What Van? Britain's biggest and best van buyers' guide

Sprinter is clear winner for Anglian

Date: Sunday, June 10, 2007

Mostly replacing ageing LDVs, the newcomers are the first vans to feature Anglian's new corporate livery. It's being applied by Norwich livery specialist G-Sign.

“They're also our first Sprinters from the new-generation range launched last summer,” says Anglian fleet manager, Mick Shepherd. “Among our 1,000 vans, however, we also have around 500 previous-model Sprinters and they've served us very well.”

The 311CDIs are fitted with roof racks plus external glass frails on both sides. Within the load area a special false floor has been installed that's purpose-made to carry sheets of glass and frames.

Most of the vans are medium-wheelbase models, but the order also includes 33 long-wheelbase Sprinters. They're used to transport plastic roofing profiles up to 5m in length; Anglian supplies and installs a large number of other home improvement products as well as windows.

Elsewhere, Orpington-based independent wholesaler Kentish Match has just taken delivery of its first new-generation Sprinter from Mercedes dealer Sparshatts. That's 32 years after it acquired the first van ever to be sold by the Kent dealership; a diesel Hanomag-Henschel with all of 60 bhp on tap compared with the 129 bhp on offer from its latest acquisition.

Hanomag-Henschel was a sub-brand owned by what was then — and may become again in the light of the Chrysler sell-off — Daimler-Benz.

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