Irish Car+Travel Oct. 2013 | Page 33

CITROEN The Citroen WTCC is the DS3-based (loosely) Citroen C-Elysée race car which will be piloted by Sebastien Loeb in the World Touring Car Championships. A 380hp version of the 1.6 turbocharged engine as used in the DS3 WRC car, it will compete in South America, Morocco, China and Russia, key markets for the production version of the CElysée. The Citroen Wild Rubis Concept foreshadows thoughts for a large SUV which will be produced by Citroen for the China market where the brand is popular. The production model based on it will be sold under the DS upmarket brand, with lots of chrome and luxury touches. The star of Citröen's show was the CCactus Concept. Emphasising the reposition of the Citroen brand within the whole PSA group as providing simpler but well specified and affordable cars, this one will actually go into production early next year as a compact crossover alongside the C4 and the C4 Picasso MPV. Style elements will eventually migrate to other C-cars, including the C4 itself. The C4 Cactus will have similar digital systems management to that in the new C4 Picasso and the Peugeot 308. The 'Airbumps' on the side of the concept are designed to deal with stray shopping trolleys in supermarket car parks. The Citroen C4 Picasso on the stand was the latest generation of the compact MPV nameplate which has been very successful for Citroen throughout Europe. Just introduced to Ireland, the more coherent styling is distinctive still, and the interior features good quality and a fully touch-screen systems management, similar to the Peugeot 308 coming here at the end of the year. 33