Peugeot Expert Sport Edition Has More Kit, But No Extra Punch

Peugeot has revealed for the U.K. market a new high-spec version of its Expert van that offers extra kit and sportier looks than the standard vehicle.

Dubbed the Sport Edition, the newcomer gets a host of visual tweaks designed to mark it out from the rest of the range, including sporty stickers and bigger wheels.

The new vehicle, which sits above the Asphalt model in the Expert range, features 17-inch "Black Phoenix" alloy wheels and black-and-blue decals down the side and rear of the vehicle.

Inside, the van gets dual-zone automatic air conditioning, while customers will also get a choice of three colors: Cumulus Grey, Bianca White, and Nera Black. They won't, however, get a choice of sizes, as you might with other versions of the Expert. Instead, the Sport Edition is offered solely with the "standard" wheelbase.

You do, though, get a choice of body styles. The standard guise is the "Panel Van" model, which comes with a 5.3-cubic-meter (187-cubic-feet) load bay and a maximum payload of 1,458 kilograms (3,214 pounds). However, customers will also be able to opt for a "Crew Van" version that swaps some of that space for a second-row, three-seat bench behind the driver and front passenger. Even with that extra seating, mind you, there’s still a respectable 3.2 cubic meters (113 cu ft) of load space and a 1,308 kg (2,883 lbs) payload.

However, both vehicles are already available to order, and the Panel Van is the cheaper of the two options, with prices starting at £36,392 (about $47,164) including VAT. The Crew Van is significantly more expensive, coming in at £41,216 ($53,415).

Next year, though, there will be two more models joining the Sport Edition range, in the shape of the Panel Van Sport Edition BlueHDi 180 1200 and Crew Van Sport Edition BlueHDi 180 1200. Both are already available to order, with prices starting at £40,592 ($52,607) and £44,096 ($57,148) respectively, and both come with an even more powerful 2-liter BlueHDi diesel engine. The unit in question is a 174-hp motor that's combined with Peugeot's EAT8 eight-speed automatic transmission as standard.

"Our van customers are just as style conscious as our car buyers and expect all the comfort features they will find in the Peugeot car range," said David Peel, the managing director of Peugeot UK. "The new Expert Sport Edition range is available to order now and is destined to be a hot favorite with our van customers."