GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Citroen reveals production ready baby crossover
C-Aircross Concept sees mini people-mover morph into CX-3 rivalLook out CX-3... Citroen’s C-Aircross Concept is close to production and it’s gunning for you.
Set to wear C3 Picasso badges when it reaches dealerships, the C-Aircross was the star of the PSA brand’s stand at this week’s Geneva motor show.
The C-Aircross concept is "almost identical" to the small SUV the French car-maker plans to launch at the end of the year, a Citroen insider told motoring.com.au.
For its transition to the production car the rear-facing door-mounted cameras will be swapped for conventional mirrors. While, inside, the production C3 Picasso will ditch its futuristic oval-shaped steering wheel and adopt an interior that's closely related to the C3 supermini.
Despite looking more like an SUV than before, Citroen says its new C3 Picasso will keep it MPV-style modular seating. That means the rear row of seats should fold easily into the floor.
Externally, Citroen plans to offer a huge array of personalisation features that include a two-tone paint scheme and customisable Airbumps that have migrated downwards from the middle of the C3's doors.
Based on the same PF1 platform as the new Citroen C3 that's set to be launched in Australia next year, the C3 Picasso will share the small hatch's three PureTech triple-cylinder petrol and two BlueHDI diesels that will be combined with PSA's latest EAT6 automatic transmission.
Developed as part of an alliance with GM, the C3 Picasso will be built in Spain by Opel on the same assembly line as the closely-related Crossland X.
The vehicle will go on sale in Europe in late 2017, but hasn't been confirmed for Australia. It’s “likely” says the Citroen insider.
Considering the success of other small SUVs already established in the market, Citroen can’t do without it….
It's hoped that the arrival of the new C3 and the potential introduction of is SUV sibling will finally turnaround Citroen's abysmal sales Down Under. Last year the French firm only managed to sell 965 vehicles — 12.7 per cent down in 2015.
Meanwhile, in Europe the little Citroen is fast-approaching a sales success with more than 70,000 orders place since it went on sale in January.
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