SAO PAULO SHOW: Citroën AirCross Lunar

Citroën has pulled the covers off its AirCross Lunar concept at the Salon de Sao Paulo in Brazil.

Featuring side 'air bumps' and adventure-ready exterior body cladding like the C4 Cactus, which has been confirmed for Australian release, the C3-based light SUV also bucks the trend with small-diameter alloy wheels and rugged BF Goodrich off-road tyres.

With elements of Mitsubishi's Delica about the front fascia, the AirCross Lunar concept looks set to tackle an outback odyssey and comes complete with tinted glass, light blue chevron accents and even an extensive over-body racking system complete with a rear-mounted luggage pod in place of the spare wheel.

The concept's elevated ground clearance and short approach and departure angles should give it more capability off-road than many in its class; though just whether the French manufacturer will produce the model remains a mystery, with Citroën representatives saying the AirCross Lunar is simply a part of its Latin American brand offensive.

"Our stand Salon de Sao Paulo alone reflects what is at stake for us in Latin America: a priority area in the heart of our internationalisation strategy," explained Citroën Brazil Managing Director, Linda Jackson.

"We make here the new positioning of Citroën meeting concrete and optimistic expectations of Brazilian clients today. The latest creations from our local Centre Style or specific technologies that we present are perfect illustrations."

Citroën has been in Brazil for just over 20 years and, in a market down nine per cent year-to-date, is faring rather well. The French manufacturer is the best-selling brand in the country, with its C3 a top-five seller. The C3 has found more than 320,000 new homes since going on sale in 2003.