THE all-new replacement 2.5-2.8 tonne van for the Vauxhall Arena and Renault Trafic will go on sale in spring next year. Designed and engineered by Renault, the vehicle will be built at a transformed IBC Vehicles plant in Luton, creating about 500 new jobs over the next 18 months.

The £130 million investment programme in the transformed dedicated commercial vehicle plant will see more than 80,000 vans built for sale across Europe which will be badged Vauxhall/Opel and Renault. It is understood that a second production site remains a consideration - probably a Renault site in France. While Vauxhall has yet to announce the name of its new van, Renault says its new vehicle will retain the Trafic name. The new van has been developed as the final strand of a 1996 agreement signed by General Motors Europe and Renault.