GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Peugeot 108

Citroen has revealed not one but two versions of its all-new 108 city-car, which remains under consideration for release in Australia.

Due to make its world debut at Switzerland’s Geneva motor show in three weeks before going on sale across Europe mid-year, the replacement for the French brand’s smallest model will be one of the lightest and most efficient cars in the micro-car segment.

Combined with kerb weights as low as 840kg and a body that measures just 3470mm long and 1600mm wide, four super-frugal new three-cylinder engines will emit as little as 88g/km of CO2 – less than a Toyota Prius hybrid.

While three- and five-door hatchback body styles will be offered, so will a convertible version called the 108 TOP! for the first time, featuring a retractable fabric roof that can be opened in stages.

It is not clear if all three 108 variants – which will be built in the Czech Republic, where Toyota’s Aygo and Citroen’s C1 sister models will again also be produced – are being considered for Australia, where they would compete in the same sub-light segment as the Volkswagen up! and Fiat’s 500 and Panda.

Befitting Peugeot’s upmarket position in the mainstream market, the new 108 wears more sophisticated styling than the 107 it replaces, bringing it in line with the larger 308 via sharply back-swept headlights and “lion’s claw mark” tail-light clusters.

No interior shots have yet been revealed, but Peugeot says the cabin "feels like it comes from a much larger premium car" and once again features an instrument cluster – with analogue speedo and LCD screen – mounted on an adjustable steering column.

Options will include a keyless starting, automatic climate-control and a seven-inch infotainment touch-screen to operate Peugeot’s MirrorLink multimedia system, which is compatible with Android, Windows and Blackberry phones, and uses an app to work with Apple phones. It allows smartphones to be operated via the touch-screen, but only navigation and other infotainment apps can be activated on the move.

Three models will be available in Europe – Access, Active and Allure – and although all will be open to customisation, every 108 will come with six airbags, anti-lock brakes, 247mm ventilated front brake discs, 200mm drum rear brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, traction/stability control and a speed-limiter.

A reversing camera will be on Europe’s options list, as will automatic headlights and larger 15-inch wheels, although electric steering, ‘pseudo-McPherson strut’ front suspension and torsion-beam will underpin all versions of Citroen’s latest entry-level city-car.

Luggage capacity is just 180 litres when the boot is fitted with a spare wheel, extending to 750 litres with the 50/50-split rear seat folded.

Europe’s engine line-up includes three 1.0-litre petrol engines and a 1.2-litre petrol triple, ranging in CO2 emissions of between 88 and 99g/km and fitted with five-speed manual transmissions.

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