You've heard the word "unicorn" when describing one of those all-too-rare tech startups on track to become a billion-dollar business before, I'm sure.
Among the very first was Google, back in 1998. And in the 23 years since, around 490 companies have joined the ubiquitous internet search firm at the top of the billion-dollar tech tower.
That sounds like a lot, sure. Until you consider that, according to some studies, around 1.35 million tech startups are launched each year. Or more than 31 million since Google was founded. Which means that around 0.001 percent will earn unicorn status, if they're very lucky.
In short? It's very rare. Only slightly less rare than seeing an actual unicorn, in fact.
So when LDV Australia general manager Dinesh Chinnappa describes the company's all-new Deliver 9 van as a "unicorn", you know just how special he thinks it is. Whether he's referring to the tech term or the mythical beast, they simply don't come around that often.
"You only get one or two of these opportunities in your career: the Deliver 9 is going to dominate the segment. And it deserves it," he told CarsGuide Labs.
"We are targeting a minimum of 15 per cent market share of the segment in 2021. I am confident we will do better. But that is just the beginning - in time we believe that the Deliver 9 will dominate the segment.
"The product is superb in every regard and its value proposition is stunning. The Deliver 9 is literally the unicorn of the car industry – outrageously well specified with zero consumer compromises offered at a price point that undercuts the established players by tens of thousands of dollars."
A bold claim. So just who is LDV, and what is this Deliver 9 Mr Chinnappa is so confident about? Let's start at the beginning.
LDV is actually one of the world's oldest vehicle manufacturers, having producing its first model - a steam-powered van - way back in 1896. Fast forward a century or so, to 2010, and the British company was acquired by Chinese giant SAIC Motor Corporation Limited. Since 2014, LDV has been imported into the Australian market by our own automotive giant, the Ateco Group, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Deliver 9, then, is part of LDV's audacious plan (the brand also produces the T60 ute) to shake up one of Australia's most cemented vehicle segments - the commercial-van space. In that sense, it's a lot like one of those unicorn tech startups: a disruptor with a plan to do things differently.
Not everything, mind. Like most in the segment, the Deliver 9 is available as a cab chassis, a mid wheel base mid roof, or a long wheel base with a mid roof or a high roof. Meaning there's a van to suit just about every need.
It's powered by potent yet efficient 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel producing 110kW and 375Nm, pairing with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox that sends the power to the rear tyres. LDV develops its own diesel engines to ensure absolute dependability, but even that's not entirely unique in the segment.
Nope, what makes the Deliver 9 a unicorn, and what has filled LDV with confidence that it will dominate the segment, is a combination of safety and technology equipment, combined with almost ridiculously sharp pricing.
"For some reason, commercial vehicles have lagged passenger vehicles when it comes to the safety and tech side of things, and this seems to be global and not unique to Australia," Mr Chinnappa says.
"The Deliver 9 is jam packed with all the safety gear but at a much more affordable price than its competitors. You could say we are making safety more affordable."
On the safety front, there's autonomous emergency braking, a Bosch Electronic Stability Control system, hill hold assist, cruise control, lane-departure warning, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.
Then there's the tech, proving commercial drivers no longer have to do without the niceties that passenger-car owners enjoy. There's a 10.1-inch central screen, for example, that gets Apple CarPlay for true smartphone mirroring, and there's a second 4.2-inch screen in the driver's binnacle that will deliver all your key driving information, too.
Comfort is so important when you're on the road for hours at a time, too, which is why the Deliver 9's driver's seat is eight-way adjustable, and there are twin USB charge points to keep your devices topped up. There are also power windows, air-conditioning - and even a laptop holder and spaces to store your clipboard and paper work.
Niceties are only part of the story, of course. The truly critical element of commercial-vehicle success is reliability. A van can be so much more than a vehicle. It's an office, a workshop - and above all else, a source of income. The size of the challenge a Chinese-backed company with a relatively short history in Australia faces in luring customers from more established brands isn't lost on Mr Chinnappa.
"Peace of mind is everything. People generate their incomes from these vehicles – if the vehicle is off the road, they are not generating income," he says.
"The all-new Deliver 9 continues with the brand's DNA: they are reliable, value packed, fit for purpose and have a comprehensive and responsive national dealer network. As we have done since October 2014, we will do the work to gain consumer acceptance. We understand that respect is earned.
"Our job is to do the work. Yes we have to earn the sale in the first instance, but then the priority becomes backing up that vehicle on the road. That means parts, service, after-sales infrastructure, and so on.
"Specifically with Deliver 9, we launched with our first ever capped-price-servicing scheme to not just be competitive but continue delivering on customer expectations of the brand."
Perhaps more alarming for LDV's competition is the fact that we're standing at the dawn of a new era in automotive technology, with traditional combustion engines set to give way to electricity, and a new wave of emissions-free transport that will wash across our planet.
And It's here that LDV plans to really lead the charge, so to speak.
"We are confident that before too long LDV will offer a highly competitive range of electric, cutting-edge commercial vehicles," Mr Chinnappa says.
"That's one of the key advantages of being in partnership with a global brand like SAIC. They have been heavily investing and focused on EV development long before many of our competitors even thought about investing in this space."
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