PREPARE yourselves for The Next Big Motoring Thing. Manufacturers have done carry-alls, clever convertibles, useful off-roaders, and filled just about every market niche going with any, and every, type of vehicle.

Now, they could soon be turning their attention to vans - turning Ford Transit-sized commercials into striking, sporty, go-anywhere machines.

If you think that's a little far-fetched, then consider this: Volkswagen has just come up with an amazing off-road version of its recently-launched Crafter van, a concept that goes by the name of Atacama.

It has a roof railing, formed in a U-shape with integrated box, which is a new interpretation of a carrier system.

To match this element, the VW team designed a special rear ladder, which frames the brand logo in its shape and also has the door handle integrated in it.

The really good news is that this four-wheel drive concept, from VW's design centre in Wolfsburg, Germany, could well make it into production.

With a 2.5-litre turbo diesel engine providing the power, via a six-speed transmission, the Atacama concept, named after the desert in South America, could be turned into a very limited factory run of just 100 vehicles.

Note the word potential in this statement from the designer responsible, Romain Chareyre, who explains: "The design study shows further potential for the Crafter in the leisure and fun segment."

If mighty Volkswagen has noticed that potential, you can bet lots of other van producers have.

And remember that van customising has, for many years, been a highly popular pastime among bespoke-build enthusiasts, even if it has largely been ignored up to now by the big light commercial vehicle brand names.

But the Atacama will not only stir the market's desire for something different, it has sparked enthusiasm among VW executives, too.

The Volkswagen commercial vehicles management board member with responsibility for sales, Harald Schomburg, gushes: "The absolute highlight of the Crafter presentation is the Atacama concept, with its four-wheel drive.

"It emphasises the strikingly masculine features of the vehicle, and is our idea of a Crafter off-roader. I am very curious about the customer reaction - if it is positive, we will build a series of up to 100 vehicles."

Meanwhile, vans news of a more mundane nature: Fiat's new bigger, better, Ducato range of light vans has just gone on sale in Britain, together with some excellent diesel engines mated to either five or six-speed gearboxes.

Peugeot's much-revised new Boxer range is also just out in the UK, consisting of four body versions, panel van, window van, chassis cab and crew cab, all powered by three engine options, all diesel.

Prices start from £15,150, excluding VAT of course, and there's a choice of 12 exterior colours, all matched to either a Cuba Grey cloth interior or a Storm grey vinyl trim.

Citroen's latest Relay range, again only just launched here, has already been predicted by trade pricing bible Glass's Guide to have trade-in values more than 50 per cent better than the vans it replaces.

Andy Picton, light commercials forecasting editor of Glass's Guide, says the new Relay impressed with its advanced design, premium levels of safety, comfort and convenience equipment and a high standard of build quality.