In fact, within days of setting its first 25 new Citans on the fleet last March, the firm had seen them all snapped up by two major account customers.
The company, which has a total fleet of more than 1,000 vehicles, has since purchased another 52 Citans from East Anglian dealer Orwell Truck & Van, as well as 29 Mercedes-Benz Vito models and 54 Sprinters.
Global Self Drive’s Citans are all long-bodied 109 CDIs with 90hp diesel engines. Meanwhile, most of this year’s 136hp Vito models have been compact and long vans, while its 129hp Sprinter mediums and longs have been supplied as panel vans and chassis cabs.
The van rental specialist has been buying Mercedes-Benz vans in big volumes since 2006, when it purchased some 400 vehicles together worth in excess of £7.3m.
Darren Reeves, managing director of the vehicle rental operation, commented: ‘The Citan fills a gap in the Mercedes-Benz line-up and is a very welcome addition to the range. It offers all of the attributes of quality, reliability and driver appeal that make Mercedes-Benz vehicles such a popular choice with our customers, but in a small and highly fuel-efficient package.
‘Indeed,’ he added, ‘the Citan’s economy is its biggest advantage. Many of our vehicles cover big mileages and as it’s the customers who pay at the pumps, being able to offer them the most fuel-efficient vehicles is crucial to the success of our business. We’ve been greatly encouraged by some of the savings in diesel costs that customers are reporting.’
