I know this looks like any other Citroen Berlingo van, a sight as familiar in France and much of Europe as any other vehicle. Berlingos, and the Peugeot Partner twin, are Stellantis’s (previously PSA) compact panel van competitor to the Ford Transit Connect, VW Caddy and Fiat Doblo (RAM Promaster City), and arguably have defined the compact European van format for the last 25 years, moving on from the rebodied estate car form typified by the Ford Escort vans.
The first Berlingo and Partner came in 1996, based on a modified Peugeot 306 estate platform but with completely different bodywork, encompassing the big square box form that the Citroen 2CV, Dyane and Visa vans had used for many years. They are now on their third iteration, and available under Fiat, Opel and Vauxhall branding as well.
So what caught my eye on this one – after all a white van is not exactly novel. But the stance and small badge on the front wing caught my eye. This an is Automobiles Dangel 4×4 conversion.
Unlike the UK and Germany, the French industry has never truly embraced the working off-road vehicle in the style of the Land Rover or Mercedes-Benz G Class. But the need is still there, even if much has been successfully catered for by either imports or the truly robust Peugeot 504 pickups and its predecessors.
One other option emerged though – the Automobiles Dangel conversion. Dangel is a French converter with a 40 year and counting history of adapting French, mostly Peugeot (and its PSA twins) to 4×4. The first adaptations were Peugeot 504 pickups, but the history includes the 505 estate, as well as three generation of Partner/Berlingo and the larger Peugeot Boxer and Expert (maybe these names work better in France – other markets often use other names) and Citroen Jumpy and Despatch.
The usual format is a chassis lift of around 200mm and a drive shaft to the rear wheels. Skidplates and arch extensions are also available as required.
Dangel have produced something over 20,000 examples of all models, with the largest market being France and bigger users including the military and emergency services. Production continues at Sentheim, in Alsace on the Franco-German border and not far Peugeot’s home in Mulhouse.
When I think of Dengel 4×4 conversions, it’s invariably something a bit more adventuresome than this little plain delivery van. But presumably/hopefully it gets used in situations where it’s needed.
The damage to the sill/rocker panel might suggest some vigorous use
I wouldn’t say that any Escort van ever shared much beyond the front end, doors and (I assume) some of the floorpan with the estate/wagon version, though the description certainly fits the Astravan. These current vans are still based on standard platforms, in this case EMP2 also used under the Peugeot 308, for example.
Gotta say the Peugeot 504/505 conversions shown in this article look extremely capable
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangel
This 504 pickup 4×4 at the Conservatoire De La Sauvegarde Du Matériel De Sapeurs Pompiers – Museum of Fire Fighting Equipment – in Lot et Garonne, SW France – was IIRC a Dangel conversion
Credit to Dangel, their Peugeot 505 Familiale 4×4 was the first 3 row crossover. I’d never thought of a 4×4 version of a small van but it makes sense if you don’t want a pickup. The only factory 4×4 that size would be a long wheelbase Suzuki Jimny from the 80s.
VW Caddy 4Motion and there was a Renault Kangoo 4×4. Those are the ones that jump to my mind, right now.
Nice find, Roger. So far, I never came across any modern-era Dangel conversion. The only humble-sized 4×4’s I see around here are the Dacia Duster and the Suzuki Jimny.
BTW, Toyota also offers a third gen Berlingo/Partner clone, called the ProAce City.
Toyota always had 4×4 vans in Hiace and Liteace so its business as usual for them now they retail PSA vans.
For some reason, the photo didn’t – let’s try again
Peugeot 504 Dangel 4×4 conversion