Citroen C4 Cactus to offer 20,000-plus colour combos

Citroen Australia will offer buyers who pre-order the new C4 Cactus this year the choice of more than 20,000 colour and trim combination.

The French car-maker today announced Australian specifications for its distinctive new small SUV, pricing for which will be revealed in coming weeks before first deliveries arrive in January.

As we reported last week, the C4 Cactus will come to Australia with two powertrain choices -- an 81kW petrol manual or a 68kW turbo-diesel with ETG automated manual – priced between $25,000 and $30,000.

While overseas markets offer three or more trim levels, Australia will follow New Zealand and some Asian countries by offering the Cactus in just one 'Exclusive' grade.

The petrol model -- expected to sell at around $25,000 -- will feature as standard a 7.0-inch touch-screen with satellite-navigation, reversing camera, rear parking sensors, DAB+ digital radio with six speakers and digital amplifier, Bluetooth connectivity and USB input, automatic lights and wipers, climate-control air-conditioning, cruise control and speed limiter with favourite speed memory.

Also standard across the range will be cornering fog lights, 17-inch bi-tone Cross alloy wheels with 15-inch steel spare tyre, bi-tone leather steering wheel with chrome insert and controls, height-adjustable driver’s seat, electric front windows and pop-out rear windows, electric mirrors and remote central locking.

Safety is covered off with six airbags, stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, electronic brake assist, hill-start assist, tyre pressure monitoring and seatbelt reminders for all five seats.

In addition, the diesel model -- expected to priced at under $30,000 – will come with a push-button gear selector with paddle shifters on the steering wheel, aircraft-style manual handbrake and a bench front seat with armrest.

Citroen Australia product manager Glenn Reid said the ability of early buyers to choose from a large variety of colour, trim and option variations will make many examples unique.

“This guarantees early customers may have the only Cactus of their type in Australia," he said, adding that he expected that about 100 customers will order their car ahead of January’s first shipment.

It takes about three months from order to delivery, so orders made by the late December cut-off are expected to arrive by the end of next March.

The Cactus is produced with 21 possible exterior combinations, 10 exterior colour options, six interior trim options, five possible exterior C-pillar highlights, four Airbump colours, three side mirror  colours, two roof bar colours, two wheel colours and a panoramic roof option (which will cost about $1000).  

The total variety of combinations possible amounts to 23,184, said Reid.

Citroen will order stocks of what it thinks buyers will want to get cars into dealers initially but will then make ongoing orders based on what the majority of pre-order customers choose.

“Following pre-orders we will look at what the market is telling us and remove less popular choices from the market," said Reid. “It’s a totally different way of doing things.”

Customers will be able to configure their own C4 Cactus via the Citroen Australia website when the company announces pricing and opens the order book in coming weeks. However, pre-orders will need to be made by paying a deposit at a Citroen dealership.