With Ford, Volkswagen, Citroën, Mercedes-Benz, Iveco, Toyota and Mitsubishi all absentees, What Van?’s readers might be forgiven for thinking that a visit to the Commercial Vehicle Operator Show (NEC, Birmingham, 13-15 April) would be a waste of time. Wrong. That’s because the manufacturers who will be there will be exhibiting some of the most important new light commercials around today; vehicles that are well worth further investigation.

Fiat

Fiat Professional, Fiat’s light commercial division, will be displaying its all-new Doblò Cargo as well as other models from a line-up that encompasses Grande Punto Van, Fiorino, Scudo and Ducato.

With a payload capacity of up to 1,000kg and a load cube of up to 4.2m³, the latest Doblo Cargo features a revised range of Euro 4 and Euro 5 MultiJet diesels. Punters can pick from a 90hp 1.3-litre, a 105hp 1.6-litre or a 135hp 2.0-litre. Also up for grabs is a 95hp 1.4-litre petrol engine.

Fiat’s latest offering gets new interior and exterior styling. Two wheelbases are on offer and a cleverly-designed bi-link independent rear suspension system is standard.

Renault

Not to be outdone, Renault will be displaying the all-new Master. Features include new engines, a Ford-Transit-style choice of front- or rear-wheel drive and a huge extension of the range. Buyers get to pick from over 350 variants and 40 different body options. Weights go up to 4.5 tonnes — higher than the outgoing model — while load cubes go up to an echoing 17.0m³.

Power comes courtesy of a new-generation Euro 4 and Euro 5 dCi M9T 2.3-litre diesel. It can be ordered at 100hp, 125hp or 150hp with CO₂ output averaging 200g/km. A six-speed gearbox comes as standard and the two most powerful variants can be ordered with an optional semi-automatic gearbox instead.

The new long-wheelbase version of the Kangoo — the Maxi — will be at the show too and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the revised version of Trafic alongside it.

Vauxhall

If some of the exhibits on the Vauxhall stand look vaguely familiar after you’ve visited the Renault stand, then don’t be surprised. Aside from different front grilles and badges, the new Master and the new Movano are the same vehicle thanks to a long-standing joint venture between Renault and General Motors, still Vauxhall’s parent. Trafic and Vivaro share an identity too under the same arrangement and the revised Vivaro will be present.

In a bid to get Movano off to a flying start in what remains a tough trading climate, Vauxhall will be giving away £1,400 worth of options on the vehicle under the Launch Pack banner between now and 31 July. The goodies include air conditioning, a multi-function trip computer, Bluetooth connectivity and an alarm. The only Movano not to benefit from this largesse will be the entry-level Expression. With a £20,250 (excl VAT) price tag it still gets electric windows and mirrors and a full bulkhead.

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the models in the Vauxhall portfolio including the stylish Astravan, the remarkably-frugal Corsavan and the long-serving Combo.

Nissan

What Van?’s Van of the Year for 2010, the NV200 will be one of the star turns on the Nissan stand. Under its bonnet you’ll find sister company Renault’s 86hp 1.5-litre dCi diesel, an engine which has also found employment in Kangoo. Despite NV200’s compact footprint, you get a 4.2m³ load area. Top payload is 783kg.

Opt for the Versatility Pack and you can extend the cargo bed to 2.8m by folding the passenger seat flat. Part of a mesh bulkhead can be swivelled through 90° and locked into position to ensure that whatever is loaded into the passenger area doesn’t end up in the driver’s lap.

Hopefully Nissan will also be exhibiting its revamped Navara pick-up, to be made available with a 231hp V6 diesel, along with the van version of its redesigned Pathfinder SUV.