Citroen Berlingo Multispace (GTI-6) The Ultimate Sleeper?!
Discussion
Hi everyone,
I’ve been a long time reader of PistonHeads, but thought I’d finally sign up and post some details of a slightly unusual project I’ve been working on. Sorry in advance for such a long post, but wanted to tell the full story of how this project came about.
As you’ve probably guessed from the title, its a Citroen Berlingo with a Peugeot 306 GTI conversion. I’ve always loved the idea of sleepers (or Q cars) - something that looks very unsuspecting, but goes completely differently to how someone would expect.
As a bit of a back story, my friend used to own a Peugeot 306 GTI. Around 7 years ago this unfortunately got broken into and crashed. Due to the crash damage and ever increasing tin worm, he decided to scrap the body shell, but kept the engine, looms, running gear and suspension components. We had joked around for years about what silly things we could do with the parts and often brought up putting it into a Berlingo (simply based off knowing the engine mounts were the same).
Fast forward to September last year and we decided it was time the parts stopped gathering dust and went to use. That evening I searched my local Gumtree and came across a beautiful, totally standard, Citroen Berlingo Multispace in Sky Blue. This colour, combined with its various scrapes and dents, was the exact uncared for runabout look we wanted - the perfect base for building a sleeper.
We picked up the Berlingo only a couple of roads away from us for next to nothing since its clutch had gone. This was ideal since we knew the engine would be coming straight out.
After some very long nights in the garage, we had the 306 engine, gearbox, suspension and loom in place, and the Berlingo was drivable within the week. This first drive was probably the most fun I’ve ever had from any car - I had a permanent smile on my face! Since then we’ve continued developing various aspects and this takes it up to today’s spec listed below:
Hope you guys like it, its not to everyone’s taste and a lot of people don’t understand the point of it. But to me personally I just love the idea of having a completely standard looking car that’s all go, with no show!
Future developments are supercharging (which we’re currently gathering parts for), upgraded diff and further weight reduction…
And just in case anyone’s wondering, all the modifications are fully declared to insurance and relevant changes registered with the DVLA.
Look forward to your comments!
I’ve been a long time reader of PistonHeads, but thought I’d finally sign up and post some details of a slightly unusual project I’ve been working on. Sorry in advance for such a long post, but wanted to tell the full story of how this project came about.
As you’ve probably guessed from the title, its a Citroen Berlingo with a Peugeot 306 GTI conversion. I’ve always loved the idea of sleepers (or Q cars) - something that looks very unsuspecting, but goes completely differently to how someone would expect.
As a bit of a back story, my friend used to own a Peugeot 306 GTI. Around 7 years ago this unfortunately got broken into and crashed. Due to the crash damage and ever increasing tin worm, he decided to scrap the body shell, but kept the engine, looms, running gear and suspension components. We had joked around for years about what silly things we could do with the parts and often brought up putting it into a Berlingo (simply based off knowing the engine mounts were the same).
Fast forward to September last year and we decided it was time the parts stopped gathering dust and went to use. That evening I searched my local Gumtree and came across a beautiful, totally standard, Citroen Berlingo Multispace in Sky Blue. This colour, combined with its various scrapes and dents, was the exact uncared for runabout look we wanted - the perfect base for building a sleeper.
We picked up the Berlingo only a couple of roads away from us for next to nothing since its clutch had gone. This was ideal since we knew the engine would be coming straight out.
After some very long nights in the garage, we had the 306 engine, gearbox, suspension and loom in place, and the Berlingo was drivable within the week. This first drive was probably the most fun I’ve ever had from any car - I had a permanent smile on my face! Since then we’ve continued developing various aspects and this takes it up to today’s spec listed below:
- XU10J4RS 2.0 306 GTI Engine producing 180BHP (dynoed by K-Tec Racing)
- 306 GTI 6 Speed Close Ratio Gearbox with Steel Billet Lightweight Flywheel, Lightweight Crank Pulley, BakerBM Grp.N Engine Mounts, Uprated Gear Linkages & Quick Shift.
- Cone Filter, Sports Cat, Berlingo 2.0 HDI Standard Cat Back Exhaust
- Bilstein B8 Front Shock Absorbers, 50mm Front Lowering Springs, Rear Torsion Bar Suspension Lowered To Suit, OMP Upper & Lower Strut Braces, 306 GTI Subframe, 306 GTI Suspension Arms, 306 GTI Anti Roll Bar
- 306 GTI Steering Rack, Power Steering Delete
- 306 GTI Front Callipers with 283MM EBC Slotted & Drilled Disks, ABS Delete with Berlingo 2.0 HDI Master Cylinder
- Citroen C5 15" 6J Aluminium (steel lookalike modified with extra vents) Wheels, 20mm Hubcentric Spacers, Michelin Pilot Sport 3 Tyres (195/50/15)
- Stripped Interior, Minimised Wiring Loom, OMP Bucket Seat, Rear Seats Removed, Sliding Door Mechanisms & Sliders Removed, Window Tints, Air Bag System Removed, Central Locking Removed, Alarm Removed, Rear Wiper Removed, No Audio Equipment, Relocated Lightweight Battery, Interior Resprayed Satin Black.
Hope you guys like it, its not to everyone’s taste and a lot of people don’t understand the point of it. But to me personally I just love the idea of having a completely standard looking car that’s all go, with no show!
Future developments are supercharging (which we’re currently gathering parts for), upgraded diff and further weight reduction…
And just in case anyone’s wondering, all the modifications are fully declared to insurance and relevant changes registered with the DVLA.
Look forward to your comments!
Thanks for the positive comments! It is a surprisingly good drive and handles far better than we ever thought it would, it really is like just driving a longer wheelbase GTI! I’ll try and dig out a video of it on the rollers 
We intend to take it to some hill climbing events in the near future.
We intend to take it to some hill climbing events in the near future.Thanks for the great comments. A couple of you asked for a video, so took advantage of the nice weather today and got a quick one of it driving. Still searching for the one of it on the dyno.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkyAO7TjCpQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkyAO7TjCpQ
Hi everyone,
Got some exciting updates... as promised, the Berlingo is now supercharged!
It's running a high boost setup with a rotrex supercharger and forged engine internals. We've also made many other changes across the car, too many to list really, but the main ones worth noting are adjustments to the suspension setup, 6-pot brakes, limited slip diff, paddle clutch, uprated gearbox and custom exhaust system.
We're now running ~ 400BHP with a kerb weight of 1020KG giving us around 392BHP/ton. It sure does shift!!!
Here are some pics...
Engine bay with supercharger conversion
Interior with lowered seats, lowered steering column, and gauge pods
2.5" stainless exhaust system with downward tip, sprayed matt black for maximum sleeper look
Matt black FMIC, engine oil & supercharger coolers hidden behind the bumper
Managed to squeeze the brakes under our C5 alloy wheels, complete with our tired looking wheel trims
Matt black exhaust, who would know?
Got some exciting updates... as promised, the Berlingo is now supercharged!
It's running a high boost setup with a rotrex supercharger and forged engine internals. We've also made many other changes across the car, too many to list really, but the main ones worth noting are adjustments to the suspension setup, 6-pot brakes, limited slip diff, paddle clutch, uprated gearbox and custom exhaust system.
We're now running ~ 400BHP with a kerb weight of 1020KG giving us around 392BHP/ton. It sure does shift!!!
Here are some pics...
Engine bay with supercharger conversion
Interior with lowered seats, lowered steering column, and gauge pods
2.5" stainless exhaust system with downward tip, sprayed matt black for maximum sleeper look
Matt black FMIC, engine oil & supercharger coolers hidden behind the bumper
Managed to squeeze the brakes under our C5 alloy wheels, complete with our tired looking wheel trims
Matt black exhaust, who would know?
Hi everyone,
Thanks for the great feedback!
To address some of the questions people have asked... the airbag system is fully removed including all electronics, looms, and any references to them. We did this due to running harnesses meaning removal of the pretensioners and also running an aftermarket steering wheel with no space for an airbag. With regards to the MOT it’s my understanding that so long as the entire system is fully removed, there’s nothing there to be tested.
With regards to the rear door slider mechanisms being removed, we’ve registered the car with the DVLA as being a 2 seater, therefore to my knowledge access to the rear is no longer a requirement. The doors can still be opened from the inside if required but this is quite a process as they’re secured firmly in place.
The dashboard modifications were only ever temporary due to needing to lower the dials and steering wheel. We will be tidying this up in due course. But at the end of the day this project is just a bit of fun. My more serious project is a full restoration of a Lancia Beta Spyder where every nut, bolt / component has been finished by either plating , powder coating etc. I’ll create a build thread on this some time as it’s been 7 years so far and still so much to do!
We plan on taking the Berlingo to Santa Pod and Castle Combe again soon and hope to get some videos there.
Thanks again for all the feedback. I’ll try and keep this thread updated more frequently as it’s a constant development!
Thanks for the great feedback!
To address some of the questions people have asked... the airbag system is fully removed including all electronics, looms, and any references to them. We did this due to running harnesses meaning removal of the pretensioners and also running an aftermarket steering wheel with no space for an airbag. With regards to the MOT it’s my understanding that so long as the entire system is fully removed, there’s nothing there to be tested.
With regards to the rear door slider mechanisms being removed, we’ve registered the car with the DVLA as being a 2 seater, therefore to my knowledge access to the rear is no longer a requirement. The doors can still be opened from the inside if required but this is quite a process as they’re secured firmly in place.
The dashboard modifications were only ever temporary due to needing to lower the dials and steering wheel. We will be tidying this up in due course. But at the end of the day this project is just a bit of fun. My more serious project is a full restoration of a Lancia Beta Spyder where every nut, bolt / component has been finished by either plating , powder coating etc. I’ll create a build thread on this some time as it’s been 7 years so far and still so much to do!
We plan on taking the Berlingo to Santa Pod and Castle Combe again soon and hope to get some videos there.
Thanks again for all the feedback. I’ll try and keep this thread updated more frequently as it’s a constant development!
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