TAKEN LIKE A DUC TO WATER

Quite rightly, Fiat won the 1994 International Van of the Year with the new Ducato, but the company should have been burned at the stake for imposing its predecessor on operators. For those unfortunates forced to use the old version, a word of comfort, the new models have addressed virtually every fault and unless experience has turned you away forever, the new Ducato competes with the very best.

In essence, the range now comprises three wheelbases, 2.85m, 3.2m and 3.7m with three different roof heights designated Normal, High and Extra-high and that means cargo volumes of 7.5m3 to 12m3. Under bonnet power comes in either petrol or diesel form.

The former is a multi-point electronic injection 2.0 litre four cylinder version, producing 82.5kW at 5,500rpm. If you take swept volume or capacity as the criteria, it appears that there are only two diesel engines; a 1.9 litre and a 2.5 litre. The indirect injection 1.9 diesel is available as a naturally aspirated, turbocharged and finally, turbocharged with exhaust gas recirculation and oxidising catalyst. Power ratings range from a lowly 52.5kW for the unblown version through to 61.5kW with the turbo, and dropping to 60.0kW when restricted by the cat.

The 2.5 litre Sofim (Fiat) diesel is also available in the same format, non-turbo, turbo and turbo plus cat which gives power outputs of 63.75kW, 87.0kW and 82.5kW respectively. Note that the 2.5 naturally aspirated version retains the indirect injection head, while both turbo units are direct injection.

The company claims that all these engines conform ahead of time to the new EC emissions regulations for light commercials and some of them even meet the US standards imposed in Stockholm Club countries, such as Switzerland and Austria.

No matter which engine or body is chosen, the power from the transversely mounted engine is fed to the front wheels via a five-speed gearbox. And by now, the whole world must be aware that the gear lever is a stubby little thing mounted on the dashboard, just to the left and slightly below the steering wheel.

Our test van was the standard roof, medium 3.2m wheelbase, naturally aspirated 1.9 litre diesel version and after around 600 miles of mixed driving, we can report that it really is like the curate's egg. The difference is that the good now far outweighs the bad by a significant margin. First, and most important, from the driver's point of view is the cab and control layout which bears no relationship to the old model.

In a word, it is comfortable. The full bulkhead restricts rearward seat movement - as it does in every van - but unless you are very tall, allows a comfortable compromise to be found. The cab floor is now flat and the pedals are positioned in such a way that you can operate them, car like, with your heel resting on the floor. Lights and turn indicator stalks and all the other dash panel switches are clearly labeled and easily reached when belted in.

The gear lever is a great piece of lateral design thinking that solves a major problem for all van drivers. How to get in or out the 'other side' without fouling the aforesaid lever. Mounting it on the dash panel leaves the floor completely clear and although it is cable operated, it has an absolutely positive action.

In fact one of our testers hit the nail on the head with the description of a 'clicker switch'. Okay, so with age and wear, the cables may become slack and sticky, but there is adjustment to compensate for the former and light grease for the latter.

The one sour note in the whole package is the noise from the little 1.9 litre diesel. A few years ago we had the blown 2.5 litre four wheel drive version of the old Ducato and the noise levels at all speeds were low. The small power unit is noisy in the extreme at most speeds and especially so once you reach a sensible 60mph cruising speed on the motorway.

For its size and power, it manages to haul the big van very well and with only 12.2mkg of torque at a lowly 2,500rpm, it hangs on to fifth gear on hills far longer than you expect.

Another disappointment is fuel consumption. Little engines, even diesels, will always be thirsty when asked to work at the very top of their power band. The Fiat handout talks of between 800-1,000km, depending on engine size, from the 80 litre fuel tank which means around 28mpg. In the real world even the most 'feather footed' driver will be hard pressed to achieve better than 23mpg.

Fiat, and since the van is exactly the same as the Citroen and Pugeot, has stolen a march on the competition in the volume race. All models offer an internal width of 1.81m and depending on wheelbase, three load lengths of 2.51m, 2.86m and 3.36m. Where they score over the opposition is in internal height since the Normal roof version offers 1.56m of headroom, the High 1.88m and Extra-high 2.12m, which when coupled to the low floor height of 540mm to 560mm, means big, big volumes.

The Giugiaro designed body is the result of extensive CAD/ CAM technology to obtain the best compromise between impact resistance, rigidity and weight. We used the van as a tender in a quarry during a CJ Field Test and can comment favourably on its cross country ability, long travel, absorbent suspension and water tight body. Before leaving the site each night, we ran the van through the on-off highway tipper wash and not a drop of water found its way inside.

In fact the new Ducato body is 25% more rigid than the old model - which was already pretty resistant to twisting anyway. Another problem that has been effectively addressed is rusting, to which the old model was not notably resistant. Now 70% of the total body weight consists of galvanised steel, including more than half of which is galvanised on both sides.