Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has won its biggest fleet order ever - 1,000 Caddy vans for British Gas, as part of the utility firm’s fleet replacement programme.

The British Gas fleet of Caddy 2.0-litre SDI vans has been fitted with a bespoke racking system and a speed limiter, designed by Siemens.

The vehicles will all be delivered before the end of 2007 and are expected to cover 12,000 miles per annum over the next four years.

Colin Marriott, general manager fleet at British Gas said: ‘We're extending the lifespan of our vehicles from three years to four years and may move to five in the future, so we have chosen the Volkswagen Caddy as we are impressed with its durability and competitive whole life costs compared to its rivals. We have had 50 Caddy vans on trial for three years and our experience, plus the feedback from our drivers, has been excellent.’