Citroen joins Sevel race with Relay
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• Citroen has announced its version of the new Sevel van, the Relay. It replaces the current C25, covering the 2.8-3.5-tonne panel van market. And Citroen is establishing a network of 80 Relay Specialist Dealers.
The Relay is built in Italy, like its predecessor in co-operation with Peugeot and Fiat. It shares the bodyshell and mechanicals of the Peugeot Boxer and Fiat Ducato (see opposite). Citroen UK is initially importing a limited range of models: unusually, all of them will be diesel-powered.
Brian Roskell, Citroen UK's commercial vehicle sales manager, is keen to compare the new Relay with the dominant Ford Transit—Ford has about 50% of the panel van market, Citroen less than 1%. He says the Relay is "A far better van than Transit" and compares the 2.8-tonne GVW Relay 1000 with the Transit 100. The Citroen is larger than the Ford in all major dimensions. Pricing and warranty conditions have yet to be finalised; the van will be available "soon"—probably late June.
The Relay 1000 van is the basic short-wheelbase (2.85m) model, available only with the 51kW (71hp) XUD9 AU 1.9-litre diesel. It offers a load volume of 75m3 and a payload of just over a tonne. The Relay 1400 grosses at 3.25 tonnes, and comes as a short-wheelbase/standard roof van or a 10m3 medium wheelbase (3.20m) high-roof van, with a payload of around 1.4 tonnes. The 3.5-tonne GVW Relay 1800 van has the medium wheelbase and an extra-high roof (11.5m3/1.6 tonnes) or the long wheelbase (3.70m) high-roof shell (load volume 12.0m3).
Both the 1400 and 1800 models are powered by the 2.5-litre 63kW (86hp) DJ5 diesel or the turbocharged, intercooled 76kW (103hp) DJ5T version. These are new, three-valve-per-cylinder engines, developed from the Citroen XM's unit.
The Relay 1400 and 1800 will also be sold in chassis-cab form, with a body/payload allowances of 1.65 and 1.90 tonnes. There are currently no plans to introduce double-cab, minibus, fourwheel-drive (due next year) or other versions to the UK, unless there is public or fleet demand. The new van will be available from any of Citroen's 270 dealers, but the 80 Relay Specialists will have to offer appropriate servicing facilities and expertise, spare parts stocks and a demonstration fleet.