Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen Financial Services UK have taken van leasing online with the launch of a new Contract Hire Direct website.

The new platform allows commercial vehicle customers to arrange a contract hire agreement from the comfort of their home or office, allowing them to pick their desired model and calculate a suitable finance quote online for stock vehicles.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles customers can then speak to a member of the Contract Hire team to place an order before collecting their vehicle from a Volkswagen Van Centre for or organising delivery once the finance agreements have been cleared.

Sarah Cox, the head of marketing for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “The typical customer journey has changed and we are excited to be launching this new system via our award-winning website to keep up with the demand.

“As part of our Working With You promise, we’re committed to evolving our services to meet the ever-changing needs and requirements of the modern-day business, and we would expect to see more direct sales options coming on line in future.”

Contract Hire Direct website users will be able to search for vehicles and configure quotes based on the desired term, mileage, deposit and maintenance package.

VW said that funding directly with the manufacturer gives customers peace of mind that they are dealing with industry experts.

Last month Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) begun its transition to online retail with the launch of a new used van finance calculator on its approved used website.

The new calculator allows franchised van centres to display hire purchase, solutions personal contract plan and lease purchase options for vehicles advertised on the used van locator.

Cox said: “We understand businesses want to do more online in their own time and the new calculator allows users of our already award-winning Das WeltAuto service to build a finance quote on a used vehicle that suits their budget perfectly at their leisure.”