Iveco has entered an entirely new market with the launch of the Massif - a rebadged and slightly restyled Santana PS10. The newcomer, which owes much of its styling to the original Land Rover Defender, is being offered with two versions of the Daily's 3-litre engine: the HPI is good for 146hp, while the variable-geometry turbocharger-equipped HPT manages 172hp. Both are matched to six-speed manual transmissions with a two-speed transfer box and selectable four-wheel drive. To begin with, the Spanish-built Massif will be offered as a pickup truck or three- or five-door SUV. There are plans to introduce van derivatives, which might be in production by early 2009 when it arrives in UK Iveco showrooms. Iveco says the UK off-road utility market accounts for between 4,000 and 5,000 units a year, and is hoping the Massif will take a 15% share. Pricing is yet to be announced, but expect it to cost slightly less than the Defender.
On the road
Iveco has done a good job of modernising the vehicle's interior, a difficult task considering the ancient canvas it had to work with. The Massif's basic shape is decades old, and only so many improvements can be made. Consequently, visibility is rather poor and the driver is most comfortable with the window open and his arm resting on the sill. Ignoring this, the Massif's interior is a pleasant enough place to be. The dashboard is attractive, and the seating relatively comfortable. Top-of-the-range models include an abundance of leather, electric windows, sat-nav and a neat digital information centre console. It's not the quietest cabin we have ever experienced, but again this is largely down to the age of the basic design.
We were not overly impressed with the quality of some of the interior plastic trim, and would like to have seen sturdier door handles inside and out. This vehicle's best feature is without doubt its driveline. We particularly like the 172hp version of the Daily engine, which offers an impressive amount of torque. It's a fantastic driveline, and we hope one day to get the chance to test it alongside the Transit-powered Defender.
It's a competent enough machine on the road (although we found the pickup truck to be a bit twitchy in the wet), but where the Massif really excels is off-road. We took to the hills around Verona, Italy, and failed to find anything to hinder its progress. In fact, we wish Iveco had let us tackle a more challenging course, as we're convinced the Massif is capable of far more. We were particularly impressed with the parabolic leaf springs, which proved capable off-road and comfortable on-road. The turning circle, however, is not so good, and takes some time to get used to. Iveco has successfully refined the Land Rover Defender, and if the price is right, could steal a size-able chunk of its European market share.
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