A NEW single-fuel LPG commercial vehicle is on its way to the UK as part of a deal between Verté Automotive and Ford of Australia.

The Tempest range of vehicles, which Verté is importing to the UK, is produced by Ford of Australia where it is marketed under the Falcon name.

Verté is a joint venture company formed by Alan Lubinsky, chairman of AC Motor Company, and James Smith, an importer and distributor of high-performance cars in Australia. The company has signed an exclusive long-term agreement with Ford of Australia to sell Tempest models in the UK, although the cars will not carry a Ford badge.

Initially, Verté will import two 4.0-litre pick-up models - the Tempest XL and Tempest XLS - both of which will be single-fuel LPG, and include air-con, power steering and airbags as standard.

Prices for the manual-only Tempest XL will be £15,950 plus VAT, and the auto-only Tempest XLS will be £17,950 plus VAT.

Fuel consumption should average 20-24mpg, but with a generous fuel tank and the prospect of LPG at around 38p per litre, running costs should be better than conventional diesel pick-ups.

Lubinsky is also discussing the possibility of grants to offer incentives to buyers and is hopeful of gaining a concession from the Government - currently PowerShift grants are only offered in the costs of converting vehicles to LPG.

Verté is looking for dealers who want to take on the Tempest franchise before volume imports begin. Later Verté will import the Tempest XR6 and XR8 sports saloons, followed by the high-performance Tempest T Series range.