We waited. We were patient. And this is what Santa’s French cousin brought us: a tiny utility van. We were hoping the predictions were wrong and that with its “C-Reveal” new product page, Citroen might give us something a little more exciting, like maybe the C5 Cabrio. But instead we got the Berlingo.
The new Berlingo is available either as a passenger vehicle (or Leisure Activity Vehicle, as Citroen imaginatively calls it) or as a slab-sided Light Commercial Vehicle. Citroen sold over 1.76 million examples of the outgoing Berlingo, which has been on the market since 1996 (with a facelift in 2002) and which will stay on in the meantime as the lower-priced Berlingo First. The new Berlingo uses running gear from the bigger, more civilized C4 Picasso minivan. It also grows in size over the old model and gets one of those new HDi particulate-filter diesels the French are so good at.
If itty-bitty European vans are your thing, you can check out all the juicy details in the press release after the jump, and stay tuned for the Partner version of the Berlingo from PSA sister-company Peugeot.
[Source: Citroen]
Gallery: Citroen New Berlingo
Continue reading Mystery Revealed: new Citroen Berlingo
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed! 
Posted by admin |
No Comments »
Earlier we brought you a screen shot of Citroen’s website that features a countdown meter until the French automaker unveils its latest vehicle. Although we’ll have to wait another couple of days to know for certain, the replacement for the Berlingo utility minivan is shaping up as a strong contender for the slot, with an undisguised photo of the new vehicle surfacing on the internet.
The Berlingo, also badged as the Partner by PSA sister-company Peugeot, has been on the market since 1996 and received a facelift in 2002. Competing with the new Renault Kangoo that was unveiled at last September’s Frankfurt show, the little vans are a common site overseas where their utility and compact size prove a popular combination.
[Source: World Car Fans]
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Posted by admin |
No Comments »
Fiat’s new car-derived utility truck, the Fiorino Mk IV, has been revealed in all its Chiclet-colored glory. These small car-based working vehicles are just right for businesses that don’t need the heft of the ubiquitous pickup-based cargo van here in the states, or larger Continental vehicles like the Sprinter. Horsepower will be around 75 whether buyers choose the 1.4 liter gasoline or 1.3 liter turbodiesel, plenty to haul all those tiny die-cast Eiffel towers down from port to the Champs Élysées. Continuing on the French tip, it’s worth noting that the Fiorino was co-developed with PSA, which means there’s also Peugeot and Citroen variants of the little van. If you don’t want people to laugh at you when you tell them what you drive, you’d be best to stick with the new Fiat, though. The Citroen is named Nemo, ever so cute. Peugeot picked a moniker that sounds possibly lewd: Bipper. Call it whatever, the Fiorino blends utility, more style than you’d expect in a commercial vehicle, and a comfortable interior with carlike dynamics. Coming soon on the heels of the Fiorino will be the announcement of the “Adventure” package, which will outfit the small wagon for duty on less-improved roads in rural areas. The closest thing we’ve got to this in the States is the HHR Panel, cool in its own right, but alas, no feisty Italian.
[Source: Jalopnik]
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Posted by admin |
No Comments »
Click image for high-res gallery
In Europe, no niche remains unaddressed, it seems. Business owners looking for a hottish-looking ride in their delivery vehicles were offered the Transit SportVan earlier this year by Ford. It combined the utility of the Transit with the optics of a Focus ST, what with its Performance Blue paint, snowflake-pattern rims, and Le Mans stripes. We’re sure the 500 owners who scored one of the limited-edition trucks are pleased with their selections. Ford isn’t alone in addressing this segment, however.
In the Netherlands, Opel has gotten into the game with the Vivaro VPC. The Vivaro is, like the Transit, a panel van. Apparently, GM sees an opportunity to sell 100 tricked-out versions (at € 34,900 each) to Dutch commercial customers who wish to make their delivery rounds in something more sporty-looking than the average panel. It comes in the same blue paint used on the Opel OPC cars, rolls on OPC wheels, and wears a full appearance package including color-matched everything, an aggressive front fascia with intrgrated foglights, and dual, trapezoid-shaped exhaust exits in the rear. The VPC moniker is the final, and most obvious, hat tip to the OPC performance wing of the car division. A 2.5L CDTi turbodiesel with 143 horses supplies the power, and it’s mated to a 6-speed manual. As for the driver, the cab’s no penalty box either, as evidenced by two-tone leather and Alcantara Recaro sport seats that look as if they’ve been pilfered from a GT1 car. Delivering goods has never been so good.
[Source: Opel via Autoblog Spanish]
Gallery: Opel Vivaro VPC
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Posted by admin |
No Comments »
And you thought U.S. automakers were guilty of the world’s worst badge engineerings jobs! It’s bad enough that both Citroen and Peugeot took the Mitsubishi Outlander and made the C-Crosser and 4007 clones, but here we have two new compact commercial vans from these companies that are virtually identical. Just pick which logo you’d like on the misshapen schnoz and you’re good to go. The Citroen Nemo and Peugeot Blipper (seriously?) are actually pretty interesting to look at. These purpose built mini vans will do the work of a Chevy HHR Panel in Europe and get much better gas mileage to boot. Either vehicle can be ordered with a 75 HP 1.4L gas or 70 HP 1.4L HDi diesel engine, so they certainly can’t go as fast or haul as much as what we Yanks are used to, but European commercial customers will likely find them more than adequate. And they can haul thanks to a 1,345 lb. payload rating and useable cargo space that amounts to 66 cubic feet. The front passenger seat can also be stored beneath the floor to increase the cargo room to 107 cubic feet. Just don’t come to us asking which one you should buy.
[Source: Citroen and Peugeot]
Gallery: Citroen Nemo
Gallery: Peugeot Bipper
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Posted by admin |
No Comments »
Loading ...