Dangel

Dangel, also known as Automobiles Dangel, is a French specialist automobile company based in Sentheim in Alsace. It is associated with the engineering and production of four-wheel-drive conversions for light commercial vehicles and related utility vehicles, particularly models produced by Peugeot and Citroën. Rather than operating as a conventional mass-market vehicle manufacturer, Dangel works as a specialist converter, adapting existing front-wheel-drive or two-wheel-drive platforms for customers requiring greater traction, increased ground clearance, and improved performance on difficult roads or work sites. The company began as a producer of competition cars in the late 1960s. Its later move into four-wheel-drive conversions developed with direct assistance from Peugeot engineers. The first conversion identified in the available reference material was based on the Peugeot 504, a model offered in pick-up and station-wagon forms. This established the company's long-running relationship with French vehicle manufacturers and its focus on modifying established commercial and passenger-utility platforms rather than developing complete vehicles from the ground up. Over time, Dangel expanded its conversion work across several Peugeot and Citroën vehicles. Formerly modified models included the Peugeot 504 pick-up and station wagon, the Peugeot 505 station wagon, the Citroën C15, and the Citroën C25. The company later developed conversions for newer compact vans, medium vans, and large vans. Its listed four-wheel-drive range has included the Citroën Berlingo, Jumpy, and Jumper; the Fiat Ducato and Scudo; and the Peugeot Boxer, Expert, and Partner. Dangel has also offered a two-wheel-drive conversion package called Trek 2WD for the Peugeot Bipper and Citroën Nemo equipped with the 1.3 HDi 75 hp engine. This package is described as including a 200-millimetre chassis lift, an engine skid plate, and a limited-slip differential. The offering illustrates that Dangel's specialization is broader than simply adding driven axles: its conversions can also emphasize clearance, underbody protection, and traction management while retaining a two-wheel-drive layout. The company's customers and use cases are associated with commercial transport, rural or rough-road work, public-service applications, and other situations in which standard vans may require additional traction or clearance. The available reference material states that Dangel had converted more than 22,000 vehicles, although no date or independently documented source context is provided for that figure. Dangel's historical importance therefore lies in its role as a specialist engineering partner and vehicle converter within the French and European light-commercial-vehicle ecosystem, especially through its long association with Peugeot and Citroën platforms.

Dangel's origins are described as dating to the late 1960s, when the company operated as a producer of competition cars. Its later business developed around the conversion of standard production vehicles for enhanced traction and utility. The company created its first four-wheel-drive conversion from the Peugeot 504, with development assistance from Peugeot engineers. This collaboration helped establish a technical relationship with one of France's major vehicle manufacturers and gave Dangel a platform for specializing in conversions rather than manufacturing complete vehicles independently. The Peugeot 504 conversion was followed by work on other established French utility and passenger vehicles. Historical conversion programs included the Peugeot 504 pick-up and station wagon, the Peugeot 505 station wagon, the Citroën C15, and the Citroën C25. These programs positioned Dangel in a niche between vehicle production and aftermarket engineering: the underlying vehicle was supplied by a major manufacturer, while Dangel adapted the drivetrain and chassis-related systems for customers needing capabilities beyond the standard configuration. Dangel subsequently expanded its work to newer generations of light commercial vehicles. The company's listed current or later programs included four-wheel-drive versions of the Citroën Berlingo, Jumpy, and Jumper; the Fiat Ducato and Scudo; and the Peugeot Boxer, Expert, and Partner. The breadth of this list shows an emphasis on vans across several size classes, from compact vehicles to large commercial platforms. It also reflects Dangel's continued participation in a manufacturer-based ecosystem rather than dependence on a single model or marque. In addition to four-wheel-drive systems, Dangel offered the Trek 2WD version for the Peugeot Bipper and Citroën Nemo with the 1.3 HDi 75 hp engine. The package was described as providing a 200-millimetre chassis lift, an engine skid plate, and a limited-slip differential. This approach extended the company's specialization into lower-complexity conversions that targeted clearance and traction without converting the vehicle to four-wheel drive. The available reference material reports that Dangel converted more than 22,000 vehicles. Because the material does not give a date for that total, the figure should be treated as an undated historical claim rather than a current production statistic. No reliable information is provided here on the company's ownership structure, leadership, revenue, listing status, or present production volume. The documented history nevertheless establishes Dangel as a long-running French specialist in four-wheel-drive and utility-vehicle conversions, with roots in competition cars and a sustained relationship with Peugeot, Citroën, and other commercial-vehicle platforms.

• 1980

  Four-wheel-drive conversion activity begins

  [1]Dangelen.wikipedia.org

  Dangel began producing four-wheel-drive versions of Peugeot and Citroën vehicles. Its first conversion was based on the Peugeot 504, developed with assistance from Peugeot engineers.

• Origins in competition cars

  [1]Dangelen.wikipedia.org

  Dangel began as a producer of competition cars before developing its specialist vehicle-conversion business.

Specialist engineering and vehicle-conversion brand focused on improving traction, ground clearance, and off-road capability for commercial and utility vehicles.

• Four-wheel-drive vehicle conversions · 1980

  Dangel 4x4 conversions

  Dangel's core offering is the conversion of selected Peugeot, Citroën, and Fiat vehicles into four-wheel-drive utility vehicles. The program has covered compact, medium, and large vans, including the Citroën Berlingo, Jumpy, and Jumper; Fiat Ducato and Scudo; and Peugeot Boxer, Expert, and Partner. These conversions are intended to provide additional traction and utility for commercial, rural, and difficult-road applications while retaining the base vehicle's van-oriented configuration.

• Two-wheel-drive utility conversion

  Trek 2WD

  Trek 2WD is a Dangel conversion offered for the Peugeot Bipper and Citroën Nemo with the 1.3 HDi 75 hp engine. Unlike the company's four-wheel-drive conversions, this version retains a two-wheel-drive layout while adding a 200-millimetre chassis lift, an engine skid plate, and a limited-slip differential. The package is designed to improve ground clearance, underbody protection, and traction in demanding working conditions.

• Historical four-wheel-drive conversion · 1980

  Peugeot 504 conversions

  A historical Dangel conversion program based on the Peugeot 504, including pick-up and station-wagon versions. It was the company's first identified four-wheel-drive conversion and helped establish its relationship with Peugeot.

1. 1Dangelen.wikipedia.org