Luton
A part of the body of a commercial or recreational vehicle that extends over the cab.
Luton: cargo box that overhangs the cab
A Luton is a rigid box body mounted on a commercial vehicle chassis so that it extends forward over the driver's cab. The box sits on the frame rails and cantilevers ahead, creating extra cargo volume without adding length to the overall vehicle footprint. This overhang is the defining feature, and it exists purely to gain cubic capacity within legal length limits.
The term originated in Luton, Bedfordshire, where vehicle body builders began fitting this design in the mid-20th century. The town became a centre for truck and van body manufacture, and the name stuck even though similar designs are now built elsewhere. A Luton is almost always found on medium-duty goods vehicles and smaller distribution lorries, typically in the 7.5 to 18-tonne gross weight range.
Structure and clearance
The cargo body is usually a steel or aluminum box, mounted on a rigid frame that bolts to the chassis. The overhang puts weight ahead of the cab, so weight distribution must be calculated carefully to avoid tipping. The driver's windscreen is recessed or the roof of the cab is cut away to allow the body to cantilever over it. Visibility from the cab is reduced, and drivers must adjust to the shorter sight lines, especially when reversing.
Interior height is often 1.9 to 2.2 metres, and the total cargo volume can be 20 to 40 cubic metres depending on the base vehicle. The overhang typically adds 1.5 to 2.5 metres of extra box length. This design exploits a gap in regulations: many jurisdictions measure vehicle length from bumper to bumper, so the overhang does not count toward the legal maximum, whereas a conventional box would.
Lutons are common in last-mile delivery, removals, and general haulage where payload volume matters more than the number of pallets. They are less common in modern fleet operations where modular swap-body systems or multi-drop trailers offer better flexibility. Older Luttons remain on the road; newer builds are less frequent because composite bodies and tractor-trailer combinations serve similar routes more efficiently.