Laika Kreos

@BoleroBoy ...  the Panorama hasnt been made for a while, in the main due to the vast (potential replacement) expense of its USP.....that enormous windscreen.

I guess that's the one I saw at Manchester a few years back on the EmmBee stand. I was in their shop a little while after and mentioned this particular £100k MH .... he reckoned the screen for it was £10 000! 😲😲😲😲

fab concept....A-class vans have 'panoramic' views anyway (driving and lounging) but Burstner wanted to take things a stage further...terrific concept but mightily expensive to implement and replace if problems.

the Kreos has a 'distinctive' A class cab, which gives it a bit of individuality. i would have though anyone buying one would be happy with it, Fiat base included.

Our exact Hymer MH is also available with a Mercedes engine. Although if we had gone for it, not only would we have had to wait a considerable time, as there was not one available. It’s extra weight would have meant it was not practical to run at 3.5 tonnes, which I wanted. Oh it was 10 / 12K more expensive.

Steve, thats interesting. I thought Hymer had developed a special 'superlight' lightweight chassis (SLC?) to work with the latest Merc...

im not sure of the Sevel 'contractual arrangements' between Fiat and PSA, but it seems you still cant get the latest 9-speeder on Citröen Jumper/Relay nor on a Peugeot Boxer.

i dont know if its 'corporate/policy/marketing/political' thats the issue or just that it only fits the Fiat engine not the PSA ones.

In Steve's example I would have paid the extra for the Merc, although the weight issue would need consideration. 

The TC auto box is only available on the Fiat and that's the only reason I have a Fiat. I suspect it is a commercial decision as, within the vehicle range as a whole, there are some smaller vans and van derived cars where auto can only be had on Peugeot/Citroën and not Fiat. It's as if there is an attempt to spread business across the brands. Whether this will continue in future is anyone's guess.

When we had our Boxer it had the 2.2 Ford derived engine (made in Dagenham),   as did the Citroen ,but the .Fiat base was never fitted with it, they always fitted their own engines when the Fiat build was on the line

There is one very big  diference I have found with vehicles on both the Ford and Merc chassis ,it is a much more pliant ride not as hard as sevel based LVs

I have driven all three base vehicles under LV conversations 

Things have moved on a lot since back then. Fiat and PSA have now merged. 

Yes they no longer fit good  Ford engines 

I don't really care, tbh🤷‍♂️