2010 Citroën C3 – due in Australia mid next year

Holy massive glass windscreen Batman! Take a look at it will you, it’s ridiculous. Not necessarily in a bad way, but ridiculous nonetheless.

Australian readers will have to wait until mid 2010 to judge for themselves, but right now you have to congratulate Citroën for honouring their roots and taking a hatchet to accepted car design wisdom. The obscenely large “Zenith” screen opens the field of view by an extra 80° to front seat occupants.

The compact class hatch is just 3.94m long and a narrow, but not tiny, 1.71m wide. Coupled with a relatively small turning circle the car will find its place in tight city streets. How very Parisian.

The car will launch in Europe this November and will enter the market with a bunch of electronic trickery and smart interior appointments. Initially, the C3 will be powered by a diesel four cylinder emitting less than 100g/km of CO2.

More detail closer to launch.

CITROEN REVEALS THE NEW C3

The Citroen C3, driven by its unique styling and excellent performance and economy has, with sales of more than two million, been one of the most successful cars produced by the French car maker, but it challenged Citroen to produce a new C3 that will maintain the car marker’s reputation for advanced technology and style.

Just two elements of the new C3 illustrate that Citroen has, once again, moved the goal posts in the small car sector. Zenith, the unique windscreen that blends into the roof and which was pioneered on the Citroen C4 Picasso, is now available in the small car sector for the first time. Under bonnet, the new C3 will become available with a new range of three cylinder diesel engines that will offer market leading fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions as low as 90 g/km.

But these are just the start of the innovations in styling, technology, equipment and weight saving offering by the new Citroen C3.

“This is a major renewal for Citroen and gives us the wherewithal to achieve our target of increasing market share, among both individual and corporate customers,” says Frédéric Banzet, Managing Director of Citroën.

The winning formula: take the best of the C3 and make it even better. The new C3 is packed with seductive features: tauter styling, high-class trim, intelligent architecture creating exceptional interior space in what is still one of the most compact vehicles on the market, and superior on-board comfort and road handling, both in the city and on the open road. With the most advanced features in the segment, the new Citroën C3 will be ideal as the main family car or core fleet vehicle.

But that’s not all. The Zenith windscreen makes the new C3 unique. As well as drenching the cabin in light and expanding visibility, this windscreen introduces passengers of the C3 to a new driving experience.

“With the new C3, Citroën is opening up a new automobile universe. A universe where reason and responsibility leave room for a new driving pleasure and new sensations,” says Vincent Besson, Products and Markets, Citroën.

These quality features are confirmed in the design and manufacturing of the new Citroën C3. Made in France, on the industrial sites of Aulnay and Poissy, the new vehicle meets high quality standards, both new and over time. To guarantee optimum reliability, and iron out the last imperfections, it will be put through more than 2 million kilometres of on-road testing before the market release.

A UNIQUE, ALLURING PERSONALITY
The new C3 is asserting its personality. The recognisable protective roundness of its predecessor is given a sportier edge with tauter, smoother lines. Exciting with a gentle touch: the essence of seduction.

The styling and refinement of the new C3 are seductive. The materials are high class, such as the thermo-coated dash, highlighted by a cross strip in satin grey or gloss brushed aluminium, and chrome detailing. The new C3 takes trim level and quality to a new dimension. This is illustrated perfectly by care with gap and flush, attention to every detail and robust design.

INTELLIGENT ARCHITECTURE
The new C3 is one of the most compact vehicles in its segment. With a length of 3.94 m, a width of 1.71 m and a 10.2 m turning circle, it is perfect for the city.

A compact exterior, without compromising on interior space. The new C3 has the roominess it needs to assert its new status as the main family car or core fleet vehicle. This can been seen in the generous 300 litres of optimised boot capacity, numerous storage spaces (console, glovebox, central armrest…), medium-height seats facilitating access and visibility, and optimised interior space offering more knee room. The new Citroën C3 is more spacious, but still compact. It’s a “real” car, with upper-segment features.

A NEW DRIVING EXPERIENCE
The new experience goes further and gets better with the Zenith windscreen, a technological feat. This exceptionally long windscreen expands the front occupants’ field of vision by 80° upwards. Combined with slimmer pillars, the Zenith gives all occupants a sense of unlimited, high-definition vision. Total immersion. As a world first, the progressive glass smoothes the transition from the strong sun protection above the front passengers to the standard clear glass for looking forwards. The saloon with the biggest windscreen and the smallest roof on the market delivers more new driving sensations! The new C3 offers more visibility and light, for more safety and driving pleasure.

Speaking of pleasure, our Visiodrive naturally benefits from the Marque’s know-how in comfort. Everyone will be extremely comfortable on board the new Citroën C3 for all the senses: not just low noise and low vibration, but fragrant and nice to look at, with the many windows and air freshener. A relaxing atmosphere. A great car to drive and be driven in.

The new C3 is a “connected” car. In addition to the RD4 mp3 audio system, the USB Box (USB slot + jack, full iPod compatibility, Bluetooth® hands-free kit) and MyWay navigation, the new Hifi System® surrounds passengers with sound, as if they were in a concert hall. The system offers not only exceptional sound quality, but comes with a competitive price tag.

IMPRESSIVE AND REASONABLE DYNAMIC FEATURES
The new Citroën C3 will make others green with envy… with more dynamic road handling, it is as comfortable on the open road as in the city, and has managed to keep a slim figure by not putting on any weight! An exceptional achievement given the convincing increase in comfort and interior space. This weight control, combined with optimised aerodynamics (a Cx of 0.30), the new C3 manages its fuel consumption and CO2 emissions intelligently. Right from launch, it will come in a version emitting 99 g/km CO2, with the HDi 90 DPFS engine.

That expertise in managing fuel consumption will reach a new stage with the arrival of new powerplants in 2011, incorporating second-generation Stop & Start. Coupled with five- and six-speed electronic gearboxes, they will equip diesel versions emitting only 95 and 90 g/km CO2. In short, the new generation of three-cylinder engines will enable versions emitting less than 100 g/km CO2.

Specifications and prices for the new Citroen C3 will be announced when it arrives in Australia and New Zealand in the middle of 2010, following its European in launch in November this year.