Artistic Photo #12

Citroen 2CV in Rome, Italy (Taken on August 11, 2015)

European Vans: Part 1

Fiat Scudo in Sorano

For the majority of my life, America's van market was limited to the boxy offerings from Ford and Chevy. But within the past few years foreign companies, such as Nissan and Fiat (through the RAM brand), have joined the fray. These companies introduced mid-size vans, like the Nissan NV200, as well as European-style full-size vans, to American customers and slowly began eating away at the sales of the American vans. Soon Ford changed its ways, selling its popular European model, the Transit, for the first time in the US, and discontinuing its long running E-Series. But after traveling to Italy this summer, I realized that the United States is still missing out on a large chunk of the global van market. In this post I will outline some of the vans I saw while in Italy, and what I like or dislike about each.


Fiat/Citroen/Peugeot

Fiat Ducato in Verona

Fiat and PSA Peugeot-Citroen share the same basic mechanical and visual elements for the majority of their van fleets. At the top of the range is the Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Citroen Jumper triplets. On this side of the pond, it is branded as the RAM ProMaster, although our version has yet to receive the facelift that the European models got for the 2015 model year. The update lessens the third generation's bug-eyed look, and adds a sleek silver grille on the Fiat models. The boxier grille on the Peugeot variants causes the front fascia to look pinched, and the Jumper, known as the Relay in the UK, features a simple plastic grille topped with two silver bars. The Ducato is by far the best looking, and also seemed to be the most popular of the three by leaps and bounds.

Citroen Jumpy in Verona

Slotted below the Ducato is the Fiat Scudo, Citroen Jumpy, and Peugeot Expert. An extremely slanted front end and a bulky plastic bumper makes the vans appear as if they have an underbite, and each variant had its respective company's familial grille. My favorite is the Jumpy, called the Dispatcher in other markets, because the small, chrome grille lessens the effect of the underbite.

Fiat Doblo in Florence

Citoren Berlingo in Pitigliano

For the mid-size segment, Fiat and Peugeot-Citroen use separate designs. Fiat has the Doblò, which is rebranded as the Opel Combo, sold as the RAM ProMaster City in the States, and the Toyota ProAce in other parts of Europe. The Fiat received a facelift recently, and features a thin full-width grille which sit underneath the horizontally oriented headlights. The update brings the model into line with the appearance of the new Ducato, and it causes the model to have an odd, smiling look. Meanwhile, the French twins, the Peugeot Partner and Citroen Berlingo, have a snail-like shape, and feature more traditionally oriented front fascias, with the simple chrome bars of the Berlingo being my favorite.

Citroen Nemo in Sorano

Fiat Fiorino in Grosseto

Fiat and the French brands team up again for the smallest vans. The Fiat, called the Fiorino in cargo spec and the Qubo in passenger trim, and the Citroen Nemo both have no grille, which creates a streamlined appearance. The Peugeot Bipper, on the other hand, has a small grille surrounding the lion logo, which disrupts the clean space between the headlights. All three models are cladded with a massive plastic front bumper. These cute vans were quite popular, especially in the more urban areas I visited.

Ford

Tourneo Courier in Massa Marittima

While in America, Ford is known for the square, boxy, and ugly E-Series, its European van range is composed of aerodynamic, attractive vans. At the bottom of the range are the Transit Courier (cargo) and Tourneo Courier (passenger). These two vans are not sold in America, and have slightly sporty styling due to the corporate trapezoidal grille. These two vans look very aerodynamic and also quite handsome, and were some of my favorite vans that I saw while in Italy.

Next is the slightly larger Transit Connect (cargo) and Tourneo Connect (passenger). These two are sold across the Atlantic too, with only difference being that the Tourneo Connect is referred to as the Transit Connect as well. Next up, is the Transit Custom (cargo) and Tourneo Custom (passenger). These vans are slightly smaller than the full-size Transit, and are front wheel drive instead of rear wheel drive. The grille is more akin to that of the Transit Connect, and the corners of the headlights are pulled back towards the A-pillar, making the van look like it's being stretched backwards by the wind. At the top is the Ford Transit which recently replaced the E-Series in the USA. I found Ford's European van range a bit confusing, especially considering how simple it is in the USA: you can either get a Transit, or a Transit Connect. European customers have much more to choose from, including some particularly good-looking cargo-haulers.

Iveco
Italian truck company Iveco produces a full-sized van called the Daily. While the majority of Dailys that I saw were the bland fifth generation, which features very un-original oval headlights and a rectangular, silver grille, I did spot a few of the new sixth generation models, which quickly became one of my favorite vans. The sixth generation's face is all angles, with a thin, blocky grille, which turns upwards at the ends. The grille runs directly into the aggressively tilted, rectangular headlights.  The robotic Daily stood out among all the smooth lines of the other European vans. 


  European Vans: Part 2 Coming Soon!!!

Citroen DS3

The streets of Rome are filled with small, dinky hatchbacks. Smart Fortwos, Fiat Puntos, Dacia Sanderos, and Aixam Citys line the twisting alleys, tucked in the nooks and crannys next to a plethora of scooters and outdoor restaurant tables. Practicality and affordability seem to be more important than pizazz to the citizens of Rome. So although it is still a hatch, and not nearly as expensive as Italy's supercar options, the flashy Citroen DS3 stands out among the cheap Renault Twingos and Ford Fiestas which populate Rome's stradas.

The chrome horizontal strips, which incorporates the Citroen double-chevron, top a bold blacked-out grille. On either side of this athletic trapezoid intake are two sets of running lights chiseled into the bodywork. Closer to the grille are the more typically shaped circular fog lamps, while a fancier vertical LED strip sits nearer to the front wheels. The shallow indents leading into these sets of lights lend the DS3 an aggressive and more upscale appearance. However, the large headlights above make the Citroen look a bit bug-eyed, and could have been a lot sleeker. 

Leading back from the bulging headlights, black mirrors and a black roof cause the white paint to pop. A strong line through the door handles and a crease over the rear wheels add character to otherwise plain side body panels. The chrome oval spanning the bottom of the doors adds a touch of luxury. Finally, the incomplete B-pillar creates a stylish "floating" roof, which is especially impressive since this design element was about 5 years ahead of its time. The floating roof is now a major theme on Lexuses and Nissans. 

The rear features sharp, clean looking semi-square taillights, and a large chrome DS logo. The contrasting black roof adds to the sporty design while chrome coated exhaust contributes to the luxurious aura given off by this hatch. Overall, this French, chrome-laden hatchback stands out among the bland super-minis that surround it in Rome, and would stand out most anywhere in the world.

Grade

Front: A-

Back: A

Overall: A