, Ram president.

The commercial van segment is dominated by Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co., which represent more than 95 percent of sales with the Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana and the Ford Econoline/Club Wagon, as well as the new Ford Transit Connect.

Daimler AG’s Mercedes Sprinter is the other competitor in the segment. Under DaimlerChrysler AG, the Sprinter was sold as a Dodge, but after the two companies split, the Sprinter was reclaimed by Mercedes, leaving a hole in the Dodge lineup.

Read the full article.

Time will tell whether Nissan North America’s entry into the commercial van market is a winner but you can’t say they aren’t trying! The NV body on frame vans just recently went on sale and the deals are already out to bring in the sales.

From the Autoblog.com:

“Instead of just dropping cash on the hood, Nissan is instead offering the choice of several no-cost options to help NV buyers convert their vehicles into a cargo-carrying juggernaut. Customers who purchase an NV can choose from a cargo management systems consisting of three 44-inch shelving units, a steel cabin/cargo partition, or an exterior standard roof utility rack or an interior rack for high roof models. NV buyers more interested in marketing than cargo enhancements can opt for a personalized graphics package from Original Wraps that spans up to 70 square feet. And if none of those options sound good, Nissan will cut $300 from the new van’s $24,590 starting price. Hit the jump to read over Nissan’s press release.”

Read the full article here.

From Auto Guide.com:

Large panel vans are perhaps the ultimate form of mobile blank canvas – the acres of sheetmetal representing the perfect opportunity to install your own logo. Increasingly, companies are using vehicle wraps to market their product or service on their own vehicles and it’s proven to increase public awareness.

Now, Nissan North America is teaming up with Lakewood, Colorado based Original Wraps Inc. to offer specific wrap applications for customers of the new NV commercial van. Original Wraps has developed a software program that allows owners of Nissan’s new commercial van to create their own logos and designs on the Nissan Commercial Vehicle Website. Once the design has been finalized, it can then be printed on 3M Scotchprint Vinyl and shipped to the customer within 7-10 days ready for installation.

“We’re pleased to offer high quality, customized vehicle personalization with hundreds of different graphic designs created specially for the new Nissan NV,” remarked Joe Castelli, vice president, Nissan Commercial Vehicles and Fleet, NNA. “It’s part of our innovative approach to thinking about how our customers use their vans – including as a vehicle for advertising their company and services.”

The program is scheduled to start in January 2011.

Read the full article.

CNN.com put together a list of 10 car brands that are poised to enter the North American market from old European brands, Asian upstarts and a few U.S. names.

The last five years have brought the biggest upheaval in the global auto industry in a century. China has become the world’s largest auto market, and India, Russia, and Brazil are the liveliest up-and-comers.

As part of this overthrow of the old order, new car brands are poised to enter the U.S. market, joining the four dozen that are already here. They range from established European names trying to reestablish a U.S. presence, to young Asian manufacturers looking to expand beyond their local markets, and Silicon Valley startups, hoping to leverage a new concept or technology.

In a speech to Standard and Poor’s Auto Industry Hot Topics Conference in New York, Jeff Schuster, executive director of Global Forecasting for J.D. Power and Associates, identified a number of established auto manufacturers that are either planning to enter the U.S. or may be considering it, and another five “boutique startups.” Herewith, a selection:

Read the full article.

Check out what’s new to Best Buy’s Geek Squad fleet:

- The Ford Transit Connect and Ford E-Series vans are joining Geek Squad as part of Best Buy’s ongoing efforts to build a more fuel-efficient fleet

- 290 Ford Transit Connect compact utility vans will be used instead of larger cargo vans by Geek Squad technicians who service home appliances

- Best Buy also is taking delivery of 738 Ford E-Series vans, which will be used by Geek Squad technicians who install and service home theater equipment; the E-Series vans have smaller displacement engines, which provide better fuel economy than their current vans with larger engines

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