BRITISH fleet drivers are to get their own version of a new king-size estate car from Citroen. After negotiating special LX derivatives of the C5 saloon to be launched next month, Citroen UK executives have also now secured supplies of a unique-to-Britain version of the load-carrier model revealed at the Geneva Motor Show.

A spokesman told Fleet NewsNet: 'We will be introducing the C5 estate in LX trim with the 1.8-litre petrol engine that has been agreed for the UK saloon range. It has the potential to prove a popular fleet choice at our intended starting price of less than £16,000.'

With bootspace of 563 litres, the new Citroen has been designed to be the biggest cargo-carrier in its class. The height of the car is reduced automatically at speed to aid aerodynamics and over poor road surfaces, ground clearance can be raised to prevent body damage.

Like the saloon on which it is based, the estate will be offered with a choice of 2.0- and 3.0-litre petrol engines in addition to the UK-specification 1.8-litre unit. Two-litre turbodiesel engines with different power outputs will also be on offer, along with the latest 2.2-litre HDi unit featuring the PSA group's PF particulate filter trap system as seen on the Peugeot 607.