1 Apr 2008
CITROEN’S mid-sized Dispatch is the product of a wide-ranging joint-venture program between Fiat and the PSA Peugeot-Citroen Group.
The Dispatch, Peugeot Expert and Fiat Scudo are mechanical triplets but have minor differences in front-end design and, for Australia, some unique specification details in order to minimise sales cannibalisation.
Known as the Jumpy in non-English-speaking countries, the Dispatch is positioned as a larger alternative to the Berlingo compact van, and, in an effort to minimise the transition from the compact to medium segment, is offered in both short- (3000mm) and long-wheelbase (3122mm) configurations.
Under the snub bonnet beats a PSA-derived 2.0-litre common-rail direct-injection turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine producing 88kW of power at 4000rpm and 300Nm of torque at 2000rpm.
Frugal on fuel consumption and compliant with the Euro IV emissions standard, the engine drives the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.
Chassis hard points include MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam configuration at the rear. Self-levelling pneumatic rear suspension with a deck-lowering feature is also available on the both van ranges.
The steering is a rack-and-pinion system with electro-hydraulic power assistance, enabling a turning circle of 12.2m on the SWB Citroen and 12.6m on LWB models across both brands.
Disc brakes are used at either end of the vehicle, with 304mm diameter ventilated discs up front and 290mm solid rotors at the rear. ABS electronics (with electronic brake-force distribution) are also standard across both ranges. All models have 16-inch steel wheels with 215/60-section tyres.
The tape measure shows the SWB van runs to 4805mm in overall length, 1942mm in height (or 1894mm with air suspension) and 1895mm in width. All models are designated low roof, meaning the height and width remain the same on LWB versions but the length extends to 5135mm.
The payload is 988kg on the SWB Dispatch and 1188mm on the LWB version. Gross vehicle weight is 2702kg on the SWB, 2932kg for LWB, and the maximum-braked towing capacity is 2000kg for all variants.
Load space volume is five cubic metres for the SWB and six cubic metres for LWB. That translates to a maximum load length of 2254mm for the SWB and 2584mm for the LWB, with compartment width for both ranging from 1245mm between the wheelarches to a maximum 1600mm. Maximum load compartment height measures 1449mm.
Standard equipment across both ranges include a driver’s airbag, remote central locking, electric windows, air-conditioning, a CD stereo (with steering-mounted controls), twin barn doors (with demister and rear wipers), twin sliding side doors and tinted windows.
