THE BERLINGO STYLED OUT OF THE BOX

Pretty? Pretty cool. Old or new? A bit of both. Meet the 2CV for 2023

The Citroën Berlingo MPV might be a far cry from the boxy design of its predecessors and may have taken on a far more stylish approach to moving people and goods, but it doesn’t mean Italian coachbuilder Fabrizio Caselani couldn’t turn it into a homage to one of his all-time favourite Citroëns: the legendary 2CV panel van known as the Fourgonnette.

Caselani’s firm – which specialises in providing fibreglass and other composite material accessories and parts to the nautical industry – has built two other vehicles inspired by the French company’s vehicles, dubbed Type H and Type HG. The firm is marketing the 2CV Fourgonnette under licence from Citroën and began taking orders at the beginning of October, with production said to begin from January 2023.

Many design cues synonymous with the 2CV have been incorporated into the Fourgonnette styling, such as its rounded nose, dominant grille with prominent Citroën chevrons, large, round headlamps and corrugated sheeting on the side panels. The grille, bumper and wheel arches of the Berlingo have been replaced by Caselani’s fibreglass components.

In a nod to the chrome-plated covers and trim of the original models, the Fourgonnette also has its central ridge detail on the bonnet in the shiny material, as well as its headlamp casings, hubcaps and even the handles on the headlamps. The only part left out of the chrome treatment was the bonnet handle.

Riding on the Berlingo’s chassis, the Fourgonnette should have excellent on-road manners, and features the same loading capacity, wide range of functionality, and raft of modern tech in the cabin. The major difference is, of course, the Fourgonnette’s engine: a 75 kw electric motor powered by a 50 kw battery. It can be charged to 80% of its full capacity within 30 minutes and has a range of 280 km.

The original 2CV Fourgonnette could reach up to 50 km/h and had a payload of up to 250 kg (including the driver). The contemporary Berlingo of today can carry up to five people, get places faster and is able to carry four times more weight than the original Fourgonnette.