Wrights of Northampton, self-drive Van and Commercial Vehicle hire specialists, have just started to take delivery of their latest order of new MAN TGE chassis cab Lutons and panel vans.
The new vehicles, 10 chassis cabs with bespoke Luton bodies and 30 panel vans, join the expanding Wrights fleet of 145 vehicles, 100 of these being MAN products.
Richard Sharpe, Managing Director, Wrights of Northampton, said:
“We’ve been operating MAN TGE vans across our fleet for some time now and have always found them to be solid, reliable and efficient vehicles. These new vehicles, the lutons, the low-height flatframe lutons and the panel vans, will, like the other TGE’s we operate, be valued additions and we’re looking forward to having them on the fleet.”
Established in 2016 Wrights of Northampton, an independent family-run business, pride themselves in offering quality and reliable vehicles and a customer focussed personalised level of service. From their 2.5-acre premises, depending upon their individual requirements, customers can hire small car-derived vans, LWB 3.5-tonne panel vans and Luton vans both with and without Tail lifts. They also offer 7.5-tonne Box and Curtainsiders, with and without tail lifts.
Richard continued:
“Majority of our business is serving the self-drive and hire needs of customers in local towns and villages across the area, including Wellingborough, Towcester, Bletchley, Rushden, Daventry, Corby and Milton Keynes. As a family business, under the expertise of John Leaney our Vehicle hire Manager, we offer a personalised booking service and can cater for any occasion, be it a customer moving home, therefore, needing the square space and volume of a Luton, or the simple collection of an oversized household product, such as a three-piece suite, a wardrobe or an oversized flat-screen Television, where a standard panel van will do.”
This latest vehicle order, of 40 vehicles in total, includes six MAN TGE 3.140, 4,490 mm wheelbase, Chassis Cabs, four MAN TGE 3.140, 4,490 mm wheelbase, Flatframe Chassis Cowls and 30 Long wheelbase 3.140 panel Vans. The Flatframe Chassis Cowls, due to their reduced chassis heights, are 190 mm lower than the standard chassis cabs. All of the vehicles are front-wheel drive models.
Upon arrival the 10 TGE chassis were despatched directly to two individual body builders. Four standard height chassis went to JC Paine in the West Midlands and were bodied with 4.2 metre Luton bodies featuring wide lath roller shutter doors, an aerodynamic pod above the cab, and 500 kg tail lifts. Six vehicles, two long wheelbase standard height chassis and the four reduced height Flatframe Chassis Cowls, went to Commercial Vehicle Bodies in Northampton. Commercial Vehicle Bodies bodied the Flatframe Chassis Cowls with 4.2 metre walk-in walk-out Luton’s, featuring barn doors, allowing for maximum aperture space and a kerbside door. These too all have aerodynamic pods above the cabs.
Richard added:
“Our customers like driving the TGE because of its car-like driving characteristics, the high level of comfort, its ease of use and the high amount of clear vision. They also openly comment on how frugal the vehicles are, making their self-drive period, be it a day hire or a longer term hire, incredibly cost-effective and efficient.”
All the new vehicles are powered by the efficient, reliable and robust MAN Euro6D 140 hp (103 kW) 2.0 litre 4 cylinder turbo diesel engines, which are capable of producing 340 Nm. They all feature the optional eight-speed automatic transmission and the much acclaimed and award-winning, ergonomically designed well-appointed MAN TGE cabs.
As a long-term fan of the MAN Van brand, Richard said:
“When purchasing a MAN TGE you know exactly what you’re getting, they’re efficient, reliable and robust. But that’s not where the advantages end, when you look at customer service, you get a trusted relationship with the sales team, for us this is area TGE Sales Executive Jason Kemp, and a partnership with the dealer, in our case MAN Truck & Bus Northampton, both collectively understand the needs of our business and offer a high level of wrap-around care.”
All the Wrights of Northampton vehicles are ordered to a high specification, this includes extras such as Satellite navigation, Apple Car Play, Air conditioning, Cruise control, Speed limiter, Overhead storage and the silky smooth eight-speed automatic transmission.
Richard concluded:
“Customers prefer a highly specified vehicle with easy to understand controls, especially for things like air conditioning, heating and navigation. We’re constantly told that the TGE feels very familiar and very Audi and VW car like, this makes the handover process very easy.”
To ensure a safe environment for both driver and passengers, all of the vehicles are fitted with ABS and ESP, Crosswind assist, Multi-collision brake and integrated reversing cameras. To ensure customer goods are secured the bodies have been fitted with both floor and wall lashing points.
Jason Kemp, area TGE Sales Executive, said:
“I’d like to thank Richard for his repeat business and the great relationship that we’ve formed over the years. Richard took delivery of his first TGE back in 2018 and since then more and more TGE’s have joined the Wrights of Northampton fleet. They look great in the Wright’s livery with their red tick of approval.
One of Richard’s first TGE’s has just been sold, it was a 2018 vehicle with 160,000 miles on the clock, because of its condition, history and specification, its residual value over met expectation, which is really good news, further demonstrating the total cost of ownership of the TGE range.”
Throughout their working lives these new vehicles will be serviced in-house at Wrights Commercial Fleet Management using genuine MAN parts.
All MAN vehicles are supported by MAN Truck & Bus UK’s Nationwide Commercial Vehicle Dealer network, with many operating extended hours, including round-the-clock servicing and customer-tailored solution maintenance.
The entire MAN range benefits from MAN’s Mobile24 24-hour assistance service, which guarantees customers a professional roadside partner throughout Europe 365 days of the year.
