We had the feeling Mercedes-Benz won't be interested in launching a second generation of the overpriced Citan commercial vehicle but an official announcement from August last year confirmed the automaker's plans to continue the model's existence for another generation. In March this year, we got our first glimpse at the new LCV through a set of snowy spy photos and today we can share new shots taken by our photographers somewhere in Germany.
Unfortunately, it's hard to say these new prototypes give us more information about the design of the overhauled Citan. The test cars are still featuring a full-body attire but you don't have to be a car guru to tell the LCV will be very similar to the new Renault Kangoo and Dacia Dokker in its shape. As a side note, Mercedes is still using S-P-Y registration plates for the Citan trial cars.
The automaker already promised the new Citan will "clearly be recognizable as a Mercedes-Benz at first glance" and it'll be very interesting to see how this will translate into the actual design of the vehicle. The manufacturer will have the chance to finally address criticism from media representatives and customers that the Citan doesn't justify its high price tag as it looks and feels pretty much the same as the Kangoo and Dokker.
The Citan, Kangoo, and Dokker will all move to a new platform, which will allow for electrified powertrains to be used. More importantly, the German model, together with the Kangoo, were both confirmed to get purely electric powertrains at some point during their respective lifecycles.
At launch, we expect the Citan to be offered with the latest version of Renault's 1.5-liter dCi diesel engine, which is currently available with 80 horsepower (59 kilowatts), 95 hp (70 kW), or 116 hp (85 kW). We expect the 1.3-liter turbo gas engine, developed cooperatively between Daimler and Renault, to be offered as well.
The new Citan should arrive before the year's when - but we don't know exactly when. It's probably a safe bet that we'll see it towards the end of the year with sales starting in early 2021.
