“This is a wonderful reward and a true tribute to all the teams who worked on this project. New Master is a perfect example of what has made Renault’s light commercial vehicles amazing for more than 120 years: they are innovative, disruptive, multi-energy and designed to be customised in practically endless ways to meet each of our professional customers’ individual wants and needs.”
Heinz-Jürgen Löw, SVP, Renault Brand, Light Commercial Vehicles
New Renault Master wows the panel
The International Van Of The Year (IVOTY) ceremony took place this 16 September during IAA Transportation in Hannover, and New Renault Master was selected unanimously by a panel of experts representing 25 European countries.
The panel was especially impressed by New Master’s completely new design, the amount of innovation and level of technology, and the tangible improvements in aerodynamics, all of which gave it an edge over the other contenders.
New Master is Renault’s fifth vehicle to win this prominent prize, following Renault Master II in 1998, Renault Trafic II in 2002, Kangoo Z.E. in 2012 and Kangoo Van III in 2022.
Renault Master sets the standard on the market
Renault Master, along with Renault Trafic, took over from the iconic Estafette in 1980, and inherited their predecessor’s winner DNA – with over 3 million Master vans sold so far to prove it. The model is a time-honoured benchmark on its market, moved into the South American market as early as 1990 and is now available in more than 50 countries.
New Renault Master is the only vehicle in its category to be made in France (across the IC, electric and hydrogen line-up) and all its body variants roll off the same production line at the plant in Batilly, near Metz (eastern France).
The van every professional needs
New Renault Master comes in a plethora of configurations to meet all its customers’ requirements, including a choice of diesel engines (Blue dCi, 105 to 170 bhp), electric motors (96 or 105 kW with 40 or 87 kWh batteries, the latter boasting a 460-plus km WLTP range) and a hydrogen version.
More than 40 body silhouettes are available and the conversion possibilities are limitless. The van can carry up to 2 tonnes of payload with front-wheel drives and fit 11 to 22 cubic metres with front- or rear-wheel drives, and its opening width and cargo-area length are among the best in its league.
The choice of seats includes suspended, swivelling and individual models, three bench types and a choice of two fabrics besides TEP. The new cabin is more comfortable for everyone in it, and the storage compartments can hold 135 litres – 25% more than in the previous version.
The fourth generation is more virtuous and more connected
New Master’s Aerovan design enhances its efficiency. Renault honed every detail of the van’s aerodynamics – shortening the bonnet, shifting the windscreen forward and adjusting its tilt, redesigning the rear-view mirrors and air-duct inlets in the bumper, tightening the back, fine-tuning the roof angle, etc – to shave 20% off its SCx, increase acoustic comfort in the cockpit and cut CO2 emissions by 39 g/km (an IC New Renault Master’s total emissions are now below 200 g/km as a result). The electric version’s consumption is 20% lower than that of the current Master model.
The on-board equipment is high-tech and connected, the OpenR Link multimedia system with built-in Google capabilities and a 10-inch screen links wirelessly to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and the vehicle connects remotely to the My Renault app.
Renault Scenic E-Tech electric won a matching title in its category last February, so Renault has won Car Of The Year and Van Of The Year back to back this year. Incidentally, Scenic I and Master II won the same titles in 1997 and 1998. And they are both still at the top of their game!
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