An obscure chapter of French automotive history has re-emerged with the sale of a 1990 Heuliez VLH 4×4, a little-known utility vehicle produced in extremely limited numbers for government service.
The Heuliez VLH was never offered to private buyers. Instead, it was developed primarily for state use, serving organizations such as the Gendarmerie nationale, French firefighters, the Army, and the Direction Départementale de l’Équipement. Built in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the VLH remained largely confined to France, contributing to its low profile even among dedicated European off-road enthusiasts.
Though badged as a Heuliez, the VLH’s roots trace back decades earlier. Its mechanical lineage begins with the Cournil 4×4, a rugged utility vehicle first developed in central France in 1960 as a domestic alternative to the Willys Jeep. In 1977, Portuguese manufacturer UMM acquired the rights to produce and modernize the design for markets outside France. That evolution became the UMM Alter, introduced in 1980.
By the late 1980s, Heuliez entered into a production agreement to create a French-market variant powered by a Peugeot Indénor XD3P 2.5-liter diesel engine. The resulting VLH retained the Alter’s body-on-chassis construction, live axles with leaf springs, and dual-range transfer case. Output was rated at 76 horsepower, paired with a five-speed manual transmission and selectable four-wheel drive with locking hubs. Top speed was listed at 120 km/h, underscoring its focus on field service rather than highway performance.
Production was exceptionally small, with reports indicating that roughly twenty units were converted by Heuliez. Most featured canvas tops, folding windscreens, sliding side windows, and sparse interiors configured for patrol or cargo use.
The example now offered for sale in Aquitaine is an ex-Gendarmerie vehicle with matching serial numbers and current registration. It has undergone professional refurbishment, including renewed bodywork and paint, an overhauled injection pump, replacement fuel tank, and a fully refreshed braking system.
With so few built and even fewer surviving, the Heuliez VLH 4×4 stands as a rare reminder of a time when French manufacturers quietly developed purpose-built machines for state service, far from the commercial spotlight.
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