France’s Renault has traveled to a trade show in Birmingham, England, to unveil the facelifted Master full-size van. Sold all across Europe, the Master is aimed at the Fiat Ducato (known as the Ram ProMaster in the U.S.), the Ford Transit and the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
The bulk of the updates are found under the hood, where the Master gains a 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel dCi engine available with either 110, 125 135 or 165 horsepower. All variants of the four-banger promise to return better fuel mileage while providing the Master with more grunt to haul cargo around.
In addition to a cleaner engine, the Master features an ECOmode function that saves fuel by adjusting the engine’s torque output and the settings of the climate control system. The ECOmode is primarily designed to be used when the van is empty.
Renault has added a host of electronic safety features to the Master including a Hill Start Assist, the latest generation of the automaker’s load-based Electronic Stability Control, a Trailer Swing Assist and an Extended Grip function that helps the van tackle tough conditions such as ice, mud and sand.
The updates carried out to the front end of the van are minor and largely limited to a new radiator grille adorned by an oversized version of Renault’s trademarked lozenge emblem.
The updated 2014 Renault Master will go on sale across Europe this summer. It will continue to be offered in a dizzying array of wheelbase lengths, heights and body styles including both cargo- and passenger-carrying variants.
The Nissan NV400 and the Opel Movano, the Master’s badge-engineered twins, will undergo similar updates over the coming months.
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