Geneva unveiling for new Citroen C5 Tourer

In a slinky departure from the slab-sided look that charaterised the previous version, Citroen's new C5 wagon -- dubbed Tourer -- made its first world appearance at the Geneva International Motor Show this week.

Like the C5 sedan revealed to the world at the Brussels motor show, the new Tourer looks less like the old C5 and more like the $100,000-plus C6 flagship that came to Australia in late 2006. It is redolent of the low-slung charm that has characterised iconic large Citroens of the past and borrows a lot from the C5 Airscape concept shown in Frankfurt.

With a wheelbase 65mm longer than the outgoing model, the new C5 wagon is claimed to offer a "remarkable" deal in both passenger space (more back-seat legroom would certainly be welcome).

Citroen says the Tourer is also plusher to travel in, with a lot of attention paid to noise, vibration and harshness.

The C5 Tourer adopts Citroen-familiar features such as Hydractive 3+ suspension from the C6 model, as well as a fixed steering wheel hub

It also brings new-age technology in the form of a lane departure warning system, bi-Xenon adaptive lighting and front seats with a BMW-style power-adjustable upper backrest and, for the driver only, a massage function.

The new C5 Tourer gets seven airbags as standard, with up to nine available.

The front wheel drive C5 sedan is available with a range of engines including petrol and diesel V6s, plus various four-cylinder offerings, so there's a presumption that this range of choices will be mirrored in the Tourer.

Explicit details of Australian specification won't be announced until August, when both the C5 Tourer and the C5 sedan are scheduled to go on sale here.