30th October 2000
 "IT'S A
BERLINGO JIM, BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT..!"
The Citroën stand at the recent Paris
International Motor Show was not the only place where the car maker's hot
selling Berlingo could be found displaying the features that have made it an
outstanding success in every market in which it is sold.
Despite Citroën's own remarkably wide
range of versions, car converters were displaying their own versions of the
Berlingo that
 enable
the French van to go places even Citroën never thought of.
Most outrageous is the 6x6 conversion by Swiss
company, Sbarro. An extra axle, a drive shaft to the rear and an extended body
turns the Berlingo into a small crew carrier.
 More practical is the highly sophisticated
conversion by Dangel. Other than the raised suspension, this Berlingo looks
pretty normal, but under skin is some serious off road equipment. Again, an
extra propshaft takes power to the rear axle, where both rear wheels are
driven. A control switch on the dashboard gives the drive the choice of two
wheel drive, four wheel drive, four wheel drive with the centre differential
locked or four wheel drive with both centre and rear differentials locked.
As an option, a low range gearbox can be added,
making the Berlingo a real go-anywhere van.
 But the cleverest part of this
conversion is that is has no significant affect on the Berlingo's load carrying
ability, which remains at three cubic metres and just a slight drop in payload
from 800 kg to 700 kg.
 The four wheel drive Berlingo has proven very popular in European
Alpine regions and farmers who need real load carrying ability without the fuel
and size penalties normally associated with 4x4 vehicles.
"These conversions provide us with
some interesting possibilities in Australia," says Miles Williams, General
Manager for Citroën in Australia. "The Dangel 4x4 conversion, in
particular, offers some real possibilities for the local market and if there is
interest in this conversion we will consider it for
Australia."
For further information please
e-Mail Miles Williams - General Manager on
100250.3324@compuserve.com
or use our Talk-to-Us button...
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