Citroën’s C3, with its striking glass sunroof, has been launched with high expectations in France this month. The little car is expected in South Africa in October.
Citroën’s C3, with its striking glass sunroof, has been launched with high expectations in France this month. The little car is expected in South Africa in October.
reports that Citroën plans to sell 160 000 C3s, including 54 000 in France, in 2002. The company expects sales of the model to increase to 334 000 in 2003.
The car will be launched soon in the rest of Europe. It is targeted at youthful, active, single people and young families.
The bubble-shaped vehicle is said to be the roomiest of the new multi-purpose vehicle style small hatch genre. And, there is the option of the eye-catching electric sliding glass sunroof.
Although the C3 is relatively short (left is a picture of the concept version, while rest are pictures of the actual car), it’s tall and wide, which creates a feeling of space, the manufacturer claims.
The facia is distinctively styled and top models will be available with electronic parking assistance and rain-sensing windscreen wipers. The spec includes plenty of safety features, including anti-lock brakes (ABS) and six airbags.
Four trim levels and five different engines are available.
The C3 is the first model to use PSA/Peugeot-Citroën’s new small PF1 platform. The petrol-powered range consists of a 1,1-litre 45 kW, 1,4-litre 56 kW and 1,6-litre, 16-valve, 110hp in the petrol range. In diesel form the car comes in 1,4-litre, second-generation common-rail Hdi and more powerful 1,4-litre 16-valve versions.
It will be priced from R110 000 to R154 000 in France.
Derek Bromfield, chief executive of Citroën South Africa, said the C3 would be the company’s entry level car in South Africa. “We are hoping C3 will do similar volumes to the Renault Clio and Peugeot 206.
“Extensive planning is underway for the introduction of the C3 in South Africa. However, nothing has been finalised as yet. We will be meeting with our counterparts in June to discuss pricing etc.
“The C3 will be competitively priced in its class, and will be Citroën South Africa’s entry level vehicle. We are confident that it will be available in South Africa by Auto Africa, in October,” Bromfield said.
The car was introduced in France with a special television advertisement that shows a jet fighter swooping out of the sky and flying upside down as it passes over the sunroof of the new supermini.
The jet pilot winks at a woman in the C3’s front passenger seat. Her husband, who is driving, frowns sulkily.
The ad ends with a voice saying, “La vie est belle” (life is beautiful). What is interesting is that the ad was shot in South Africa.
Citroën is likely to build a smaller three-door C2 in the future.
But will the C3 be able to take on the Clio and 206?
