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.
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