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RELAY WAITS TO ENTER THE RACE

6th July 2006, Page 64
6th July 2006
Page 64
Page 64, 6th July 2006 — RELAY WAITS TO ENTER THE RACE
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Citroen's next-generation Relay is due to hit the market towards the end of the year. But how will it differ from its Sevel stablemates?

If you're having a &fà vu moment,don't worry—you've already read an introduction to the next generation of Sevel vans in the shape of the Fiat Ducat° (CM] June).While the new Citroen Relay,and indeed the Peugeot Boxer,whichWe have yet to see outside a show hall,share much componentry with the Ducat°. the smaller versions of the French-branded vans are totally different under the bonnet to the Italian. In fact,the PSA vans are more likely to share their engines with the new FordTransit, thanks to the Dagenham-based joint venture.

CM has just returned from a visit to a corner of the giant PSA factory at Aulnay-so us-Bois. close to Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport At the Citroen Conservatoire,where the firm's heritage vehicles are stored, we tried examples of the Relay driven by the 2.2HDi 120 engine and six-speed transmission, Producing a true 118hp at 3,500rpm and 320Nm between 2,000 to 2,300rpm, the 120 is the middle way. The entry-level 1 (X)shares the 16-valve, 2.229ce layout, but is rated at 99hp and 2,500Nm, and comes with a five-speeder, while the top model is the same Fiat-sourced 155hp/ 400Nm 3.0-litre unit as the Ducato. Another difference is the steering: the I 00 comes with a fixed-rate power-steering set-up, while the others get variable ratio assistance.

Distinctive appearance

Considering that only one panel. the grille, differentiates the Citroen from the Fiat, the two have surprisingly distinctive appearances. The Citroen's accommodation is, naturally enough, very similar to the Fiat's, with the van's available for test coming with a high level of kit.Options available include suspended driving seat, ESP (electronic stability programme). self-levelling rear air suspension and Bluetooth audio.

Citroen UK seems in no great rush to introduce the new Relay to market, quoting an on-sale date somewhere towards the end of the year:as a result,no firm pricing or specifications are available. However, the manufacturer's strategy seems to be to keep the standard specification list short and the options long—giving a competitive headline price with the possibility of taking as much of the high-tech gadgetry as required.

Well laid out On the road, the Citroen is impressive.The suspension tuning coped admirably with a wide variety of (mostly poor) road surfaces, the brakes proved powerful—over-eager if anything— and the driving environment seemed comfortable and well laid out.

We were initially concerned that the seating position might suffer from too high a seat and too low a windscreen, but this was not an issue. The gearshift is handily placed, although the new Sevel range perseveres with the park brake located on the 'wrong' side of the seat.

The best bit is kept until last,though; the shared PSA/Ford engine really impressed us with its willingness and refinement, and especially its flexibility. Provoking the engine by asking it to accelerate out of roundabouts in sixth gear from revs barely above tickover failed to produce even the slightest judder. •

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Locations: Paris, Dagenham

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