LDV Maxus

LDV Maxus 2.8T

LDV V80 short wheelbase

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 services of the British Police.

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 July 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.[7] It had been hoped that the Malaysian company Weststar LDV, which distributed the Maxus under licence in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, would acquire LDV, but the deal fell through the week before LDV entered administration.[8]

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.[9]

In August 2010, China's SAIC, which bought most of the LDV assets, planned to launch the Chinese version of Maxus in 2011,[10] and in April 2011 announced the Maxus would be called the Datong (meaning big wisdom and smooth in Chinese) under its new Maxus brand.[11]

Available from the summer of 2011, the Chinese built V80, marketed under the new Maxus marque, is available in three versions: standard, logistics and deluxe. 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 litre diesel engine producing 88 or 100kW.[12]

Colour choices include crystal violet, olive brown and aurora silver for deluxe variants,[13] blanc white, aurora silver and lava grey for standard[14] and the logistics variant only with blanc white.[15] The Maxus V80 is exported to English speaking countries under the LDV brand. Australia and New Zealand were the first to receive exports in 2012.[16]

In May 2014, the Maxus V80 was exported to Colombia,[17] and in May 2015 to Ireland,[18] and in 2016, to the United Kingdom.[19]

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  Maxus V80 long wheelbase
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  Maxus V80 short wheelbase
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  Maxus V80 facelift

Available from 2019 SAIC Motor-CP Co plans to introduce the Maxus Datong, a British light commercial van, to the Thai market next year. MG Cars Thailand has diversified into the people-carrier segment with the new V80. The V80 is an 11-seat van developed by Maxus, another British brand also owned by SAIC Motor. Aimed at the likes of the Hyundai H1, the V80 is powered by a 2.5-litre diesel-turbo sourced from VM Motori of Italy. Outputs are rated at 136hp and 330Nm. There are two transmission types to choose from: six-speed manual or single-clutch automatic priced at 923,000 and 973,000 baht respectively. MG says these are introductory prices that will last till June 30, when prices of both versions rise by 65,000 baht.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to LDV Maxus.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maxus V80.

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