- Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Citroën, Luxury
Citroën SM - click above for high-res image gallery
Well now, this is exciting. The iconic Citroën SM turns forty years old today. First introduced at the Geneva Motor Show on March 11, 1970, the SM was incredibly advanced for its time. In fact, there are those who would argue that it's still way ahead of the curve.
A couple of basics, if you will. SM stands for Sports Maserati (though some argue it stands for Sa Majesté in reference to the DS - i.e. Goddess, i.e. La déesse'). While probably not the wisest financial decision of all time, Citroën purchased Maserati in 1968. As such, they were able to use the new 90-degree V6 Maserati had developed. Essentially a V8 with two-cylinders lopped off, the SM's V6 (also shared with the Maserati Merak) is one of the most fantastically complex engines ever conceived. How does three timing chains strike you?
But the SM was much more than a powerful (for the time) engine in a sleek and sexy, Robert Opron designed aircraft grade aluminum body. The SM featured the world's first variable-assist power steering system (known as DIRAVI) which is so insanely complicated that we can't even begin to describe it to you (it involves heart shaped cams). Also, the SM featured one-turn to lock. Needless to say, the DIRAVI was tied into the SM's oleopneumatic system. What's oleopneumatic? A fancy French way of saying an oil-based hydropneumatic system.
Besides the steering the suspension, headlights, brakes and transmission were all run off the SM's hydraulic system. Headlights? Yup. The SM featured six headlights behind a beautiful glass cover, two of which turned with the steering wheel, and six could pivot up and down depending on rear ride height. In other words, if the rear of the car was loaded down, the lights would automatically adjust to point straight ahead so as not to blind oncoming motorists.
Back in 1970, not only was the SM the fastest front-wheel drive car in the world (the factory claimed 137 mph, but many took the cars up to 145 mph), it had the shortest stopping distance of any car, period. Credit the dual-channel hydro-brakes and the fact that the front rotors are inboard. In fact, rumor has it that until the Porsche 959 showed its face in 1986, the SM was the production deceleration king. One last little tidbit. As far as we know, the Citroën SM is the only car ever designed specifically to seat two men up front and two women in the back. Amazing, no? Happy birthday SM! Maybe in another forty years the world will be ready to embrace you. Read the press release after the jump.
[Source: Citroën]Continue reading Happy Birthday Your Majesty: Citroën SM turns 40
Happy Birthday Your Majesty: Citroën SM turns 40 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Coupe, Europe, Citroën, Specialty, Design/Style
GQbyCITROËN Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
GQ, the UK's leading monthly men's magazine, certainly knows a thing or two about the fashionable gentleman. And judging by the GQbyCITROËN concept, the fashionable fellas know a few things about svelte car design, as well. The GQbyCITROËN concept is a collaboration between Dylan Jones, GQ's editor, and Mark Lloyd, a British designer who is most recently credited for the new Citroën DS3. We must say, we're very attracted to it. Makes sense, then, that GQ and Citroën are branding this concept as "the ultimate gentleman's drive."
The GQbyCITROËN rides on the values of the classic GT theme, and designer Lloyd thought a proper grand tourer was much more suited to the GQ style, saying:
For me, the car that has always represented the pinnacle of automotive excellence and refinement is the GT - the Grand Tourer. It is not the all-out sports car, rather it is something gentlemanly, it has performance and it is for traveling, not racing. We wanted to create something that, like GQ, was aspirational, but also retained the classic automotive ideals. We didn't want a car for the mass market. We wanted a car for GQ.
The cabin, accessed by rear-hinged coach doors, features a futuristic yet stylish cabin, with detailing and upholstery selected by Patrick Grant, the creative director for E. Tautz, a men's tailor found in the prestigious Savile Row in London.
Because the GQbyCITROËN is purely a concept car, mechanical details are slim, but Citroën says that the car is powered by both a plug-in hybrid system as well as a 1.6-liter inline-four with direct injection, which achieves a 0-60 time of just 4.5 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph (electronically limited, of course). Seems a bit far-fetched, but no matter, because we doubt a production version will ever see the light of day.
The GQbyCITROËN makes its official debut in the April issue of GQ, released on March 4th. Pick up a copy on your local newsstand, or simply scroll through our attached gallery to see high-res shots of this sleek new concept.
[Source: Citroën]Continue reading French Centerfold: Citroën teams up with GQ and Savile Row tailors for new concept
French Centerfold: Citroën teams up with GQ and Savile Row tailors for new concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Crossover, Citroën
Citroen DS High Rider - Click above for high-res image gallery
The French can do style. But their automakers don't do much in the premium market this side of the Veyron. Citroen, however, is bent on bridging that divide with its new DS range.
Reviving the iconic nameplate, the DS line kicked off right here last year with the DS Inside concept. The production version, dubbed DS3, has since hit the market - overseas, anyway - but that's only the first chapter in the saga. Up next is the DS4, and this is the concept that shows the way. Called the DS High Rider, the show car is based on the C4 hatchback but transformed into a premium three-door crossover.
Along with the DS3 Racing and the Survolt concept, Citroen took the wraps off the DS High Rider here at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, highlighting that the French automaker is one of only six that has participated in every edition of the exposition over the course of its 80-year history. It's an intriguing concept, but don't take our word for it: Have a look for yourself in the gallery of live shots below and the studio shots below that.
Photos by Noah Joseph / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.Geneva 2010: Citroen DS High Rider rides in on its high horse originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Hatchback, Citroën
Citroen DS3 Racing - Click above for high-res image gallery
For those who may have yet to notice, Citroen's been dominating the World Rally Championship for the better part of a decade now. But notwithstanding the odd special edition C4 or Xsara, the French automaker hasn't capitalized on its rally success in the same way as Subaru and Mitsubishi have. Soon Citroen Sport will be switching from the C4 to the new DS3 in line with the new WRC format, but they're not waiting around to see how it fares before launching a rally-inspired version for the road. And this is it.
Called the DS3 Racing, the premium hot hatch is a limited edition packed with bits and pieces garnered from its WRC dominance. That means 200 horsepower from its 1.6-liter turbo four, a 15-millimeter lower sport suspension, upgraded brakes and the requisite trim enhancements. The result may look like a jack-o-lantern with a French accent, but make no mistake about it: the Mini Cooper JCW has been put on notice.
Unfortunately, this is one of those mouth-watering machines kept from American shores, but you can take a closer look in our gallery of live shots from the Geneva show floor (where it debuted alongside the Survolt and DS High Rider concepts) by click-clicking the thumbnails below.
Photos by Noah Joseph / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.Geneva 2010: Citroen DS3 Racing is no escargot originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Citroën, Electric
Citroen Survolt Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Of all the automakers in the world - and by the world, we mean the world outside the United States - Citroen's design arguably runs the gamut more than any other's. On the one hand, you've got cheap, compact and quirky hatchbacks like the comically named Revolte concept revealed in Frankfurt half a year back. On the other, you've got the GTbyCitroen, an extreme exotic supercar concept, now slated for limited production. In between lies a gorge as big as, well, France itself. But the chevron-emblazoned automaker has bridged the divide this year in Geneva with an intriguing concept called the Survolt.
Not digging the Revolte/GT comparo? Think Bugatti Veyron meets Chevy Volt, circa "Hackers". Beneath the compact sportscar shape, splattered with more neon graphics than "Tron", lies an all-electric powertrain. Citroen's provided little in the way of details regarding the propulsion, but you can read more esoteric prose about the design in the press release after the jump. Better yet, check it out for yourself in the gallery of live shots from the Geneva show floor below, and the studio shots in the gallery below that.
Photos by Noah Joseph / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Geneva 2010: Citroen Survolt bridges the divide
Geneva 2010: Citroen Survolt bridges the divide originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Podcasts, Geneva Motor Show, Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Kia, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Citroën
Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!
Episode #167 of the Autoblog Podcast is a fine quartet of Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Paukert and Dan Roth. We breeze through the Autoblog Garage, filled with a snow-tired Camaro, a pair of Audi cabrios and a Kia Forte Koup, before hitting the news.
Audi's updated RS5, with a clear-voiced 4.2-liter V8 is up first, followed by the want-it-now BMW 5 Series Touring. We're not done with Europe yet, kicking around the Mercedes-Benz F800 and Citroën DS3 Racing before heading across La Manche to check out the Lotus Proton PHEV and then discuss Kia's Magentis renderings. Wrapping it up, we surmise what Chrysler's purported refreshes might turn out to be and talk about the overwhelming crush of Toyota recall and Congressional hearing news before taking some questions and calling it a night.
Direct fanmail to Podcast at Autoblog dot com, review the show in iTunes, fill out our survey or even leave us a voicemail on our Google Voice line 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763). Until next week, hit up Joystiq and Engadget when podcast loneliness sets in. Thanks for listening!Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #167 - Excitement builds for Geneva
Autoblog Podcast #167 - Excitement builds for Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Citroën
Citroën DS3 Racing - Click above for high-res image gallery
A year ago we got our first peak at the new Citroën DS3 in a darkened alcove off the French brand's main stand in Geneva. As Citroën prepares to start building the DS3 for the road, its tasked its racing department - the same division that's created so many WRC-winning rally cars - to create a hotter version, and the DS3 Racing is headed to the Geneva Motor Show.
Only 1,000 examples of the DS3 Racing will be built when production begins in the second half of this year. All of them will be motivated by a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four that has been extra pressurized to bump output from 156 horsepower to a full 200 hp. Getting power to the ground is always a challenge in a front-wheel drive car, so the suspension and steering have been worked over by the motorsports crew. More robust springs and dampers and a new wheel and tire package lower the car by 15 millimeters and extend the track by 30 mm. Four pot calipers on the front help to dissipate kinetic energy when the time comes to slow down the party.
Assorted carbon-finished (we're not sure if its actual carbon fiber) bits around the bumpers, wheel arches and rocker panels add to the "performance" image while the show car in Geneva will be further "enhanced" with DS3 Racing graphics. Inside, the front seats have been swapped in favor of more bolstered buckets to fully utilize the handiwork of the rally team's modifications. Given how much fun a John Cooper Works Mini can be, we expect the DS3 Racing will be equally up to the task of bombing the back-country. Full details in the press release after the jump, along with a video of the DS3 Racing in action.
[Source: Citroen]Continue reading 200-HP Citroen DS3 Racing confirmed for Geneva [w/video]
200-HP Citroen DS3 Racing confirmed for Geneva [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, China, Videos, Hummer, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Smart, Citroën, Australia, Middle East
The Autoblog Weekender - Click above to check out what you missed
This slightly belated Weekender is extra full of the week's car news, starting off with a union of cars and alcohol that only Aussies would think of putting together. In the opposite hemisphere but the same corner, reporters with China's Caixing news site take an uncharacteristically critical look at BYD and find suspect claims and institutionalized corporate cloning that has made its CEO and Warren Buffet even richer. Back on this side, Smart hasn't lost its relevance, just its place in people's minds, so it's using hot dogs to try and get its mojo back while Citroën uses John Lennon and Marilyn Monroe. And when is a model car not a model car, when does an AMG float, and where in the world do you use an H2 to tow a snowplow out of the snow? The answers are right after the jump...Continue reading Autoblog Weekender: Full-of-Questions Edition
Autoblog Weekender: Full-of-Questions Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Crossover, Citroën, Luxury
Citroën DS High Rider Concept - click above for high-res gallery
Citroën has released the dark teaser images you see above, previewing the new DS High Rider crossover concept that is expected to make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month.
The silhouette shows a high-riding GT-type body style, similar to such past Citroën show cars as the 2005 C-Sportlounge and the 2008 Hypnos. The concept is a diesel hybrid, but this being a show car, anything can happen along the road from concept to production. While the DS4 is expected to borrow its underpinnings from the C4 (like the DS3 does from the C3), the bodystyle ought to further distance the premium crossover from the mass-market hatchback.
This will be the second vehicle in the DS line from Citroën, following the DS3. When it debuts in Geneva, it is expected to be accompanied by the DS3-R (or DS3 Racing) hot hatch, while a DS2 based on the unfortunate Revolte concept is also tipped to be in the works.
*UPDATED: More images and PR information added.
[Source: Citroën]Continue reading Geneva Preview: Citroën teases DS High Rider concept *UPDATED
Geneva Preview: Citroën teases DS High Rider concept *UPDATED originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Hatchback, Citroën
Citoen DS3 Racing leaked - Click above for image gallery
Think of a road-ready rally machine, and what pops into your head? Likely the Subaru Impreza WRX STI or Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, right? Well Subaru hasn't won the World Rally Championship in seven years, Mitsubishi in eleven. In fact, neither is even trying anymore: Both have withdrawn from the championship. No, that territory is Citroen's to claim. The French automaker (with its star driver Sebastien Loeb) have been the reigning champs since 2004, but Citroen hasn't really capitalized on its gravel-drifting prowess with anything even approaching what of the WRX and Evo. Until now.
Although the current C4 Loeb has won the past three world rally championships in remains in active duty for another season - with former F1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen taking the wheel in the junior team - after that the new rally-spec DS3 (previewed in a batch of spy shots a few months ago) will take its place. From the looks of things, however, Citroen isn't waiting around for the DS3 to match the C4's dominance before they roll out the street version.
Following an earlier report last month hinting at the hot DS3's arrival, a handful of photos showing what insiders suggest is the finished product have leaked onto the interwebs. Brought to us by our compadres over at Autoblog Spanish, these shots were recently confirmed as the real deal (and not as photochops as originally suspected) when the same car showed up in other images released (and since retracted) by the factory.
The car pictured features wider wheel flarings housing bigger hoops and riding on a dropped suspension. Sources peg it at 15 millimeters stouter than stock, with NAFTA four-pot brakes front and rear. Under the hood, the 1.6-liter turbo four is tipped to produce between 200 and 210 horsepower, driving through a six-speed manual (the jury's still out on the presence of a limited-slip differential) and likely to the front wheels to propel the DS3 Racing to 62 mph in 6.8 seconds. The Halloween livery may be a love-it-or-hate-it affair, but this is likely what we'll see, if the reports prove accurate at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. For our part, we'll take ours in deep blue, with a big red leaping bull on the side and our names printed above the doors.
[Source: Autoblog Spanish]Leakage: Citroen DS3-R heading to Geneva? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Europe, Recalls, Toyota, Peugeot, Citroën
The massive Toyota sticking-accelerator pedal recall has spread from the United States to Europe and even beyond Toyota-branded vehicles. Approximately 90,000 Peugeot 107 and Citroën C1 minicars have been added to the list of afflicted models. PSA, the parent of Peugeot and Citroën, has a joint venture with Toyota in the Czech Republic that produces the 107, C1 and the related Toyota Aygo.
The minis share the same electronic pedal assembly design used in the 2.3 million Toyotas being recalled in North America, as well a 1.8 million vehicles in Europe. In addition to the Aygo, Toyota has identified the iQ, Yaris, Auris, Corolla, Verso, Avensis and Rav4 in Europe. In total Toyota is recalling 7.5 million vehicles worldwide.
We don't know for sure but it seems unlikely with this many vehicles involved around the world that CTS is the sole supplier of these parts. If CTS is not the only supplier then it appears likely that the issue is more of a design problem than a manufacturing issue at one plant or supplier. It is also possible that it could be a software issue unrelated to the hardware itself.
Update: We checked with Toyota spokesman Curt McAllister who confirmed that Denso is the other major supplier of this pedal assembly.
Update 2: Curt McAllister sent us a note to clarify that CTS and Denso are the pedal assembly suppliers for North America only. We're not sure who the suppliers are for overseas markets including Europe and Asia but we'll look into it.
[Source: The Guardian]Toyota gas pedal recall woes spread to Peugeot / Citroën in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Citroën
Citroën DS3 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Citroën's got big plans for its DS3. Not only is the premium hatchback launching the new DS line for the French automaker, but the vehicle itself is set to breed some serious performance variants. Now, following a batch of spy shots showing a rally-prepped version of the DS3 comes reports that parent company PSA is considering giving the green light to a street-legal performance version. So with the likes of the Alfa MiTo and upcoming Audi A1 closing in, the Mini Cooper S has been put on notice yet again.
Just how close to home will the prospective DS3 hot hatch hit? Considering that the Citroën shares its PSA/BMW co-developed engine with the Mini, pretty close. As it is, the top-of-the-line DS3 packs a 154-horsepower version of the 1.6-liter four, hitting 60 in an admirable 7.3 seconds. With output expected to come between 170 and 200 hp, the hottest DS3 could not only take on the Cooper S, but also other hot hatches like the SEAT Ibiza Cupra and Clio Renaultsport 200, to name just a few. Sources peg its launch for some time next year, so stay tuned.
[Source: PistonHeads]Report: Citroen targeting Mini Cooper S with DS3 hot hatch originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Mitsubishi, Earnings/Financials, Peugeot, Citroën
Peugeot 4007, a rebadged Mitsubishi Outlander - Click above for high-res image gallery
'Tis the season to form mergers, and the latest could involve a large stock swap between Mitsubishi and PSA Peugeot-Citroen. The two automakers have longstanding ties that include such projects as the Mitsubishi iMiEV electric car (which Peugeot has shown as the iOn) and the Mitsubishi Outlander SUV (which Peugeot sells as the 4007 and Citroen as the C-Crosser). But now the rapprochement could be entering a new stage.
In a potential tie-in that could mirror rival French automaker Renault's alliance with Japanese automaker Nissan, reports suggest that PSA and Mitsu are on the verge of a stock swap. Insiders aren't sure what sort of arrangement could be brokered, but speculate that PSA could take effective control with a large minority stake in Mitsubishi in exchange for either stock in PSA, cash in hand or a combination of both.
The strengthened partnership would stand to help PSA, Europe's second largest automaker, compete not only with the Renault-Nissan Alliance, but also with Volkswagen, Europe's largest automaker which is teaming up with Suzuki for presence in Asian markets. Industry analysts, however, note that with PSA already burdened with growing debts and given Mitsubishi's relatively small production and market share, the move could be ill-advised for the French auto group. On speculation of the potential partnership, PSA stock reportedly fell 3.6 percent, while Mitsubishi's rose 7.5 percent - the largest respective drop and gain for each automaker in months. Thanks for the tip, Vladimir!
[Source: Bloomberg]Report: PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Mitsubishi inch closer to stock swap originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Europe, Peugeot, Citroën, Design/Style
Hope for France: Left to right, Gilles Vidal, Jean-Pierre Ploué and Thierry Metroz
There was a time when "France" and "design" were nearly synonymous, at least in the automotive sphere. Delahaye, Voisin, Bugatti, Talbot-Lago (including the high-water mark Figoni et Falaschi "Tear Drop" cars), etc. Prewar, no one had anything on the French. Even Peugeot and Citroën were in on the action; the former producing the elegant 402 and the latter building the glorious Traction Avant.
However, after the Great Depression and post-WW2 auto shakeout, the scenery changed. Sure, Citroën still had a few design masterpieces left in the tank - the 2CV, the DS and SM. Peugeot made some excellent cars (205, 404) but they certainly weren't lookers. Then a few years back, Peugeot bought Citroën. Since that time, Peugeots have become wildly bizarre-looking, while Citroën has produced exactly one beauty, the C6. Point being, France's automotive designs are a far cry from their prewar glory days.
PSA Peugeot Citroën wants to change that trajectory. Under PSA design leadership of Jean-Pierre Ploué, Gilles Vidal has taken over design of Peugeot and Thierry Metroz is now in charge of how Citroëns look. Metroz might have an easy time of it, as Ploué has to some degree set Citroën on a halfway righteous path. Again, we're big fans of the big C6 and in truth, the C3 and DS3 are pretty much OK-looking as well. Monsieur Gilles, however, has his work cut out for him. Have you looked at a 3008 or an 807 lately? Not so hot.
[Source: CAR]Report: Peugeot, Citroën get new design chiefs originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Citroën
Citroen C3 Visiodrive commercial - Click above to watch video
A Citroën commercial without robots or an NRJ radio station soundtrack? We might have thought it impossible, but here it is. Promoting the new C3 hatchbach and its zenith windscreen meant to give you all kinds of panoramic views, the kids take this car on a joyride unlike any you're likely to see outside of a Top Gear episode.
Follow the jump for more information on the C3 and to see the swingin' commercial along with a special "making of" video.
[Source: Citroën via YouTube]Continue reading VIDEO: Citroën C3 Visiodrive advertisement is for swingers
VIDEO: Citroën C3 Visiodrive advertisement is for swingers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Archive for the 'CITROEN' Category
Friday, October 10th, 2008
Paris 2008: Citroen Hypnos concept
Concept Cars, Euro, Paris Motor Show, Crossovers/CUVs, Citroen
Someone over at Citroen has been hitting the absinthe. Well, why not, because Citroen is celebrating its birthday and had the semi-annual Paris auto salon in town to coincide. We’d say they should have stuck with the champagne, but we kinda like 
this car. Called the Hypnos, it’s all business on the outside, and all trippy on the inside.
The exterior looks something like a darker, more versatile version of the GT concept developed by the same company. The interior is something else altogether, and is likely to seem familiar only to those who have gone diving in coral reefs or spent some time in Amsterdam. (If anyone’s asking, we fall into the former.) Power is provided by the the HYmotion4 hybrid diesel powertrain PSA rolled out on several show cars, including sister-company Peugeot’s Prologue and RC HYmotion4 concepts, which gives the Hypnos green credentials to go with the hippie-inspired design theme. Of course, this falls squarely in the design study category of concept cars (as opposed to the production preview sort), but if this is an indication of where Citroen is headed, overseas customers could be in for a wild ride. Follow the jump for the press release and check out the images in the gallery below.
Posted in World Cars, Passenger Cars, Automotive News, CITROEN | No Comments »
Saturday, September 8th, 2007
Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Auto Show, Economy, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Hatchbacks, Citroen
Citroën can always be counted upon to show off interesting concept cars at the major European automobile shows, and when the IAA in Frankfurt kicks off in the coming days, the French marque will live up to those expectations. We’ve already seen the attractive, open-topped C5 Airscape, and the second Frankfurt show car is the green-minded C-Cactus concept.
Named after the desert-dwelling plants that survive while consuming very little, the C-Cactus is a green concept that minimizes both the amount of materials that go into its construction and the amount of fuel it needs to operate. The latter half of that equation comes from its hybrid HDi diesel-electric powertrain equipped with a ZEV mode. Like sister company’s Peugeot 308 Hybride HDi, the C-Cactus also delivers 70 mpg in the combined cycle, and it actually beats the Peugeot show car’s C02 output, emitting a paltry 78 g/km. But the car’s ecological approach doesn’t end there.
[Source: Citroën]
Continue reading Frankfurt Preview: Citroën C-Cactus Concept
Posted in World Cars, Passenger Cars, Automotive News, CITROEN, Concept Cars | No Comments »
Sunday, September 2nd, 2007
Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show, Convertibles, Euro, Green, Citroen
Citroën has officially released everything its got on the C5 Airscape Concept that leaked out a few days ago, and it turns out our guess that it incorporated a soft top beneath its tonneau cover was wrong. The C5 Airscape will actually shade its occupants with a folding hard top made out of lightweight, strong and certainly expensive carbon fiber.
Billed as an “executive cabriolet”, the C5 Airscape is a four-seat hard-top convertible with expressive styling that looks less like a concept and more like a production ready prototype. Its length is accentuated by a sharp crease running the vehicle’s length that also incorporates a strip of chrome acting as a door handle for both sets of doors. The cabin is covered in rich looking Chocolate Brown leather and reportedly features just as many chrome accents as the exterior, though Citroën didn’t provide any interior shots.
The concept rides on unique 19-inch alloy wheels that are turned by a 2.7LHDi V6 engine producing 208bhp and augmented by what Citroen calls an ‘UrbanHybrid’ system. Much like the mild hybrid system used by GM, Citroën’s set up incorporates a reversible alternator-starter and super capacitors that can both power accessory systems like the A/C and stereo, as well as give the diesel engine a shot of extra torque when needed.
The C5 Airscape will officially debut in Frankfurt next month and gives us a preview of the new C5 sedan, which we expect to meet next March in Geneva.
[Source: Citroën]
Posted in World Cars, Passenger Cars, Automotive News, CITROEN | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 30th, 2005
Details info: Alternative names:
Hatchback 5d
(2001 - )
Citroën C3 Hatchback 5d
Sales Company:
Available version:
1.1
1.4 aut.
1.4
1.4 16v SensoDrive
1.4 CNG
1.6 16v SensoDrive
1.6 16v
HDi 70 - 1.4 HDi SensoDrive
HDi 70 - 1.4 HDi
HDi 90 - 1.4 HDi 16v
Previous version:
Variation:
Citroën (France) C3 Pluriel
Info:
Chic looks, high-equipment level, a touch of 2CV in the styling are the major highlights of the new C3.
Assembly Plants:
PSA (Brazil)
PSA (Spain)
Donors:
Posted in CITROEN | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 29th, 2005
Details info: Alternative names:
Citroën C2 Hatchback 3d
Sales Company:
Available version:
1.1
1.4
1.4 SensoDrive
1.6 16v SensoDrive - 80kW
HDi 70 - 1.4 HDi
HDi 70 SensoDrive - 1.4 HDi SensoDrive
VTS - 1.6 16v - 90kW
Previous version:
Variation:
Assembly Plants:
Donors:
Posted in CITROEN | No Comments »
