MOTORING
Citroen C3 : it ’ s different ! by
C
itroen have always looked at the design of their products , with flair , creativity , originality and something in some ways unique . The new Citroen C3 fills all of those and more . At first glance the C3 is very similar to its larger sibling the Citroen C4 . It is quite tall for what really is a supermini , is it a crossover ? No it ’ s not that tall and the C3 is smaller than the C4 .
One thing they do have is Citroens very successful “ Airbump ” system which protects the sides of the car from dents and scratches –
SIMPLY SWIFT
ow , here is a conundrum for the most successful car designers and
Nmanufactures . It goes something along these lines . yyou have a very successful model in your range which is successful globally and is loved by its customers . It does not really need anything to make it any better and you do not want to jeopardise the sales momentum and customer loyalty . The car is in its second generation and the manufacturer decides it is time for a third generation . Do you start from scratch or do you evolve what is already successful ?
Suzuki , with their new third generation Swift have achieved more or less both and the result – it ’ s good , very good . The exterior has evolved without taking away from the sporty , cheeky and classy look of the previous car . The all new Swift sits lower and wider it is up to 10 per cent lighter , 19 per cent more powerful and 8 per cent more fuel efficient than outgoing model . The new Swift is a four door hatch , although from the side view it is hard to sport as the rear door handles have been recessed into the rear doors . I t really does look good with a strong road presence .
In addition to its stylish exterior design in
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which are all too common now when parking in shopping centre car parks . These are made from tough polyurethane filled with air , for a small town car these are brilliant and they can be ordered to suit the colour combination of your choice . The Citroen C3 certainly has an urban warrior look .
The interior of new Citroën C3 takes inspiration from the worlds of travel and interior design . The sense of wellbeing starts with the comfortable seats and extends to the panoramic glass sunroof that fills the car with
a compact size of just 3,840mm long , the new Swift features excellent visibility , a spacious cabin and ample luggage space . The development goal was to create an all new hatchback styling that is undoubtedly Suzuki .
On the road the new Swift is a treat to drive , being slightly lower , lighter and powered by the ever willing 1.0 Boosterjet engine mated with a fivespeed gearbox the Swift feels solid and accurate , the variable steering rack means the Swift has a crisp
Ian Beasant , BUSINESSFIRSTMAGAZINE motoring correspondent
natural light .
New C3 has one of the most spacious cabins in the supermini sector and provides 22mm more rear legroom than the previous model , and a 300litre boot . There are plenty of generous storage compartments too . The door pockets are even finished with a light colour . The dashboard is very simple as all the heating controls , audio controls by a screen in the centre of the dashboard it is easy to use once you get into the way of it . The driving position is quite high and visibility is good .
The top of the dashboard is a bit flat for my liking and with a brightly coloured surround it does draw your attention to it . The interior in the front is spacious ; rear seat passenger leg room seemed a little cramped for a six footer , but this car is aimed at the Super – Mini Market .
The C3 is comfortable on a smooth road , as soon as you hit a bump – it ’ s a different story , the car thumps in despair and becomes unsettled . To be fair keep the C3 in the Urban Jungle and you would never experience any of that . The C3 is easy to maneuver , easy to park and handy . It is good fun to drive and the design will certainly be noticed . Citroen have made a brave decision to go with this design and it will be like all cars marked on its sales .
It will be worth watching this quirky little stunner in the sales charts . The C3 is Different , in a good way .
turn in and it is very comfortable never feeling to taught or hard . Suzuki seems to have mastered the suspension set up perfectly . The gearbox offers quite long ratios and 2nd and 3rd are all you need for tootling around the city . The interior is of high quality materials , the leather covered steering wheel gives the Swift a nice up market feel .
The First of the new Swifts go on sale on the 1st of June this year .