The Fiat Scudo was Fiat’s version of the light commercial van jointly developed by FCA Italy and the PSA Group and sold as the Citroën Jumpy or Dispatch, the Peugeot Expert, the Opel Vivaro and the Toyota ProAce. The vans were built by Sevel, the joint venture created in 1994 by the two companies, and the Scudo replaced the first generation of the Fiat Talento.
Fiat Scudo at a glance
| Production | 1996–2012 |
|---|---|
| Joint venture | Sevel, created in 1994 |
| Sister models | Citroën Jumpy/Dispatch, Peugeot Expert, later Opel Vivaro and Toyota ProAce |
| Fiat launch | February 1996 (Citroën June 1994, Peugeot July 1995) |
| Replaced | first-generation Fiat Talento |
| Facelift | 2004, new front end and combined headlamps |
| Second generation | from late 2006, on sale from January 2007 |
| Second facelift | February 2012 |
| Discontinued | summer 2012 |
| Successor | Fiat Talento based on the Renault Trafic |
The English Wikipedia article covers the shared Sevel van range; only Scudo-specific material was used.
History of the Fiat Scudo
First generation, from 1996
Citroën released the first-generation van in June 1994, calling it Dispatch in English-speaking markets. Peugeot and Fiat followed with their rebadged models in July 1995 and February 1996 respectively. The vans differ little technically and visually, an example of badge engineering. They share mechanicals and body structure with the Sevel Nord Eurovans minivans: the Citroën Evasion or Synergie, the Fiat Ulysse, the Lancia Zeta and the Peugeot 806. The engines differed across the models, with Fiat fitting its own units, distinct from those of Citroën and Peugeot.
Facelift of 2004
The Scudo was facelifted in 2004, with most of the front end changed, including the bumper and bonnet; for the first time the headlamps were combined with the indicators rather than being a separate set of lights.
Second generation, 2007
The second generation offered more cargo space and more body styles than the first. It was launched in November 2006, with deliveries starting in the main markets in January 2007, and the Citroën version was offered in 90, 120 and 136 bhp forms with a choice of four diesel engines or one petrol engine. The Peugeot Expert II arrived in January 2007 with the addition of a people carrier model, the Tepee. The model received a slight facelift in February 2012 that changed the grille and front bumper, and the Fiat Scudo was discontinued in the summer of 2012. The PSA and Fiat joint venture ended in March 2016.
After the Scudo
In May 2016 the Scudo was replaced by a second generation of the Fiat Talento, a rebadged Renault Trafic. From the 2019 model year the same van was also rebadged as the Opel and Vauxhall Vivaro, and from the 2022 model year it appeared again as the Fiat Scudo, replacing the Talento that had been based on the Renault Trafic from 2016 to 2020. In January 2022 Stellantis stopped selling the combustion-engined versions of its passenger vans in Europe, except in Switzerland and the Balkan countries, to reduce average CO2 emissions under the EU’s CAFE rules, leaving the passenger versions as electric or hydrogen models only; panel vans were not affected.
Design and features
- Badge engineering: one van sold as Citroën, Peugeot, Fiat, Opel and Toyota.
- Sevel joint venture: the factory arrangement set up in 1994 between Fiat and PSA.
- Fiat engines: the Scudo used Fiat power units rather than the PSA ones.
- Eurovan links: the same structure as the Ulysse, Evasion, Zeta and 806 minivans.
- 2004 facelift: the first version with headlamps and indicators in one unit.
Fiat Scudo versions
- Scudo, first generation: from February 1996, facelifted in 2004.
- Scudo, second generation: launched late 2006, on sale from January 2007, facelifted in 2012.
- Scudo Combinato: a version listed with its own engine choice in the range.
- Scudo, 2022 onwards: the name revived on the Stellantis van platform.
The Scudo shared its structure with the Fiat Ulysse and was replaced by the Fiat Talento. More vehicles are in the Fiat collection.
Sources
- Citroën Jumpy, English Wikipedia: Sevel programme, Scudo launch, both generations, facelifts and successor
