As someone with a keen interest in product and graphic design I love to see well designed things and having seen more and more of LDV's Maxus on the roads I notice that they seem very neatly proportioned and look very smart. In my view the only other van that comes close is the Transit.

My thoughts on the top panel vans:


Maxus - Neat and well proportioned
Transit - Smart and modern looking - quite timeless in design
Sprinter - basic - designed to do a no fuss job - not pretty
VW LT - A sprinter with a bad facelift - quite ugly
Vivaro family - ok but over detailed
Pug Boxer family - ok but dated

What about the new Volkswagen Crafter Van, unveiled just this week.

Can't say that it is any worse than the Vauxhall Vivaro or Renault Trafic, or Nissan Primastar or the 1000 other incarnations of this ugly looking van.

LDV have certainly got things sorted with the Maxus, and I'd have to agree about the Transit not looking all that bad either. Its certainly better looking than the E-Series Econoline Ford sells over here.

the lights are quite vectraish/focusish and i think the bonnet is too stubby and i HATE the grille lol

The main thing is brand awareness - you would certainly know it was a VW.

What about the new Volkswagen Crafter Van, unveiled just this week.

That would scare small children - its hideous

What about the new Volkswagen Crafter Van, unveiled just this week.

I wonder how that thing would score if it were put to the NCAP Pedestrian safety test...

Well there is a new Mercedes Sprinter out too! It is basically the same as the VW Crafter, but looks quite different!

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,549432,00.jpg

I like the VW van, looks smart!

as a auto design student, with an interest in vans as well, i think the maxus is good, but doesnt quite look finished, especially around the front. i'm not a fan of the front grill or lights, but the rest of the vehicle is ok. the 2000 model transit still looks the best design in the LCV sector at the moment, and the merc sprinter comes a close second.

praise should go to LDV though who have completely started from scratch, throwing any previous design away, when a rebodied convoy would probably have sold well. i cant wait to see the pilot replacement, which has got to do battle with the trafic, itself an excellent van. well done!!!

LDV looks very smart and even better in the flesh.

The tranny is second and nice too.

Are those VW and Merc models essentially the same van? Do they compete head-on in Germany, or just in the UK?

Are those VW and Merc models essentially the same van? Do they compete head-on in Germany, or just in the UK?

They are the same - It is a joint project.

The Maxus is a nice looking van, but it's very Korean. Needless to say which one I would choose over the competition...



It was actually designed at Common Lane - although doubtless Daewoo had a lot of input. The front end has certainly had a radical re-design since the Daewoo collapse and subsequent buy-out of the Gemini project. They best way I can describe it was a bit like the front of the old Hyundai H100 panel van (which itself was a disinterred Mitsubishi.)

I really don't see the appeal of the Maxus. It seems dull, and years behind the Transit, which is how old now?

I think it looks quite nice for a van, certainly innoffensive unlike some of the horrors that are around. At the end of the day who really cares what a van looks like though- its all about load bay space, durability, mpg etc etc


http://www.tnn.co.uk/Manufacturers/plonearticle.2005-07-11.9677362621/Image00020015

I really don't see the appeal of the Maxus. It seems dull, and years behind the Transit, which is how old now?

Its a van, not a sexy coupe lol. WhatVan gave it van on the year for what its built for (lugging crap around and harrassing other motorists)

although it doesnt look bad imo

I wish LDV would sort out it's logo. It's a horrible piece of design.

:shake:

I think the LDV looks okay, but prefer the Transit over all.

The uglist van is probably the Vivaro/Primastar etc. The New Sprinter looks a lot better than the new VW, but that was true of the old (current) ones too.

Don't like Sprinters - they seem to be the ones tailgating you at 90 in the M4!!

I wish LDV would sort out it's logo. It's a horrible piece of design.

:shake:

To be fair they probably only had about 10 minutes to do it back in 1993 when they created it out of Leyland Daf Vans. Now that Paccar doesn't use the Leyland brand, I suppose LDV could offer to buy it but....

...the Leyland brand has not got the best connotations in the UK market anyway!!

I'm not sure that's true. The names British Leyland or BL certainly don't deserve to reappear. But Leyland Trucks? I don't think the name was ever tarnished.

But anyway it's not going to happen and best it never does -- it's better to look forward.

I really don't see the appeal of the Maxus. It seems dull, and years behind the Transit, which is how old now?

In what areas do you think it is years behind the Transit?

my problem with the van, and what i think ages it is the window recesses in the standard panel van

http://www.norscot.uk.com/news/images/OD_maxus1_lge.jpg


whereas the transit has a flat side

http://www.littleireland.ie/classified/02t2lg.jpg



to me tho, thats the only gripe.. with flat sides it would be much better looking ..

tho it is indicative of the age of design of the maxus

my problem with the van, and what i think ages it is the window recesses in the standard panel van

whereas the transit has a flat side

I know what you mean, it does make it look a bit odd when the side's fully liveried.

But will having the side pressings ready with the recesses already make it faster/cheaper to develop the minibus version?

yeh cus you share pressings..all you need is another press to cut out the windows, or modify the tool to do it in one operation

however the convoy hasnt got those recesses anymore..so i think its just about looks more than anything

In what areas do you think it is years behind the Transit?
The grille and everything! It looks like a bargain-basement Korean design or something

The grille and everything! It looks like a bargain-basement Korean design or something


have a pound..thats what it is :fishslap: