When Citroën trusted the students of the Espera school with a recently restyled, brand new Berlingo it's doubtful that the company imagined their vehicle would be transformed into a .Hummer! This was the description that was used when someone first spoke to me about the Bourlingueur. I must confess that not having seen the machine, I was sceptical. Then I received the first photos. The result is surprising but convincing.
The press release calls the style of the Berlingo Bourlingueur "Outdoor". The roof has been lowered by 10 cm but the overall height is the same because the ground clearance has been increased to 40 cm. The rear side doors open the "wrong way" like a London Taxi, the new Rolls Royce Phantom and the Mazda RX-8: but there's no pillar between the front and rear side doors so there's excellent access. The wheel arches are widened making the Bourlingueur 2 meters wide. There are new front and rear bumpers and running boards. Everything sits on 17 inch wheels.
Moving on to the mechanics. Out go the four cylinders, petrol or diesel. In comes a 220 horsepower V6. The same motor as found in the Peugeot 406 or the Citroën C5. A piece of trivia: the block is stamped with Peugeot's lion but the engine cover has Citroën's chevron. There's no four-wheel drive but an improved form of two-wheel traction called FAM ( I have no more information about it). The gearbox is five speed and manual.
As usual, the vehicle has been made with great care. This is demonstrated by small details such as the chevron that appears on the bonnet. The windscreen is split vertically with the wipers pivoting from above. The interior continues in the same vein as the bodywork. You can see the work that goes into building such a vehicle by looking at the sequence of photos below: it shows the passage of construction from a model to the painting and assembly of the prototype.
Citroën has inspired Sbarro to build some superb cars. Last year we were graced with the Picasso Cup, one of the most beautiful Sbarro's. The Bourlingueur is attractive in a different way. I have only one reservation: the back is too similar to the production Berlingo. It would have been necessary to change the rear lights to alter it, but Citroën may not have agreed to that. For the last word, here is what the press release said about those for whom this vehicle is made: for those who during their daily humdrum urban existence dream of wide open spaces, time to escape and have fun.

Fajniejsze by bylo jakby dalo bude nowego Berlingo
Polaczenie podwozia Hummer'a z buda Berlingo Ciekawa propozycja, wiadomo ze nie ma szans na produkcje, ale popatrzec mozna