Against a back-drop of accelerating Renault LCV sales, Renault Australia is pleased to announce reduced running costs for the entire Master range, thanks to improved fuel efficiency and an extended service interval schedule.
These two ownership benefits help to make the Renault Master range even more attainable for Australia businesses of all sizes.
All Renault Master models use an identical engine and drive train, differentiated only by the manner in which gear changes are made in the six-speed transmission. Thus there are manual versions and those with an automated change system called Quickshift.
For the manual transmission versions, fuel consumption has been reduced to 8.7-litres of diesel per 100 km on the combined cycle (previously 9.0-litres). In the urban cycle (where most Masters spend much of their lives), consumption falls by 1.0-litre, or 8.9%, to 10.2-l/100km. CO2 emissions also fall from 238g per km to 227g/km (a 4.6% saving).
For the Quickshift models, the combined cycle is now 8.3-l/100km (previously 8.5l/100km), while urban cycle consumption falls from 9.6l/100km to 8.8l/100km, a saving of 8.3%. Emissions fall from 238g/km to 217g/km, a saving of 9%.
The consumption changes are the result of a Renault optimisation programme recently introduced, to seek out a range of efficiencies in the powertrain, to cut fuel consumption and also lower emissions.
Meanwhile, starting from July 15, all Renault Master vans delivered will benefit from an extended service interval of 12 months or up to 30,000 km whichever comes first (previously 15,000 km).
This extension is thanks to the availability of the Oil Condition System, which monitors the likely condition of the engine oil, determined by a number of parameters that affect oil life and performance. These include the number of stops and starts, engine revs and temperature, Diesel Particulate Filter regenerations, and distance travelled.
This allows the OCS to use actual driving condition to determine when an oil change is due. Fleet buyers and operators who cover large distances will appreciate this potential reduction in whole-of-life costs.
Most Renault Master operators do cover higher than average distances.
The cost of the first three services will continue to be fixed at $349 each, effectively halving the cost of scheduled maintenance over that period.
This means that the Renault Master is one of the least expensive large vans to service.
“Renault Master has been very well received in the Australian market since launch last February, but with these meaningful improvements to the whole-of-life costings, the Master range has just become even more appealing,” says Lyndon Healey, Renault LCV Brand Manager.
“Many of our Master customers do cover large distances so they will be winners twice over with the changes we are announcing, in addition to our standard 200,000 km factory warranty.
“They will be using less fuel over the journey, and reducing their emissions, while at the same time being able to push out their oil change intervals, thanks to the Oil Condition System.
“We have exciting plans to extend the Master range in the very near future, into new market segments where previously Master has not been able to compete. Master will also be appealing to body-builders as well, offering an impressively frugal and efficient new base for their specialist vehicles,” Lyndon says.