Peugeot Talbot plan minibus
Page 26
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• With deregulation of the bus industry only four months away, Peugeot Talbot is planning to build a range of six-wheel minibuses at its Ryton, Coventry car plant from the beginning of next year.
The unusual 16 to 20-seat vehicles will be based on a long-wheelbase Talbot Express 1500 front-wheel drive chassis cab, but with an AL KO tandem rear axle. The AL-KO conversion, which has rubber suspension, is already approved by Peugeot Talbot, and increases the gross weight of the 1500 Express chassis from 3.1 to 3.5 tonnes.
Bodywork will be de veloped by Rootes Maidstone, Peugeot Talbot's inhouse bodybuilder which currently produces factory-approved PSV conversions on the Express.
Peugeot Talbot expects to have a prototype minibus at the NEC Motor Show in October, and is also considering a parcel van version based on the six-wheel Express chassis, even though its own factory-built 3.5 tonne 4x 2 highroof Express van is due to arrive in the UK before the end of the year.
An initial run of 200 minibuses are expected to be produced in the first year, although this could increase to 500 vehicles a year if demand is sufficient. The completelybuilt-up Express 1500 chassis cabs will be supplied as normal from the joint Fiat/Peugeot Sevel van plant in Italy, but will be converted to sixwheelers by AL-KO at Leamington Spa.
Lii GL versions of the Peugeot 504 pickup will shortly become available in the UK. Available on both petrol and diesel models, the GL package includes a five-speed gearbox, radio, improved interior trim and cloth-covered seats as standard.