On Mon, 25 Jan 2016 20:21:55 +0000, Capitol wrote:

David wrote:
Back in the day it was realised that pick-up trucks could be bought by
a company without attracting VAT (and other taxes?) and then double as
a company car - as long as they had a carrying capacity of at least
1,000kg.

Cue the luxury crew cab models we see today with names like Animal.

All good stuff, but I'm casting my eye over them at the moment and the
UK ones all seem to have engines of 2.5 litres or less. I also remember
this from when I was last looking around 2000/20001.

Non-UK versions by the same manufacturers seem to have at least 3.0
litre engines.

Does anyone know why?
Funny tax rules perhaps?
Initial Google searches get loads of adverts but not much information
otherwise.

Most of the UK ones are turbo diesel. People don't want the
10-14mpg of the 3L+ petrol units. The long wheelbase crew cab plays
havoc with the turning circle. Hence the popularity of the short
wheelbase versions. The truck bed is too short on many to easily carry 8
x 4 sheets. IME the ride is always crap. I suspect a Transit is a better
proposition.
snip

Further information :-)

Firstly I am looking at Japanese cars imported into NZ - in fact the
majority of vehicles in NZ now seem to be Japanese because they are RHD
and not valued highly in Japan. Enormous trade in shipping used cars from
Japan to NZ.

Secondly the new Japanese cars for sale in NZ have the larger engines.

Thirdly they are also all turbo diesels (apart from the Dodge RAM which is
not AFAIK Japanese in manufacture). Hmmm...could be some Holdens as well
with big petrol V8s but I am possibly the wrong demographic....

Always possible that the Nissan, Toyota etc. are RHD versions of ones
manufactured for the US market - haven't looked at the USA yet.

I just have an abiding memory that all the UK pickup trucks were specified
with a 2.5 litre engines when elsewhere in the world you could get the
equivalent vehicle with a larger engine. I just can't remeber if it was
legislation or "enlightened" marketing.

With reference to the Transit van - one part of the plan is to launch and
recover a boat on a trailer from a sandy beach so high ground clearance
and 4WD are on the list. I know this doesn't sit with most of the use in
the UK where there is a big market for mock off-roaders. Acknowledged that
for comfort, economy, load carrying and general on-road manners the
Transit is a much better option. However if I am lucky I may get to ford
streams on unmade tracks in the middle of nowhere so again high ground
clearance and 4WD look a sensible option.

Cheers

Dave R


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