4th January, 2009

The new Peugeot Expert’s aim of becoming the new benchmark in the compact van market segment, was acknowledged by being awarded the title of “International Van of the Year 2008”. Peugeot’s long experience of producing commercial vehicles and its renowned expertise in engine manufacturing and driving dynamics, all contributed in the new van’s favour.

Comfort, passenger and driver safety, respect for the environment and versatility have all been improved compared to the previous generation vehicle (which, by the way, wasn't sold in Australia).

With its strong styling, owners of the new Expert van will really set themselves apart from the competition. Also with operating costs a major consideration for potential customers, the new Expert van ensures these are kept to a minimum.

Modern styling

Taking its inspiration from its predecessor, the new Expert van maintains the original position of a “Van/MPV”. It now, however, has a more modern style, portraying a strong, durable and dynamic appearance, which will enhance the image of any driver through its bold stylish looks.

The overall styling of the new Peugeot Expert has been designed to enhance both the short and long wheel base models, providing each model with its own character.

The front bumper - essential for giving an impression of strength – is fully integrated into the design of the front of the vehicle and the new design of the clear glass headlamps also includes the turn indicators.

The sloping front windscreen, with a surface area of 1.68m², provides excellent visibility and light, providing occupants with a real sense of space.

The design of the sides of the vehicle provides owners with a suitable area for sign writing or promoting their companies etc.

The design of the bodywork, side protection mouldings, bumpers and door handles all provide a real sense of quality, strength and durability.

The new Expert van is also equipped with door mirrors containing two individual adjustable mirror glasses - very useful for commercial use.

Painted in the same colour as the bodywork; the fuel filler flap is perfectly integrated into the design of the vehicle and conceals a lockable fuel filler cap.

The rear of the vehicle is “cube” shaped and is fitted with glazed hinged rear doors which provide a large access area for easy loading.

The design of the rear lights strengthens the modern design of the van, while still retaining a similar appearance to other commercial vehicles in the Peugeot range – particularly to the new Boxer.

A third brake light is fitted at the rear and in combination with the glazed rear doors, rear windscreen wipers and heated rear windows are standard.

The new Expert van comes in two wheelbase versions:
• 3,000 mm
• 3,122 mm
and two heights:
• 1,894 mm
• 1,942 mm

This enables the provision of three different versions.

The new Expert van is now available in two overall lengths of 4,805 mm (L1) and 5,135 mm (L2). This represents an increase of 283 mm over the previous model's short wheelbase version and 213 mm on the previous long wheelbase version.

A new pneumatic rear suspension (standard on the L2 Professional), enables the rear load sill and the overall height of the vehicle to be lowered to 1,894 mm.

The new dimensions enable the new Expert van to leap ahead in terms of load capacity, and it sits perfectly in the Peugeot commercial vehicle range between the Partner (which was also recently released locally) and the Boxer van (not yet available in Australia).

Increased Load Capacity

In order to meet the needs of customers with the widest possible requirements, the new Expert van provides an increased load capacity in terms of both load size and weight.

The load capacity, which ranged from 4m³ to 5m³ on the previous generation vehicle, has now grown to between 5 and 6m³ with the launch of the new L2 H1 version, with dimensions optimised in all areas of the vehicle.

The usable height in the load area has been increased to 1,450 mm. Furthermore, the usable floor length has been increased to 2,254 mm on the short wheelbase version, and 2,584 mm on the long wheelbase version. This can be increased even further to 2,884 mm for long objects with a small cross section (such as plastic pipes), thanks to an innovative storage system.

Finally, the width between the inner wheel arches (1,245 mm) has been designed to enable the transportation of 1,200 x 800 mm pallets – something that makes the new Expert van a true multi-purpose vehicle.

The payload range has also been increased to 1,188 kg (from 810 kg or 930 kg on the previous generation vehicle, which wasn't sold in Australia).

An Intelligent Loading Area

Ease of use in the loading area was a priority in the design of the new Peugeot Expert van.

The loading area is much more “cube-shaped” than it was before and it does everything expected of a modern commercial vehicle. It also provides a high level of protection for its payload, with well-designed lighting and robust, practical anchorage points.

The load floor includes eight locating rings placed around the rear load area.

The loading area is also protected by side protectors fitted halfway up the side of the van.

The two hinged, rear doors provide a very wide opening space, due to the innovative 90° to 180° opening system which uses an adjustable “check strap” system.

The loading area can also be accessed from sliding side doors located on both sides of the vehicle.

The doors are supported and guided on three sliding rails mounted on the vehicle waistline, the floor and the upper section.

The driver is protected from the load carried in the rear by the standard fitment of a ladder-type protector, with a lower “barrier” load stop protector protecting the passengers. As an option, a full steel bulkhead can be fitted to separate the rear load area from the cab, reducing noise and improving heat retention.

The bulkhead also improves the security of the load carried in the rear of the van. Furthermore, van users can lock the load compartment from the driver’s cab using a push button located on the centre console of the fascia panel. A two state warning light indicator, built into the pushbutton indicates the vehicle locking status.

On vans fitted with a rear bulkhead, the overhead storage area above the driver’s head is supplemented by a central storage “tunnel” linking it to the rear load area. The storage “tunnel” which is also accessible from the rear load area, can be supplemented with an optional rack that works like an interior roof rack, to carry long, light items (PVC tubes, electrical conduit, cable protection tubes etc.). This provides additional load length when required, without penalising people who do not require it.

Factory - Fitted Pneumatic Suspension

The new Peugeot Expert introduces a new pneumatic rear suspension specifically designed for this model. Available as standard on the L2 Professional model, this system benefits from Peugeot’s expertise in dynamic vehicle behaviour and ride comfort.

Highly prized among commercial van drivers, this suspension system has numerous advantages. First and foremost, an overall constant ride height of less than 1.9 m, enabling the van to use underground car parks no matter how large its load.

Functional and Innovative Interior

Driver and passenger comfort and functionality remain the watchwords for the interior styling of the new Expert van. The interior of the vehicle has been designed to meet the requirements of a professional user and is both robust and comfortable.

Access to the driving position has been made as easy as possible, having been designed in the same way as a people carrier. Users shouldn’t have to climb into their vehicle – they should simply get in!

This improves significantly the comfort of drivers that need to make frequent stops. Driving the vehicle has a very natural feel to it, with intuitive controls enabling drivers to find their way around the van very quickly.

The design of the 'architecture' provides a driving position very similar to that of a modern family car. This innovative positioning will make the new Expert van the reference vehicle in the segment.

The passenger compartment is very bright and offers great visibility. This is especially true given the forward positioning of the 1.68m² windscreen which gives the impression of a large interior space, something not previously available on such a vehicle.

The driver’s cab area has been designed by Pininfarina - very contemporary, combining comfort with practicality. The fascia panel has been designed in a striking, twin-tone appearance (Narbonnais Grey and Clear Sirocco Mid-Grey) echoing modern passenger car designs. Yet its strength is more than a match for the most demanding commercial users.

The large fascia panel design takes full advantage of the available space, and particularly its depth, and offers an array of upper and lower storage areas, both open and closed. The design of the storage areas makes the best use of the available space.

There are also a number of other storage areas available: an area above the driver’s head, an illuminated lockable glove box, door panels, storage pockets and cup-holders.

The fascia-panel mounted gear lever – a popular feature in the previous Expert van – has, of course, been retained in the new van. The steering wheel is height and depth adjustable.

The design of the door fittings and trim panels match the rest of the driver’s cab trim.

The switches for the electric windows are integrated into the door panels. The door panels also feature storage pockets, a bottle-holder (1.5 litre) and the location for the radio speakers.

The roof area has the same trim detailing right up to the bulkhead area. There is also an overhead storage compartment with a central storage “tunnel” in all models that feature a full bulkhead.

The seats have been designed for maximum comfort and support and in addition to the drivers seat there is also a dual passenger seat which gives the Expert the capacity to carry three people.

The seat trim is a woven cloth, modern and durable – as expected by professional customers. The trim is made up of three different parts, the design of which mirrors the fascia design.

The drivers seat can be moved forwards and backwards and reclined. There are different types of adjustment: under-seat fore and aft adjustment, driver seat height adjustment, and a lever on the seat back to recline the seat.

Combined with an adjustable steering column for both height and depth, the large number of adjustments available on the vehicle gives the driver the most comfortable possible driving position.

High Level of Safety

In terms of passive safety, the structure has been designed to protect the passenger compartment as much as possible. The new Expert van meets the ECE12-03 head-on collision regulations, due to the design of its strengthened structure and crumple zones.

Special features have been included on the new Expert van to take into account its commercial usage and to reduce repair costs. The structure is capable of withstanding the harshest urban “knocks” and the possible large payloads which can be carried have, all been taken into account in its design.

The engine compartment has been designed with both upper and lower impact absorption structures that increase the impact absorption area and provide greater resistance to the impact forces.

The chassis legs have been strengthened by the inclusion of a structural insert. The location point of the front sub-frame to the body has also been reinforced, as has the lower section of the “A” post. A retention pin has been installed on the front doors; along with strengthening tubes to control the effects of an impact.

An aluminium impact beam with deformable “crash boxes” is fitted to the rear of the vehicle to protect the rear structure in the event of a rear impact.

The fitment of a collapsible steering column enables the steering wheel to retract by 80 mm, thereby limiting the risk of it moving further into the cab.

What is more, the new Expert comes standard with a driver’s side airbag, while a passenger airbag is available as an option.

As regards active safety measures, the new Expert van has available all the latest technology: Electronic Stability Programme (optional), including an anti-roll feature (ROM) and traction control (ASR), while ABS and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) are included as standard.

These features make safety and low repair costs two strong advantages for the new Peugeot Expert van.

Comfort Equipment

The new Expert van has a lot of convenience equipment more commonly seen on modern cars which can contribute to driver safety and comfort, such as: front electric windows, central locking, folding electric rearview mirrors, fog lights, cruise control & speed limiter.

The new Expert van is fitted with electro-hydraulic power assisted steering on all models, which makes a contribution to driver comfort.

In a similar vein, rear parking assistance relying on four sensors built into the lower rear panel is standard, as is an alarm and Bluetooth compatibility.

Interior temperature control has also received a great deal of attention in the development of the new Peugeot Expert van, with air-conditioning fitted as standard.

As far as interior noise levels are concerned, as well as a special under body treatment, acoustic insulators and extra sound proofing have been fitted in the engine compartment. The low interior noise level enables audio equipment and mobile telephones to be used in total comfort.

An RD4 radio with single CD player is fitted, which can be connected to an interface kit to enable the driver to safely operate a Bluetooth mobile phone.

The hands-free Bluetooth kit enables the driver to make and receive calls through a multi-purpose display on the fascia panel.

This innovative equipment enables mobile telephones to be used safely and legally.

Audio controls are easily operated via controls mounted on the steering column.

In the driver’s cab a 12V power socket is cleverly located on the fascia panel for connecting a laptop computer or a mobile telephone. An additional 12V power socket is also available in the loading area. Finally, a secondary fuse/connection box is provided for connecting an optional tow bar.

More Powerful Engines

All the engine options available for the new Expert van meet the Euro 4 emission standards. The range is made up of two HDi diesel engines.

2.0 Litre HDi 88 kW / 100 kW Diesel Engines

There are two versions of the 2.0 litre HDi diesel engine available for the new Expert van. Developed in partnership between PSA Peugeot Citroën and Ford they produce either 88 kW or 100 kW and 300 Nm or 320 Nm of torque respectively. Perfectly capable of powering the van when fully laden, they also benefit from a high torque output at a low engine speed.

The engine is fitted with the latest generation injectors with nozzles with a reduced diameter, but it also benefits from an injection “loop” control system. With this system the injector opening time is continuously being recalibrated through the use of a controlled “micro-injection” of 1mm³ of diesel fuel, performed when the accelerator pedal is not being operated. The increase in the engine speed caused by this controlled “extra” injection provides a correction value for the normal preinjection. Injection is performed in two phases (one pre-injection and one main injection) enabling the Euro 4 emission standards to be respected.

To improve further the durability of the engine and maintain service intervals a number of modifications have been made to the 2.0 litre HDi engine.

The cylinder head has been heat treated in order to improve the mechanical properties of the aluminium. The rotating parts of the turbo-charger have been made more durable to resist wear and the turbine housing now has a greater resistance to corrosion. The engine pistons have also been modified to improve their resistance to cracking.

Improvements to the engine’s internal cooling have reduced the engine’s oil consumption level and the valve rocker arm contact areas have been chromed in order to improve their wear resistance.

Attention has also been given to the clutch so it can cope with the transportation of heavy loads.

A significant development in the new Peugeot Expert van range is the introduction of Peugeot’s ML6C 6-speed manual gearbox, which has a “finned” gearbox casing to help improve cooling. The gearbox final drive casings have also been strengthened by the fitment of metal dowels to positively locate them.

The 2.0 litre HDi 100 kW engine is fitted with a Diesel Particulate Filter System (FAP). This engine is used to power a number of vehicles in the Peugeot range. To adapt it, however, for the new Expert van, a modified lubrication systems for the turbo-charger and modifications to the EGR valve have been introduced.

To assistance in the regeneration or “self-cleaning” of the Diesel Particulate Filter, two post combustion injections are initiated after the normal two phase injection cycle.

The clutch is the same as on the 88 kW version, as is the ML6C 6-speed manual gearbox.

Electro-hydraulic power assisted steering is fitted to both versions of this engine.

The Benchmark for Road Holding

The suspension is a true product of Peugeot’s wealth of expertise in this field, providing responsiveness, safety and comfort whatever the size of the load.

The independent front suspension is a pseudo McPherson-type suspension with lower wishbones and an anti-roll bar.

The rear suspension consists of a rear torsion beam with an offset Panhard rod, coil springs and inclined hydraulic dampers. In models fitted with the pneumatic suspension, the coil springs are replaced by pneumatic constant-height air springs and the dampers are fitted with special travel stops.

The electro-hydraulic power steering fitted across the whole van range regulates the hydraulic pressure applied to the steering rack according to the speed of the vehicle. The principle lying behind this is to regulate the force applied depending on the driving conditions. This is very useful when manoeuvring in urban areas at low speeds.

Powerful front brakes consisting of 304 x 28 mm ventilated brake discs are fitted, with 45 mm/48 mm twin piston calipers.

At the rear solid brake discs 290 x 14 mm are fitted with single 41 mm piston calipers.

Wheel sizes on the new Expert vans consist of 16 inch wheels with a full size spare.

Low User Costs

Low operating costs are a fundamental consideration for commercial vehicle users. Reducing operating costs was therefore a major consideration in the design of the new Expert van.

To ensure that the vehicle has the lowest possible operating costs and insurance group, work was initially carried out to reduce repair costs following a collision – increasing the structural strength of the vehicle – and secondly to reduce fuel consumption and increase the intervals between routine maintenance services.

The vehicle’s 'architecture' has been designed to take into account the changes to the front-end crash testing which is now at a more demanding 10° offset. Individual components have also been redesigned to either withstand harder impacts or to be more easily replaced.

For example, the headlamps are now equipped with special brackets which “snap off ” in a collision at less than 15 km/h, protecting the headlamp and avoiding the need for a full replacement.

In terms of security, measures aimed at (for example) protecting the engine ECU against theft have resulted in the Peugeot Expert van being awarded full marks (five stars) in the British NCSR classification, regarding theft of the vehicle.

Still with reducing user costs in mind, the maintenance service intervals are at 15,000 km under normal vehicle usage. This has been achieved thanks to the strengthening of certain power train components.

A Simple Commercial Range

All Versions - Standard Equipment Includes
• 16” steel wheels
• Electric front windows
• ABS and EBA
• Driver airbag
• Selective cab/load area central locking
• Alarm
• Park Assist
• Bluetooth
• Asymmetric steel rear 180 degree opening doors
• Radio/MP3 compatible CD player with remote controls
• Power steering
• Driver’s ladder frame protector
• Steel cargo stop
• Height adjustable driver’s seat
• Passenger seat with armrest and fold down back with cup holders
• Overhead driver and passenger storage
• Electric heated and folding door mirrors
• 3 Button plip remote control with central locking
• Lidded glove box and removable ashtray
• Cruise Control and Speed Limiter
• Automatic door locking
• Trip computer
• Twin panel sliding doors

Running Costs

Vehicle running costs are an important factor to businesses and self employed people. This is also a major consideration when choosing a vehicle.

To help lower running costs, the new Peugeot Expert offers the concept of extended servicing. This consists of not linking the replacement of particular parts to the oil change intervals. As a result, the service life of certain parts such as the air filter, pollen filter, spark plugs, diesel filter, brake pads, etc has been extended.

Servicing

All Models Intervals
Minor Service (oil and filter) 15,000 km
Major Service 45,000 km

Peugeot Three Years of Warranty

All Peugeot vans benefit from a Three-Year/100,000 km manufacturer’s warranty. A six-year anti-perforation warranty, a three year paint warranty and three years Peugeot Assistance cover are also provided.

Available colours

The new Peugeot Expert van is available in five standard colours:
• Ardent Red
• Clipper Blue
• Onyx Black
• Bianca White
• Dragoon Blue
and two optional metallic colours:
• Aluminium
• Iron Grey

Prices (RRP)

Version	GVW kg	Payload kg	Load Volume	Price (RRP)
SWB 2.0 litre HDi 88 kW	2,902	1,188	5.0 m3	$36,990
LWB 2.0 litre HDi 88 kW	2,932	1,188	6.0 m3	$38,490
Professional LWB 2.0 litre HDi 100 kW	2,946	1,188	6.0 m3	$41,590

Options

Metallic Paint $790
Paneled Cabin Protection $340
ESP $450
Passenger airbag $360