First look: Bigger Berlingo bowls in

WE SAW the all-new Berlingo emerge globally in January - now a long-body version of the compact commercial van has emerged from the French maker.

First pictures show the stretched Berlingo features the same C4-esque front-end as the redesigned short-wheelbase version, and also paes its bulbous windscreen and prominent wheel-arch blisters.

It lifts interior volume from 3.3 to 3.7 cubic metres - or 4.1 cubic metres with the folding front passenger seat provided as part of the optional "Citroen Extenso" cabin.

Both versions of the C4 Picasso-based Berlingo are expected to go in sale in Australia in the third quarter of 2008, with the long-body version expected to bridge the gap between Citroen's new Dispatch van, which went on sale here recently, and the current Berlingo, which will continue alongside its bigger and more stylish replacement.

Australian prices and specification will be announced when the new Berlingo goes on sale, but expect pricing to rise over the current model, which will become known as the Berlingo First and now sells for $16,490 (1.4 petrol) and $21,990 (1.6 turbo-diesel).

The new Berlingo will be joined around the same time by the even smaller Turkish-built Citroen Nemo, which enters right-hand drive production in May.

Also in the third quarter, Citroen will start selling the larger 2.0-litre petrol/2.2-litre diesel-engined Dispatch van in Australia.