Mercedes names Citan as its light van contender

Merc names Citan as its light van contender

Mercedes-Benz has revealed that its Renault Kangoo-based light van market sector challenger will be called Citan; a contraction of 'City' and 'Titan'. The announcement was made to the gathered masses of the European commercial vehicle press at Merc’s Design Centre in Sindelfingen, Stuttgart, by Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-Benz vans.

The event was the first of many leading up to the Citan’s public debut and launch at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover this September. Prior to that it will be ‘teased’ at the Amsterdam CV Show in April, a week before the UK’s own show, where it will be notable by its absence. It is expected to go on sale in the UK late 2012/early 2013.

Details remain scant and the only images currently available are the ones on this page, but what we do know is that a large team of engineers have scrutinised every aspect of the Kangoo and we were assured that the end product will be unmistakably a Mercedes van.

Merc has big plans for the UK LCV market and it’s aiming to be number two by 2016, with Citan at the heart of its sales expansion. Currently, Mercedes does not compete in the light van sector.

We are told that Citan will look feel and drive like a Merc. It will be built at Renault’s Maubeuge plant in northern France, alongside Kangoo and will be powered by versions of the same 1.5-litre dCi engines. Merc will have its own quality control section at the end of the line. As this is the same line that produces the battery-powered Kangoo Z.E. there is no reason why in the future we couldn't see a Citan E-Cell joining the zero emission Vito in dealerships. What is certain is that reduced CO2 BlueEfficiency models will feature in the model line-up.

Citan will have distinctive ‘family’ front and rear ends, it will be available with a choice of two wheelbases, three body lengths and in three configurations — van, crew cab and fully glazed people-carrier — as well as a chassis cab ready to supply the conversion market. It will be sold at two gross vehicle weights and ESP will be a standard fitment across the range.

The all-new cab will bring with it a host of recognisable Mercedes cues including switchgear and instrumentation. Unfortunately, it will also feature the Kangoo’s rather annoying and intrusive L-shaped handbrake lever.

That’s about all the detail we can impart at this early stage of what will be a lengthy launch programme. We were not shown a single production-ready Citan component, let alone a complete van, but our appetite is well and truly whetted. As soon as we know more we’ll report back.