Car limits are M1, so Shuttle and Caravelle, have heard that some Kombis are also M1 but not sure.
M1 and N1 are taxation classes. M1 = car tax based on emissions (so is quite high for a T5) and N1 is commercial so a standard £240ish (with a couple of exceptions). Shuttles and Caravelle are both M1 while combi and panel vans are N1.
Any M1 vehicle under 3.5 tonnes should have same speed limits as cars (60/70/70)
Most N1 vehicles under 3.5 tonnes will have van speed limits (50/60/70)
HOWEVER. Some N1 vehicles can be driven at car speeds provided they meet the criteria of a Dual Purpose Vehicle. Many SWB Kombis fit this description as do some 4 motions. In the case of kombi it is down to a combination of windows, number of seats, amount of load capacity and maximum kerb weight. In the case of the 4 motion it is down to maximum kerb weight and having 4 driven wheels.
Have a read of the official documentation....
(From the .gov.uk website)
"Dual purpose vehicles
A dual purpose vehicle is a vehicle constructed or adapted for the carriage both of passengers and of goods and designed to weigh no more than 2,040 kg when unladen, and is either:
constructed or adapted so that the driving power of the engine is, or can be selected to be, transmitted to all wheels of the vehicle
or
permanently fitted with a rigid roof, at least one row of transverse passenger seats to the rear of the driver’s seat and will have side and rear windows - there must also be a minimum ratio between the size of passenger and stowage areas"
Shuttles and Caravelle are both M1 while combi and panel vans are N1.
There was a period with factory T5 combi's being registered from new as M1 on the V5. Not 100% sure when it ceased, except that it stopped by the time T5.1 came along.
My '07 T32 combi is registered as M1. Get the higher speeds but also the higher taxation.
Welsh farmers post also relies on it having been registered correctly at purchase.
It's hard nee impossible to have the speed limit changed after the fact even if all the dual purpose vehicle criteria are met.
Try explaining the dual purpose vehicle to a speed camera, or critically the numpty in an office trying to enforce the fine.
My 16 year old sailed through its MOT yesterday. Hurrah to a happy summer of chugging along.
