The new Citroen Dispatch is designed to appeal to a wider range of UK operators and showcases a variety of technological innovations to raise comfort and safety standards and increase operational efficiency. The range includes short and long wheelbase vans, as well as standard and high roof models. Fitted as standard to all new Citroen vans is Trafficmaster Smartnav and Trackstar stolen vehicle tracking system. It is estimated that standard fitment of Trafficmaster Smartnav provides major time, fuel and efficiency gains, which are worth some £2,000 per vehicle per year.The new Dispatch not only looks good, but its clean, bold aerodynamic lines are also practical. To protect it when it’s out on the streets, the new Dispatch has all round wide protective side mouldings and big, multi-piece bumpers. The product of a £300 million investment at the Sevel factory in northern France, the range comes with a choice of 1.6 and 2.0-litre diesel engines with a total of three outputs: 90, 120 and 136PS, six-speed transmission is standard with the 2.0-litre versions. All three new power units offers the benefits of impressive levels of performance and driveability, coupled with extended service intervals of up to 20, 000 miles, excellent fuel efficiency and low emissions.
Inside the cab large windows create a bright interior with a wide field of vision for the driver. The driving position is comfortable and ergonomic with the controls and indicators falling naturally to hand, thus helping the driver to concentrate on the road. For a compact van, there’s plenty of space to store the many items now needed by a regular driver. Especially useful is the split overhead shelf, which is high enough not to be a nuisance and has a door on each section for extra safety. In addition, all models have a 12 volt socket on the dashboard and another in the rear load compartment. There is a wide range of options available including air conditioning, cruise control and a speed limiter, automatic wipers and headlights, reversing radar, alloy wheels and a 5-CD stacker.
For maximum loading efficiency, new Dispatch has twin, side load doors. At the rear it has big, side-hinged doors, while a tailgate is optionally available on both panel van and Combi versions. With a choice of short and long wheelbase models and standard and high roof configurations the new Dispatch offers considerably greater load compartment volumes than the current model’s 4.0cu.m. The short wheelbase standard roof Dispatch has a load compartment volume of 5.0cu.m and the long wheelbase standard roof van has 6.0cu.m, which increases to 7.0cu.m with the high roof version. Similarly, payloads have risen from the current model’s 900kg maximum to 1,000 -1,200kg dependent on model.
In addition to a wider range of specialist bodies/conversions, the new Ready to Run programme offered by Citroen
now includes the new Dispatch and offers a one-stop shop. Not only is the latest Citroen Ready to Run programme the most comprehensive of its type, it is also unique in a number of other important aspects. All of the products are exceptionally well priced and ensure uncompromised conversion standards - any Ready to Run product is of the highest specification and supplied by the leading converter in its field. All body conversions and add-on packages are covered by each converter with two year unlimited mileage/three year 100,000 mile warranties, to match the cover provided with the standard Citroen vehicle. Also, all Citroen vehicles with Euro IV diesel engines can run, without modification, on up to 30 per cent bio-diesel. Citroen have certainly invested a lot of time and money in their commercial vehicles and without a doubt it certainly shows.
