PSA Group said it would consolidate its leading market share of more than 30% on the European B-LCV market by launching a new generation of the Peugeot Partner, Citroen Berlingo and Opel/Vauxhall Combo.
These vehicles, resulting from a joint programme, were developed using the EMP2 platform. The Peugeot and Citroen models will be produced at both the Mangualde (Portugal) and Vigo (Spain) plants plus, for the first time, the Spanish plant will also produce an Opel/Vauxhall vehicle.
Go deeper with GlobalData
To support the sales ambitions set for the new range, a third team in Mangualde (225 new hires) and a fourth in Vigo (900 new hires) were set up, becoming operational in April and June, respectively. These two plants in the Iberian Industrial Division have been retooled to accommodate the new Peugeot Partner, Citroen Berlingo van and Opel/Vauxhall Combo.
To cover all the needs of business users, PSA now offers a wide range of body styles with various combinations of payload (650 to 1,000kg, length (4.40 and 4.75 metres), number of seats (2, 3 and 5) and features such as a load-through hatch, roof flap, brighter lighting in the load zone, and 220V outlets.
The vehicles will be sold in some 100 countries, with first orders taken in Europe in September.
Philippe Narbeburu, senior vice-president, LCVs, said: “This new generation of vans marks a new phase in our range renewal process. Our modern line up features efficient vehicles designed to meet our customers’ demanding needs and provide a better customer experience. We hope to consolidate our leadership in Europe and continue to export our knowledge and skills to other continents.”
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataIn 2017, PSA sold 658,000 light commercial vehicles (and passenger car versions) worldwide, an increase of 16% year on year. With more than 20% market share in 2017, it is the overall leader in light commercial vehicles sales in Europe.
See also: Citroen launches technology-laden Berlingo light van range
