LDV Maxus

LDV Maxus
File:LDV MAXUS.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer	LDV Limited
Also called	Fargo Fora (Turkey) LDV V80 (Australia) Maxus V80 (China) Weststar LDV Maxus (Malaysia)
Production	2004–2009 2011–present (SAIC)
Assembly	Pekan, Malaysia (DRB-HICOM) Nizhny Novgorod, Russia (GAZ) Gebze, Turkey (Askam Otomotiv) Wuxi, China (Maxus)
Body and chassis
Class	Van
Powertrain
Engine	2.5 L I4 TDCI
Transmission	5 speed manual 6-speed manual
Chronology
Predecessor	LDV Pilot LDV Convoy

The Maxus is a van model, originally produced by LDV Limited. It was launched in late 2004. The model was jointly developed by LDV and Daewoo Motor, prior to Daewoo entering receivership in 2000, in a five-year, £500 million development programme. Following General Motors' acquisition of Daewoo, LDV secured the exclusive rights to the vehicle, purchased the tooling and moved it from Daewoo's plant in Lublin, Poland to the LDV site in Birmingham. A version of the Maxus is manufactured by GAZ.

In 2011, the Chinese company Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) launched a new commercial vehicle marque called Maxus, following its acquisition of the intellectual property of LDV in 2010. The LDV Maxus model was relaunched by SAIC as the V80 in June 2011.

History

File:RoyalMailVan.jpg

Royal Mail LDV Maxus

File:Sabah Malaysia Hari-Merdeka-2013-Parade-210.jpg

LDV Maxus fire engine

Since its launch, the Maxus received good reviews and sold well across the United Kingdom. The van was used on fleet basis by companies, such as National Grid, Royal Mail, and various British Police services. Not long after its launch the LDV Maxus was awarded the Professional Van and Light Truck Magazine "Van of the Year 2005" and has since won several further awards including "Van of the Year", "Minibus of the Year" and "Combi of the Year".

LDV was acquired in 2006 by the Russian automotive giant GAZ, that had plans to start production of the Maxus in one of its Russian factories by 2010, but the LDV factory went into administration in June 2009, due to lack of funds from Russian owner GAZ. About 800 workers were laid off during this period leaving the whole van building operation in question. It had been hoped that the Malaysian company Weststar LDV, which distributed the Maxus under licence in Asia and the Middle East, would acquire LDV, but the deal fell through the week before LDV entered administration.

In 2008, LDV manufactured 10,000 vans, generating sales of about £150 million, but lost £54 million in 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, before the failure of the company.

In August 2010, China's SAIC, which bought most of the LDV assets, planned to launch the Chinese version of Maxus in 2011, and in April 2011 announced the Maxus would be called the Datong (meaning big wisdom and smooth in Chinese) under its new Maxus brand.

LDV Maxus

The Maxus is available in two wheelbases, three roof heights and a choice of 2.8t, 3.2t and 3.5t GVW. The vehicle is also available in these roles:

• multi-purpose role, mixing seats and space for transport of goods
• minibus version providing 10, 12, 15 or 17 seats
• chassis cab version with drop-side, tipper, luton and box vans

Maxus V80

Available from the summer of 2011, the Chinese built V80, marketed under the new Maxus marque, is available in three versions: Minibus, Logistics and Special Purpose. The Minibus is available from 7 to 16 seaters, in two trim levels. The choice of two wheelbases remains, with two different versions of the 2.5-liter diesel engine producing 88 or 100kW.

From 2012, the V80 was exported to Australia and sold under the LDV marque. Similarly, in 2015, the V80 was exported to Ireland under the LDV brand.

External links

• Official LDV Maxus website (Archive copy)
• Official Fargo Fora website
• SAIC Maxus V80 website
• LDV Ireland website

• http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/marques/ldv/news-ldv-returns-well-to-ireland-at-least/