1999 - Espera Pontarlier

Citroën Berlingo Flânerie - 1999

The Citroën Berlingo seems to be a great inspiration to Sbarro and his students. After the Berlingo Grand Angle in 1997 and the Berlingo Calao in 1998, the Espera Pontarlie students present the Berlingo Flânerie.

Transporting nine people at a leisurely pace: that's the brief for this Berlingo (Leclere photo)

Strolling through the show

The basic idea came from Citroën marketing manager Marc Chatrieux, who wanted a minibus that could be used as a shuttle in well-defined areas, such as a city center or the Geneva Motor Show, as indicated by the "visit the show" sign on the rollbar. The vehicle had to be able to travel at low speeds, around 25 km/h, and consume very little fuel. Hence the installation of an LPG system. The Berlingo Flânerie can accommodate eight people and a driver for a leisurely stroll. The project was carried out under the guidance of former student Jean Guy Crespo.
A massive back panel conceals a door tilting mechanism to allow access for two wheelchairs (Leclere photo). 

Unprecedented bodywork

The Berlingo Flânerie reminds me of the coaches of the 1930s, with its large rear overhang. However, the similarity with coaches ends rather quickly. There's no protection here: no doors, no side windows, just a glass roof. Only the front end of the Berlingo is unchanged. Everything else is new. As usual, the new body is made of polyester and fiberglass. The nine blue fabric seats resemble camping chairs and are designed to take up as little space as possible.

Huge rear overhang to accommodate nine people on board (photo by Leclere)

Access for disabled persons

The design of the rear end, massive and ungraceful, was dictated by the idea of including a mechanism for the trunk door to swing open and allow two wheelchairs on board. In this case, the number of seats increases to six.
The Berlingo Flânerie was sold at auction in 2017 for €10640.
In brief
1- Official order from Citroën to Sbarro and Espera Pontarlier
2- Vehicle for touring
3- Designed for eight passengers
  • Four-cylinder LPG engine
  • Front engine
  • Front-wheel drive
  • Length 5.11 m