Citroën Berlingo wins major LCV award 

The Citroën Berlingo van has won a major award thanks to its versatility and efficiency. Awarded 'Best LCV of 2012' award by the Institute of Transport Management (ITM), a great honour and testament to the attraction of the Berlingo LCV amongst businesses, especially fleet buyers. ITM's main criteria for the award meant that the winning LCV had to 'embody perennially important qualities such as reliability, cost-effectiveness and durability'.

The ITM's judges said: 'Businesses are looking for LCVs that are lighter, with lower emissions and better fuel efficiency; qualities that the Citroën Berlingo range has in spades.' Special features of the Berlingo e-HDI Airdream model particularly impressed the judges. These models are fitted with e-HDI micro-hybrid Stop & Start technology. This means significant savings in fuel costs as well as reducing CO2 emissions, especially when driving in slow city traffic. This model also offers regenerative braking to recover and store energy that would otherwise be lost and a choice of either a five-speed manual transmission or an advanced six-speed automated manual transmission. The six-speed version offers easy two-pedal driving, a combined cycle fuel consumption of up to 60.1mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 123g/km.

Citroën's unique Trafficmaster telematics package, which is available across the entire Berlingo model range, was also cited by the judges as another impressive feature of the Citroën LCV. This package reduces urban fuel consumption and emissions by letting drivers know the fastest route to the destination to avoid congestion.

The Berlingo's user-friendly qualities also helped it take the top LCV prize with the judges saying it 'has all the equipment and space of a light commercial van and yet drives like a car.' The choice of load lengths, impressive standard features and a commitment to efficient, comfort, practicality and safety of the Berlingo were also noted by the judges. There is a choice of Euro 5-compliant petrol, diesel and dual fuel engines, a range of trim levels, a unique extra traction van, a wide range of Ready to Run specialist bodies and a platform cab, meaning it suits a wide range of operator requirements.

Scott Michael, Citroën's Commercial Vehicle Operations Manager, says, 'We are delighted that the Berlingo has opened 2012 with yet another award and particularly one which recognises the Berlingo's versatility, reliability, exceptional fuel economy and low emissions by the key sector of transport management.'