NEW CITROËN BERLINGO FOR PROFESSIONALS
Practical and functional, yet strong on styling and comfort
Summary
Editor’s Note – this document refers to European Specification Vehicles only. For local specification please check with Ateco PR Department.
It will change the way you think about professional vehicles
With the New Berlingo, Citroën’s range of light commercial vehicles for professionals will be broader and more complete than ever before. The launch of the New Berlingo follows those of new Jumper, new Jumpy and Citroën’s latest compact van, Nemo.
Citroën strengthened its position as a leader on the compact van market with the launch of the Berlingo in 1996. At end-November 2007, the Marque had a 17% share of this segment in Europe, 27 countries. The Berlingo accounts for 48% of Citroën’s light commercial vehicle sales in Europe (Europe, 27 countries, through November 2007) – and nearly one in five Citroëns sold in Europe is a light commercial vehicle. More than 800,000 Berlingo vans have been sold worldwide since launch.
The New Berlingo will go on sale in second-half 2008. It will be sold alongside the current Berlingo model, available in some countries as an entry-level vehicle, called Berlingo First, fitted with the HDi 75 and 75 bhp 1.4-litre engines. With the Nemo, Berlingo First and New Berlingo, Citroën will have an extensive line-up of compact vans covering a wide range of needs.
The key words with the New Berlingo are functionality and performance, as well as styling, comfort and low running costs.
· Eminently practical
To meet the needs of professional customers on load volume and cabin space, the New Berlingo features an Extenso® modular cabin able to transport loads up to three metres long or three passengers in the front. It also comes with asymmetric swing doors at the rear and boasts cavernous load volume large enough to fit two Europallets (up to 3.7 m3 and 850 kg, depending on the version). The New Berlingo is also graced with one or two sliding side doors to make loading easier. A flatbed cab version will round out the range in September 2008.
· A modern working tool with prestige styling
The successful blend of practicality and comfort is reflected in the vehicle’s robust yet dynamic styling. The design of the New Berlingo goes beyond the traditional commercial vehicle look. The new model exudes a new visual appeal that confers status on its drivers and the image of their company.
· Outstanding comfort features
New Berlingo passengers travel in comfort with high-quality features rare to the compact van segment. The compact van rates high on equipment (hillstart assist, automatic air conditioning), comfort fittings (height- and reach-adjustable steering wheel), road manners (C4 Picasso running gear, ESP and tyre pressure monitoring as options) and safety (up to six airbags).
· High-performance business partner
The New Berlingo is an able all-rounder, with top-level power, economy and safety. It also features an innovative management function that can be used to regularly, automatically and remotely transmit information essential to first-class fleet management.
Eminently practical
Professional customers’ key requirements are load volume, versatility and roominess. The New Berlingo fulfils these needs with originality and efficiency.
More spacious
The New Berlingo has grown in size. Citroën has made it 24 cm longer (4.38 m) and 8 cm wider (1.81 m), and lengthened the wheelbase by 3.5 cm (2.73 m).
The new model is available in short and long versions to satisfy a wider range of needs. The long version has a rear overhang 25 cm longer than the short version and measures 4.63 m in length.
With its new dimensions, the New Berlingo offers more load volume, enough to take two Europallets, one in front of the other width-wise. Load volume is 3.3m3 (3.7m3 for the long version) compared with 3m3 for the Berlingo First, while payload totals 625 kg or 850 kg (750 kg for the long version). The New Berlingo’s increased dimensions make it a standard-setter on load volume in the compact van segment.
More versatile
For more versatility in use and to respond to a wider range of professional needs, the New Berlingo ships with different cabins.
· The Extenso® cabin
The New Berlingo features Citroën’s innovative Extenso® cabin that offers a number of advantages.
- The cabin can seat three passengers in the front thanks to an occasional middle seat. Drivers can configure the vehicle quickly and effortlessly to suit their needs.
- The side passenger seat folds away to create a flat floor for transporting loads up to three metres long. The ratio between interior load length and exterior vehicle length (4.38 m) is an impressive achievement for this segment. The folding passenger seat has a canvas back to support loads of up to 50 kg.
- The passenger seat can also be folded like a cinema seat, with the base raised up against the seat back, for transporting high loads in the cab.
- The Extenso® cabin brings 0.4 m3 more volume, taking the total to 3.7 m3 for the short version and 4.1m3 for the long version.
· The two-seater cabin
For the conventional cab – with two seats in the front row – the passenger seat back folds away to optimise loading.
Optimised access
Loading is made easier by:
· A low load sill
The load sill is 58.4 cm high for the 625-kg short version, 60.9 cm for the 850-kg short version, and 61.2 cm for the long version.
· Loading area with wide rectangular opening
The loading area is fitted with 60-40 swing doors and, in some countries, ships with a tailgate with or without an opening window.
- 60-40 swing doors make it easier to transport long loads because the vehicle can be driven with the smaller door open (the registration plate is fitted on the larger door). The smaller door is on the same side of the vehicle as the foldaway or folding passenger seat (depending on trim level), thus optimising loads. In addition, the rear swing doors open out to 177°, which means that the New Berlingo can back right up to platforms for loading.
- The opening window on the tailgate provides easy access to the load area without having to open the tailgate. Even better, it can be used to transport long objects, since the registration plate on the tailgate remains visible.
· One or two sliding side doors.
Customers can choose between one or two sliding side doors to make loading even easier.
With all these configurations, Citroën can provide all professionals with the Berlingo that best meets their needs.
A MODERN, PRESTIGIOUS WORKING TOOL
New Berlingo is a modern working tool that confers prestige with its styling and innovative functionalities.
Modern and robust styling
Citroën has given the New Berlingo prestigious, dynamic and robust styling to offer professionals a vigorous yet elegant vehicle.
· Dynamic and modern
From the front, the New Berlingo is immediately identifiable as a Citroën with its distinctive double chevron chrome badge. The sleek, contemporary look is emphasised by a wide, plunging windscreen and flat-blade wipers, camouflaged by a screen-printed design.
The rest of the vehicle is similarly stylish. The doors flow in a smooth line to the rear lights, underlining the vehicle's aerodynamic shape. The side windows also have an original, avant-garde shape.
Customers get to choose from a wide range of side and rear window combinations (partial and complete side windows, tailgate and rear doors) for an exceptionally luminous interior.
· And robust, too
The body-coloured wraparound bumper, oversized headlights, large wing mirrors and muscular bonnet attest to the New Berlingo’s vigorous character.
From the side, its ability for intensive use is confirmed by taut flanks, accentuated wheel arches, chunky protective mouldings and large wheels.
The rear features the same robust styling while suggesting generous and easily-accessible load volume. The New Berlingo is available with a tailgate or swing doors depending on the country, with specific lights for each version, ideally placed away from impact zones.
· Interior styling in keeping with the exterior
The New Berlingo boasts top-quality interior design, both modern and hard-wearing. The vehicle ships with:
- carpeting and door trim, as well as fabric-lined door armrests;
- synthetic mats, robust and washable, in the cab. A synthetic covering is also available for the loading area.
The loading area has been designed to maximize load volume. The inner body has been carefully designed with attention to detail. There are no superfluous cut-outs or recesses. The whole is elegant yet perfectly adapted to professional uses (with mounting points for interior fittings, for example). In addition, the entire lower half of the side panels in the load area is lined with care to boost perceived quality and robustness and protect the vehicle against damage from transported objects. This interior protection also preserves the appearance of the exterior steel, maintaining the looks and image of the New Berlingo.
Office on wheels
The New Berlingo can be considered as a bona fide office on wheels, making professional activity easier by optimising interior space.
Alongside its many functionalities in terms of longer load volume, the central seat of the Extenso® cabin also serves as a key feature in the vehicle’s office function. The seat back folds to provide a writing surface, replete with a strap to keep documents in place and an armrest. The seat houses a 7.6-litre secure stowage bin to conceal objects from the gaze of passers-by.
For the conventional cabin, with two seats in row one, the foldable passenger seatback is equipped with a shell that can be used as a writing surface, and is fitted with two cup-holders.
Unlimited and original storage
The New Berlingo offers endless cubbyholes for all kinds of tools and objects. On top of the impressively sized loading area, the vehicle has an amazing number of stowage bins adding up to total storage of 61 litres. Useful compartments include the passenger-side glove box, the glove box behind the steering wheel, the drawer under the driver’s seat (in the Driver’s Seat Comfort Pack) and 12.5 litres of overhead stowage. In particular it features:
· A central console
Available with the Driver’s Seat Comfort Pack, the central console locks on to a base located between the two front seats in the two-seater configuration. It features a removable 13-litre stowage compartment and two cup-holders.
· A hinged rear roof flap
This roof flap is fitted on versions with rear swing doors, with or without a sliding side door. It is used to transport long objects while driving with the doors shut. Designers paid special attention to the sealing of this feature.
The cabin comfort of a saloon
The New Berlingo is an artful blend of LCV and passenger car, combining practicality with comfort and road manners never before seen in the small van segment.
All-round comfort
· Driving comfort
For optimal comfort on all types of roads, the New Berlingo has been fitted with the running gear of the C4 Picasso. This system has clearly demonstrated its excellence in terms of both ride comfort and handling.
- The MacPherson-type front suspension features lower wishbones and an anti-roll bar. The New Berlingo thus combines pin-sharp steering with driving comfort.
- The rear suspension is based on a transverse beam and an anti-roll bar. Its originality lies in its inclined shock absorbers, positioned to optimise the volume of the wheel arches and free up more space widthways. Its size and stiffness, adapted to a range of driving situations, make for a high-quality driving experience. The rear suspension is also fitted with hydraulic mounts to maximize comfort.
· Acoustic comfort
Travelling comfort is also about acoustics. The aerodynamic styling of the New Berlingo plays a big part in reducing cabin noise. At the same time, the engine is encapsulated in an acoustic cocoon, the floorpan has received gravel-chipping protection and the cabin features a wide range of absorbent materials (cowling, dashboard, roof). Noise has been reduced to a minimum so that New Berlingo passengers enjoy the time they spend on the road.
An ergonomic and stylish driving position
The New Berlingo has an SUV-style dashboard with a premium feel that remains robust and user-friendly. Comfortably seated, the driver has all the controls, including the dashboard-mounted gear lever, within easy reach. The steering wheel is adjustable for height and reach.
The seats offer saloon-like comfort and are made from easy-maintenance material. The driver’s seat is height-adjustable and features an armrest. Drivers can easily find an excellent driving position, essential for long journeys.
Innovative and plentiful equipment
· Efficient driving aids
To make everyday life easier for professionals, a wide range of equipment is available in the New Berlingo range, including rear parking assist, a speed limiter, cruise control and automatic lights (included in the Visibility Pack).
Hillstart assist is also fitted as standard on the New Berlingo. This new function is systematically coupled with ESP, if the vehicle is so equipped. Hillstart assist automatically maintains the vehicle in position for a short period (up to two seconds after the brake is released), so that the driver has the time to calmly move a foot from the brake to the accelerator, without the vehicle moving forwards or backwards. This function is active from a gradient of 5% (forward uphill or backward downhill).
· Modern and practical onboard equipment
The New Berlingo can be fitted with an onboard computer with a multifunction screen, together with an MP3-compatible audio system with steering-wheel controls, a 5-CD stacker and a Bluetooth hands-free kit.
The New Berlingo also ships with a 12V socket and a hand-held torch in the boot, doubling as an additional boot light. The torch provides around 45 minutes of power. It recharges as soon as it is replaced in its housing and the engine starts running.
Safety features for professionals
Professionals, like private customers, want to travel in safety. The New Berlingo features the highest levels in active and passive safety.
Excellent visibility
The New Berlingo brings peace of mind first of all by giving all occupants excellent visibility. It has a large glass area with a panoramic windscreen and optional side windows and quarter windows at the rear. The driver enjoys a saloon-style driving position and benefits from wide exterior rearview mirrors and automatic headlights (optional in the Visibility Pack).