2007 Citroen Nemo Concetto

FINDING NEMO…

After presenting Nemo at the Road Transport Show in Amsterdam in October 2007, Citroen is displaying NEMO CONCETTO at the 2007 Bologna Motor Show. Nemo Concetto is a take on a concept car based on Nemo, a compact, practical and intelligent vehicle that lends itself particularly well to this type of exercise.

Nemo Concetto is a nod to Disney's clown fish hero, with its orange and white colour scheme. It illustrates the world and values of Nemo, as well as highlighting the many possible ways of customising this vehicle.

Nemo Concetto illustrates the astonishing closeness between the Citroen Nemo and its clown fish homonym. Like the fish, Nemo Concetto can be considered as "small" among its peers. However, its size is an asset, since it is able to nip in and out of traffic easily.

In a world where it would be tempting to think that bigger is better, Nemo Concetto combines intelligent design with compact exterior dimensions and interior space. It shows that intelligence is the most important asset, whatever the environment. Nemo Concetto does not claim to be what it is not. It clearly states its identity with a new take on conventional automotive cues.

Resembling a small truck with fun looks, bright colours and unrestrained humour, Nemo Concetto is a rich mix with overwhelming appeal. Like the clown fish, Nemo Concetto has irresistible personality and looks. Nemo Concetto reflects Citroen's constantly renewed capacity to design vehicles with character, vehicles that adapt to the lifestyles and world of their owners… like fish in water!

Citroen C5

In many decades' time, historians may look back on 2007 as the Year of the Big Family Car.

We've already seen the stellar Ford Mondeo and the, erm, conservative Renault Laguna, as well as Mazda's new 6, and now Citroen has released the first official pictures of its all-new C5.

The C5 is a big car for Citroen, and it's a big car: larger than its predecessor in every direction. The saloon - there's no hatch version to be offered - is 16cm longer, 9cm taller and a couple of centimetres wider, while the estate is even bigger.

And they both look good. The sleek lines of the C5 owe much to its big brother C6, and it looks like the executive levels of comfort are to be carried over, too.

That means the C5 gets a whole bunch of clever kit, most excitingly an optional massaging drivers seat. Whether it'll come with a 'full finish' function is as yet unclear.

The C5 also debuts the second generation of Citroen's fixed-centre steering wheel, meaning that vital controls will stay where they are no matter how much you spin the wheel.

Cruise control and a speed limiter are also fitted as standard, while top-spec C5s will get, well, just about everything.

Two suspensions set-ups are available: a conventional coil-spring arrangement with double wishbones at the front and multilinks at the rear, or a Citroen trademark hydropneumatic set-up. The Hydractive self-levelling suspension has three modes, ranging from 'Soft' to 'Sport'.

There are plenty of engine options: 1.8- and 2.0-litre petrol engines and no less than four diesels, the most powerful of which is a V6 that develops 208bhp.

The new C5 will go on sale in the UK early next year. The Year of the Big Family Car looks set to run and run...

Citroen's code cracker: C2 Code special edition

Citroën has taken its lively 125bhp C2 1.6i 16V VTS supermini and enhanced it with a luxurious full leather interior, sporty exterior styling touches and an exclusive paint job to create the new, high performance C2 Code special edition – all for a cracking £10,545.

Sporting a unique athletic look, complete with a full-length roof stripe, a chrome exhaust pipe and Smart 16” alloys, Citroën’s C2 Code stands out from the crowd whether dressed in the striking new iron grey pearlescent paint work or a dynamic black look. What is more, the cost of these colours is included in the price.

On the inside the C2 Code really sets itself apart from other small hot hatches – the sports-style, bolstered seats and door panels are coated with a rich new leather trim, while the front occupants benefit from the added luxury of heated seats. A sparkling aluminum gear knob hints at the performance credentials of this hot hatch, whilst added practicality is provided by the independently sliding and folding split rear Seat design.

The quick and refined 1.6i 16V engine reinforces the sporty vibe. A 0 to 62mph time of a little over eight seconds and a top speed of 126mph combine with a frugal 41mpg on the combined cycle and a recommended retail price of just £10,545 to give the Citroën C2 Code one of the best pound v performance ratios on the road.

Despite its lower list price, and the addition of those Smart interior and exterior touches, the C2 Code offers the same standard equipment as the VTS, which last year accounted for around 15% of all C2 sales. The kit list includes air conditioning, electric one-touch front windows, ESP, four airbags, an anti-theft alarm and fog lights.

2007 Citroen Cruise Crosser

(from Citroen Press Release) CITROEN GOES BACK TO ITS ROOTS WITH CRUISE CROSSER

Andre Citroen organised the first motor crossing of the Sahara in 1922. Five half-track vehicles, tough enough to cross rocky and inhospitable terrain, were the first to journey from Algeria to French West Africa. Galvanised by this exploit, Andre Citroen followed it up with the Croisière Noire in 1924 and the Croisière Jaune in 1931. The public was thoroughly captivated by these truly adventurous Asian and African expeditions, which were recognised at the time as important economic, humanitarian, scientific and cultural missions.

Citroen is alluding to this past with Cruise Crosser, a rough and ready all-terrain concept car produced by the Espera Sbarro School in partnership with Citroлn Styling. This off-road concept, based on Citroen’s first luxury SUV, the C-Crosser, is fitted with three axles and six wheels that, just like those first half-track vehicles, give it traction in the harshest possible conditions, come snow, sand or mud.

Off-road adventure and recreation

The orange-coloured Cruise Crosser is easily spotted wherever it roams. The large red compasses on each side of the vehicle underline its mission to travel everywhere and anywhere, north, south, east or west.

Cruise Crosser has a big open space at the back to provide seating for extra passengers (removable row 3) or a vast loading area for trouble-free transport of luggage, shovels, tents and other accessories. The opening mechanism of the tailgate makes loading easier, while step plates on both sides of the vehicle facilitate access to the rear compartment.

The Cruise Crosser is equally impressive inside. The leather seats in rows 1 and 2 boast a particularly high-tech design, with mesh-style hide confirming both the vehicle’s sporting vocation and the care that went into providing passengers with total travelling comfort. The orange body colour is stylishly echoed in the seat contours, on the dashboard and on the door panels. These and other details bring a generous dose of visual and tactile pleasure to Cruise Crosser’s efficient and functional cabin.

Technology with minimal environmental impact

Cruise Crosser is fitted with high-performance technology for serious off-road adventure. Passengers can rest assured that Cruise Crosser will never let them down. On poorly surfaced mountain roads and other uncivilised terrains, drivers can activate the third electric axle for outstanding traction. The vehicle also has sand boards at the rear for extrication. Finding your way around is a cinch with the navigation system, and Cruise Crosser also features a DVD player that makes for more pleasurable journeys.

These escapades do not come at the expense of the environment. Faithful to its commitment to cutting fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, Cruise Crosser has a hybrid diesel drivetrain combining a combustion diesel engine with an electric motor located under the tipper bed. Traction is boosted by the third axle, used along with the other drive wheels on harsh terrain featuring rocks, sand or snow. Used alone, this third axle makes it possible to drive in “Zero Emission Vehicle” mode. In this mode, the silent and non-aggressive Cruise Crosser is in perfect harmony with its environment and enables occupants to wholeheartedly enjoy the journey.

Cruise Crosser can journey in the farthest flung regions and get from A to B in the roughest possible conditions. It embodies a new kind of adventure. An adventure made possible by efficient, cutting-edge technology. An adventure that is sporting and daring, full of vitality

Citroën Enters SUV Fray With C-Crosser Debut

PARIS — It's a first for French automaker Citroen. The company announced on Friday that the centerpiece of its display at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show next month will be the turbodiesel C-Crosser, the company's first sport-utility vehicle.

The seven-passenger C-Crosser, which will feature a 156-horsepower 2.2 HDi engine, will hit showrooms in Europe this summer. The engine produces a Texas-style 280 pound-feet of torque and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Citroen said the C-Crosser is able to run on 30-percent biodiesel.

Drivers will have a choice of three transmission settings: two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and a lock setting.

In the cabin, the seats have a modular design to provide a flat load floor. The French SUV boasts some 20 storage compartments and a split-opening tailgate. Optional equipment includes a rear camera.

Prices have not yet been announced.

First Drive: Citroen Picasso C4

The Picasso gets a five-seat version that retains the power and style of the seven-seat version

All the best things come in small packages – particularly when it comes to people carriers.

Take Citroen’s new C4 Picasso, for example. We’ve been greatly impressed by the seven-seat Grand version, but is the latest five-seat model even better?

On design alone, class rivals such as the Renault Scenic and Ford Focus C-MAX are at a serious disadvantage compared with the stylish newcomer. Viewed from nearly any angle, the Citroen looks sleek. Big alloy wheels add a touch of aggression, while a clean design, short overhangs and the arching roofline trump its rivals for kerb appeal.

The distinctive waistline and sloping tailgate also help to distinguish it from the more practical seven-seater. However, fans of the full-sized Picasso will be pleased to see that the larger model’s trademark panoramic windscreen has been carried over, which is great news. The cabin is bathed in light even on dull days, and that is sure to appeal to kids.

Inside, forward visibility is decent, thanks to the slender A-pillars. There’s no traditional centre console bet-ween the front seats – and the instruments are positioned in the middle of the dashboard, beside the neat fixed-hub steering wheel.

The baby Picasso is 12cm shorter than the Grand, but there’s still an impressive 500 litres of boot space beneath the load cover in the back.

However, if you slide the second row forward, capacity rises to 605 litres. And should that still not be enough, you can fold each of the three individual rear seats flat easily to create a van-like 1,734 litres of room. Head and legroom are excellent in the back, despite the gently tapering roofline.

On the move, the Citroen isn’t as involving as the likes of the C-MAX, but the handling is more car than MPV-like. Those big alloys aren’t enough to prevent understeer if you carry too much speed into a tight bend. But it’s easy to drive, both in town and on the open road, while the supple suspension ensures comfortable progress. It soaks up bumps effectively, aided by the optional pneumatic rear dampers.

Up the pace and, with 320Nm of torque, the flagship 2.0-litre diesel powerplant we tested has ample performance to meet the requirements of most buyers. The Citroen covers 0-62mph in 12.1 seconds, but in-gear performance is lively and the self-shifter responsive. With its perceptive gear selections, the automatic box is rarely wrong-footed.

And the good news is that all this doesn’t cost at the pumps either, as the 2.0 oil-burner returned 38mpg. A 110bhp 1.6-litre diesel will also be available at launch.

Petrol power will be offered in the form of 127bhp 1.8-litre and 143bhp 2.0 motors to complete the range. In terms of transmissions, there’s the conventional automatic tested here and a standard manual. There’s also an automated manual option, which as with the self-shifter we tried, feat- ures steering-wheel-mounted paddles to control up and down changes.

When we drove this set-up in the seven-seat model it provided smooth manual shifts, but proved jerky when used in auto mode. Citroen is yet to announce what the final trims for British cars will be, although buyers can expect seven airbags, ESP stability control and cruise control as standard fit on all variants.

Options include a DVD player with screens built into the front headrests, plus the Modubox, a removable trolley with canvas bag that folds neatly into the boot. Prices for the new-comer are set to start at around £14,500, and it will enjoy stronger residuals than its Xsara-based predecessor – which will sell alongside it as a cut-price alternative.

A fine addition to the range, the five-seater is a capable and desirable compact MPV. Renault and Ford have every reason to be worried.

First opinion

As with the Grand variant already on sale, the five-seat C4 Picasso can rightly claim to be the most desirable MPV in its class. And it’s arguably the best car in the entire Citroen line-up. The spacious, innovative cabin plays to the brand’s traditional strengths, while the sleek styling makes its rivals look staid in comparison. High standard equipment levels, a strong Euro NCAP
crash test result and keen pricing should see to the rest.

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl

Power: 138bhp

0-62mph: 12.1secs

Economy: 38mpg

CO2: 195g/km

Transmission: Front-wheel drive, six-speed automatic

Price: £21,000 (est)

Standard features: Panoramic windscreen, automatic electronic parking brake, cruise control, ESP stability control, seven airbags, Hill Start Assist

On sale: Spring

By Jorg Muller

www.autoexpress.co.uk

Citroen Rolls Out Airplay+ Special Editions

PARIS — Citroen rolled out its new Airplay+ special editions for its C1, C2, and C3 supermini lineup, proving once again that it is entirely possible to build a car around music and color. A key feature of the Airplay+ models is an iPod nano with an integrated docking station.

Color is the other news with the Airplay+ lineup. The top-of-the-line Citroen 1.1i C3 Airplay+ comes in red, blue or silver with red, blue or chrome interior trim. It starts at $15,740. The base 1.0i C1 Airplay+ is available in three- or five-door body styles and starts at $13,190.

The Airplay+ hits showrooms this month.

New Citroen C4 WRC Car

Gymnast-turned-fastest driver in the world Sébastien Loeb returned to winning ways yesterday with victory on the Monte Carlo Rally.

It was an incredible victory in many ways: a win first time out for the new Citroen C4 WRC car, the fourth triumph for Loeb on the Monte (joining legends Sandro Munari, Walter Rohrl and Tommi Makinen on the four-time winner's list), and let's not forget that Loeb's broken arm is not yet fully healed.

Thirty-eight seconds back from the Frenchman was Loeb's teammate Dani Sordo, handing Citroen a one-two in the C4's debut.

Marcus Gronholm in the Ford Focus WRC joined the Citroen pair on the podium with a third-place finish.

Aussie Chris Atkinson had a strong run to fourth position in the Subaru, beating 2003 WRC champ and teammate Petter Solberg.

Gareth MacHale deserves a big-up too. Eleventh place in a four-year-old Ford Focus WRC is an extremely good result for the talented Irishman. He even beat Matthew Wilson in the 2006-spec Focus WRC...

The 2007 Monte Carlo Rally was a strange affair in many ways. The rally HQ was based in Valence, some 250 miles north of Monaco, and the weather throughout the event was unseasonably warm.

Oh, and the number of stages held in Monaco? One.

Loeb's looking dominant already. Boring for the 2007 WRC? Nah. Get yourself to an event and watch first-hand arguably the finest rally driver that's ever lived.

source: topgear

Citroen’s Grand C4 Picasso - What Car? Magazine’s

Citroen Grand C4 Picasso

Citroen’s new Grand C4 Picasso 7-seater has been named Best MPV at the prestigious 2007 What Car? Awards, in the same week that this innovative compact MPV officially goes on sale in the UK.

The “stylish and exceptionally talented” Grand C4 Picasso 1.6HDi diesel, with electronic gearbox system, bowled over the team at What Car? with its class-leading levels of practicality and comfort, generous dimensions, great all-round visibility and host of innovative ideas.

Steve Fowler, Group Editor, commented “Citroen has shown considerable flair and imagination in its quest for the perfect family car, and the results are hugely impressive. We love the feeling of airiness, and we’ve nothing but praise for the neat storage solutions and easy-fold seating arrangement. We’re also big fans of the comfortable ride and the smooth, frugal diesel engine. As for the paddleshift gearbox, it’s a cracker.”

Beating off rivals such as the Ford S-MAX to the coveted Best MPV title, Citroen’s Grand C4 Picasso raises the benchmark in the competitive Compact MPV sector. The What Car? Award is the third gong it has received in less than three months, adding to Top Gear magazine’s Family Car of the Year and 4X4 & MPV Driver’s MPV of the Year.