Citroen Blog
Beijing 2008: Citroen C2 Kappa jogs onstageFiled under: Concept Cars, China, Hatchbacks, Misc. Auto Shows, Citroen .jpg)
Click image for a high-res gallery of the C2 Kappa
Now that the 2008 Beijing Motor Show is underway, we're getting a chance to see how a lot of those sketches and renderings we saw ahead of the festivities translate into actual cars. One of the concepts we were curious about was the collaborative effort between Citroën and sports apparel maker Kappa. Not only is the red-and-white C2 Kappa concept faithful to the drawing released last month, it's also pretty cool.
The C2 Kappa is lowered and fully kitted, sporting a unique front fascia that tones down the base car's oversized headlamps and adds aggressive Kappa-emblazoned grillework below the bumper. That logo is repeated all along the fat red racing stripe that runs from nose to tail, flanked by thinner grey accent stripes. Another red door stripe with the Kappa branding runs along each flank. A roof spoiler and a color-keyed diffuser insert add visual flair in back, while white rally-style wheels take up residence at the corners. Inside, sport seats with the Kappa insignia dress up the passenger cabin, rounding out this surprisingly appealing styling exercise from Dongfeng Citroën and Kappa, even if it the equivalent of a car dressed in a jogging suit.
[Source: Autoblog Chinese]
All photos Copyright (C)2008 Bin Chen / Weblogs, Inc. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
MV Agusta and Citroen reveal C2 1587 BrutaleFiled under: Economy, Hatchbacks, Misc. Auto Shows, Citroen, Motorcycles 
Click on the image to view more high-res shots
We've grown rather accustomed to seeing special-edition MV Agusta Brutales, but this is the first time that one has featured four wheels. MV Agusta and Citroën have teamed up to produce a two-door hatchback show car called the C2 1587 Brutale. The naming scheme and the color pallete are clearly inspired by what is arguably Italy's hottest naked bike, the MV Agusta 1078 RR Brutale. We're not clear on what other tie-in exists between the two vehicles beyond that, though. Featuring a 1.6 liter 16-valve engine with 125 hp, the C2 1587 Brutale's power output is nowhere near as impressive as its two-wheeled inspiration. We do like the interior, which features plenty of black leather and alcantara with red outlines and stitching. Ultimately, we feel that this is one mash-up that the world probably could have done without.
[Source: MV Agusta] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Beijing '08 Preview: Dongfeng Citroen C2 to wear Kappa threadsFiled under: Concept Cars, China, Hatchbacks, Misc. Auto Shows, Citroen 
Click above for photo gallery of the Dongfeng Citroën C2 Kappa
 Dongfeng Citroën will reportedly show a pair of cars adorned with graphics inspired by soccer/sport apparel manufacturer, Kappa. From what we can gather, a trio of Dongfeng Citroën C2s will be on hand, one in the red-and-white motif you see above, and two more sporting the automotive equivalents of the official Team Italia uniform. If the sketches are any indication, the cars will be given a dressed-up, rally-car look as well, with updated fascias, wheels, and the like. Whether a Citroën/Kappa trim package model is in the works for China is not clear, but at the very least, these show cars ought to be interesting to see when they're unveiled.
[Sources: Autoblog Chinese, FoMoCo News] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Go Rally! - Citroen rolls out the C2-R2 MaxFiled under: Motorsports, Tuners, Euro, Hatchbacks, Citroen 
If your inner rally driver lusts for something different than the run of the mill Subaru or Mitsubishi, there's a tasty new Gallic morsel to spice things up. Citroen is taking their C2 to the FIA Junior World Rally Championship this year, and the C2-R2 Max Rally kit is their ticket to homologation. The kit keeps the price down, but doesn't skimp on serious pieces. The 1.6-liter engine belts out 190 horsepower, and there's larger brakes and a hydraulic steering rack to keep that power in check and make sure it's properly directed. There's also an adjustable rear suspension to help fend off competitors on the track. All of our puppy-dog enthusiasm is for naught; we can't get this un-subtle killer hatch in the United States. C'est la vie.
[Source: Inside Line] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Peugeot 3008 crossover to join the charge... forwardFiled under: Spy Photos, SUVs, Euro, Crossovers/CUVs, PSA, Peugeot, Citroen 
It's more than a little unusual to see the French mounting an assault on anything, but reports indicate that French automakers are attacking the crossover sport-utility market with a vengeance. In Geneva, Renault will unveil the production version of the Koleos crossover, which follows the Citroen C-Crosser and Peugeot 4008 as the first SUVs from the land of fashion and crepes. Now Peugeot is preparing its second wave in the form of the 3008 crossover.
Targeting the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen Tiguan, the 3008 is expected to hit European markets in 2010. Power will reportedly come from 1.6-liter turbocharged fours burning either gas or oil and driving either two wheels or four. Inside, flexible seating configurations are expected to be on offer in both five- and seven-seat formats. The styling is anticipated to follow closely along Peugeot's design language, with a big mouth and a prominent badge on the hood. And since where there's smoke there's an overturned car on fire, Citroen is expected to get its own version, as well.
[Source: Auto Express] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
VIDEO: Rally champ Sebastien Loeb gets speeding ticket at Swedish RallyFiled under: Motorsports, Euro, Government/Legal, Videos, Ford, Citroen, Celebrities 
It's pretty straightforward for most of us: drive above the speed limit and risk getting in trouble with the fuzz. Racing drivers usually get away with it - if only because they're on closed circuits - which makes it all the more interesting when the same fate befalls them as applies to the rest of us. Although nothing seems to have come out of Schumacher's now-famous cab-driving incident, for example, Lewis Hamilton can't drive anymore on French roads. Now, after having almost run down a police officer on his way to a record fifth consecutive victory in Monte Carlo, we've got video footage of incumbent rally champion Sebastien Loeb getting pulled over by Swedish police in his Citroen C4 rally car.
 In the video after the jump, you can clearly see the same ticked-off look the rest of us get while receiving a ticket. But the discernible exasperation could be more from the results of that weekend's rally, where mechanical problems forced Loeb to retire as Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala became the youngest ever rally winner at 22, topping a Ford- dominated podium at the 2008 Swedish Rally.
[Source: Autosport and YouTube] Continue reading VIDEO: Rally champ Sebastien Loeb gets speeding ticket at Swedish Rally Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Loeb takes record 5th (and possibly last) consecutive win at Monte Carlo RallyFiled under: Motorsports, Euro, Citroen 
click above for more high-res action shots
 Rally-racing superstar Sebastien Loeb drove into the history books this past Sunday in Monaco when he and co-driver Daniel Elena (a native of Monaco) took the checkered flag at the Monte Carlo Rally for a record fifth time. The Monaco stages kicked off the 2008 World Rally Championship, and Loeb is hoping that the victory at the season opener will be the first of many as he and Elena campaign for their fifth consecutive WRC title.
Although Dani Sordo, Loeb's team-mate at Citroen, put up an early fight, Sordo retired from second place with engine problems, leaving Loeb with an eventual two-and-a-half second lead over Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen. Acknowledging Loeb's repeated domination in Monte Carlo, Hirvonen was satisfied with his second-place finish.
This was the last time the Monte Carlo Rally counts towards the World Rally Championship, as next year the event joins the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge. The WRC picks up again in Sweden on February 8.
We've selected some of the finer action shots from the Monaco Rally and assembled them into a high-res gallery below.
[Source: Autosport]
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Mystery Revealed: new Citroen BerlingoFiled under: Economy, Minivans/MPVs, Euro, Commercial Trucks, PSA, Citroen 
We waited. We were patient. And this is what Santa's French cousin brought us: a tiny utility van. We were hoping the predictions were wrong and that with its "C-Reveal" new product page, Citroen might give us something a little more exciting, like maybe the C5 Cabrio. But instead we got the Berlingo.
The new Berlingo is available either as a passenger vehicle (or Leisure Activity Vehicle, as Citroen imaginatively calls it) or as a slab-sided Light Commercial Vehicle. Citroen sold over 1.76 million examples of the outgoing Berlingo, which has been on the market since 1996 (with a facelift in 2002) and which will stay on in the meantime as the lower-priced Berlingo First. The new Berlingo uses running gear from the bigger, more civilized C4 Picasso minivan. It also grows in size over the old model and gets one of those new HDi particulate-filter diesels the French are so good at.
If itty-bitty European vans are your thing, you can check out all the juicy details in the press release after the jump, and stay tuned for the Partner version of the Berlingo from PSA sister-company Peugeot.
[Source: Citroen]
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Spy Shots: Citroen C-something could be Berlingo van replacementFiled under: Spy Photos, Economy, Minivans/MPVs, Euro, Commercial Trucks, PSA, Citroen  Earlier we brought you a screen shot of Citroen's website that features a countdown meter until the French automaker unveils its latest vehicle. Although we'll have to wait another couple of days to know for certain, the replacement for the Berlingo utility minivan is shaping up as a strong contender for the slot, with an undisguised photo of the new vehicle surfacing on the internet.
The Berlingo, also badged as the Partner by PSA sister-company Peugeot, has been on the market since 1996 and received a facelift in 2002. Competing with the new Renault Kangoo that was unveiled at last September's Frankfurt show, the little vans are a common site overseas where their utility and compact size prove a popular combination.
[Source: World Car Fans] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Citroen set to unveil C-something Wednesday morningFiled under: Citroen 
Citroen has put up a timer on their website foretelling the imminent launch of a new model, but guesses are all over the place as to what that new model could be.
The French automaker's range has expanded in recent years to include everything from small hatchbacks to SUVs, with just about everything in between. Progressing up the range, among the possibilities considered are a "Streetlounge" version of the C3 supermini, a pseudo-Allroad/Outback version of the C4 hatch, a C5-based convertible previewed by the C-Airscape concept, and a new C8 minivan. While sometimes automakers give us a little teaser in the form of a veiled silhouette, all PSA is giving us here is a box with wheels. Our money is on some sort of automobile, possibly starting with the letter C.
We'll have to wait until the counter runs down to zero at 9 am on Wednesday (Paris time - 3 am in New York) to see what the Chevron marque has in store for our overseas compatriots.
[Source: Citroen via World Car Fans and Le Blog Auto] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mitsubishi could partner with PSA at new Russian plantFiled under: Plants/Manufacturing, Mitsubishi, PSA, Peugeot, Citroen 
More news from the advancing front of European carmakers expanding eastwards: PSA, Europe's second largest automaker and the French parent company of Peugeot and Citroën, is considering opening its new plant in Russia to partnerships with rival carmakers.
The new factory is located in Kaluga, some 180 km outside of the capital, Moscow. Russia is considered one of the fastest-growing markets worldwide, alongside India and China, where Western automakers have also been setting up factories, principally through joint ventures with local manufacturers. PSA's Kaluga plant, scheduled to begin production in 2010, will start out building only Peugeots and Citroens, principally mid-size automobiles which PSA says accounts for 60% of the Russian market for new cars.
If PSA did look to partner with another automaker for production at Kaluga, it could go even father east to Japan's Mitsubishi, which recently obtained financial incentives from the Russian government to assemble cars there and with which the French carmaker already partners on its SUVs.
[Source: Automotive News Europe - subscription required] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Citroen unveils new C5Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Wagons/Estates, Euro, Misc. Auto Shows, Citroen 
Click the image above for a high-res gallery of pics.
The wraps are off of the new Citroen C5, and as with many designs hailing France; you either love it or loathe it. Naturally, the new model is stretched both in length and width, and comes equipped with Citroen's third-generation hydraulic suspension that adjusts on the fly, soaking up bumps in the pavement and firming up when the going gets twisty.
The C5 finds motivation from one of three different gasoline powerplants: either a 127 hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder, a 143 hp 2.0-liter four, or a 215 hp 3.0-liter V6. Diesel offerings include four different oil burners ranging from 110 hp to 208 hp in the new HDI V6.
The new Citroen C5 won't be officially unveiled until the Brussels Motor Show in January, with sales to begin later next year. All the details are available in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Citroen]
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Citroen C2 becomes a Transformer in ChinaFiled under: China, Etc., Videos, Citroen, Toys 
Proof that the Transformers franchise speaks to everyone wherever they live is this: a group of Chinese -- craftsmen? -- made a 1:1 scale transformer from a Citroen C2. The unnamed Autobot (at least, we couldn't read its name in Chinese) stands nearly 14-feet tall, weighs 1,320 pounds, and supposedly cost $8,000 to build. Talk about your Monster Garage... Follow the jump to watch the video, which based on the screen capture above looks like actual grainy footage of an Autobot on your local evening news.
Thanks for the tip, Gabriel!
[Source: Naver]
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Europeans get new Nemo and Bipper compact commercial vansFiled under: Euro, Commercial Trucks, Peugeot, Citroen 
And you thought U.S. automakers were guilty of the world's worst badge engineerings jobs! It's bad enough that both Citroen and Peugeot took the Mitsubishi Outlander and made the C-Crosser and 4007 clones, but here we have two new compact commercial vans from these companies that are virtually identical. Just pick which logo you'd like on the misshapen schnoz and you're good to go. The Citroen Nemo and Peugeot Blipper (seriously?) are actually pretty interesting to look at. These purpose built mini vans will do the work of a Chevy HHR Panel in Europe and get much better gas mileage to boot. Either vehicle can be ordered with a 75 HP 1.4L gas or 70 HP 1.4L HDi diesel engine, so they certainly can't go as fast or haul as much as what we Yanks are used to, but European commercial customers will likely find them more than adequate. And they can haul thanks to a 1,345 lb. payload rating and useable cargo space that amounts to 66 cubic feet. The front passenger seat can also be stored beneath the floor to increase the cargo room to 107 cubic feet. Just don't come to us asking which one you should buy.
[Source: Citroen and Peugeot]
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Citroen to unveil new C5 next monthFiled under: Sedans/Saloons, Citroen 
Citroen has already given us a taste of what to expect for its new C5 sedan with the unveiling of the C5 Airscape concept car at last week's Frankfurt Motor Show. The automaker is now planning to take the wraps off the real thing at a press event scheduled for the 18th of next month.
The car won't officially go on sale, however, until its world debut, most likely at the Brussels auto show in January. Citroen will release both a C5 sedan and wagon, but there's no word on whether a convertible version like the concept car will enter production. According to an inside source, product planners are conducting market research for an upmarket convertible that, if given the go ahead, could be on sale in 12 months time.
Some new technologies rumored to make it into the new C5 include a new traction control system, start-stop features and brake-energy regeneration. There could even be the brand's traditional hydro-pneumatic suspension or possibly a new air suspension set-up.
[Source: Automotive News - subs. req'd]
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Frankfurt 2007: Citroën C5 Airscape - Oh, that was here?Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Auto Show, Convertibles, Citroen 
Click the image above for more high-res pics of the Citroën C5 Airscape Concept.
Among the many unveilings that have gotten shuffled to the back of our posting pack, the Citroën C5 Airscape Concept sits in a malaise of mundanity. But it is pretty, and although we'll never see it Stateside, it still may warrant a few clicks of your mouse to view the gallery below. We're particularly fond of the handles that integrate into the chrome accents of the doors and the 70s-chic seats. And while the canvas material covering the A-pillars is a nice touch to integrate with the soft top, we'd be worried about how they'll hold up after a few too many car washes.
We've got the entire press release on the Citroën C5 Airscape in our previous post, and our gallery has the goods below.
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Frankfurt 2007: Citroën C-Cactus Concept live, unfortunatelyFiled under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Citroen 
Click the image above for more high-res pics of the Citroën C-Cactus Concept.
We doubt even a mother could love the face of the Citroën C-Cactus Concept, but that's not the point. Like many of the automakers filling up the Messe in Frankfurt, Citroën is trying to set its focus on greener offerings. The C-Cactus concept does its best to conserve resources by employing a hybrid HDi diesel-electric powertrain, which should allow this misshapen hunk of design detritus to get over 70 MPG.
If you're so inclined, there are plenty more details in our previous post and the gallery below proves that just because something is ecological and economical, it's not always going to be pretty.
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Frankfurt Preview: Citroën C-Cactus ConceptFiled under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Auto Show, Economy, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Hatchbacks, Citroen 
Click image for photo gallery
Citroën can always be counted upon to show off interesting concept cars at the major European automobile shows, and when the IAA in Frankfurt kicks off in the coming days, the French marque will live up to those expectations. We've already seen the attractive, open-topped C5 Airscape, and the second Frankfurt show car is the green-minded C-Cactus concept.
Named after the desert-dwelling plants that survive while consuming very little, the C-Cactus is a green concept that minimizes both the amount of materials that go into its construction and the amount of fuel it needs to operate. The latter half of that equation comes from its hybrid HDi diesel-electric powertrain equipped with a ZEV mode. Like sister company's Peugeot 308 Hybride HDi, the C-Cactus also delivers 70 mpg in the combined cycle, and it actually beats the Peugeot show car's C02 output, emitting a paltry 78 g/km. But the car's ecological approach doesn't end there.
[Source: Citroën]
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Frankfurt Preview: Citroën C5 Airscape - full details, hi-res galleryFiled under: Frankfurt Auto Show, Convertibles, Euro, Green, Citroen 
Citroën has officially released everything its got on the C5 Airscape Concept that leaked out a few days ago, and it turns out our guess that it incorporated a soft top beneath its tonneau cover was wrong. The C5 Airscape will actually shade its occupants with a folding hard top made out of lightweight, strong and certainly expensive carbon fiber.
Billed as an "executive cabriolet", the C5 Airscape is a four-seat hard-top convertible with expressive styling that looks less like a concept and more like a production ready prototype. Its length is accentuated by a sharp crease running the vehicle's length that also incorporates a strip of chrome acting as a door handle for both sets of doors. The cabin is covered in rich looking Chocolate Brown leather and reportedly features just as many chrome accents as the exterior, though Citroën didn't provide any interior shots.
The concept rides on unique 19-inch alloy wheels that are turned by a 2.7LHDi V6 engine producing 208bhp and augmented by what Citroen calls an 'UrbanHybrid' system. Much like the mild hybrid system used by GM, Citroën's set up incorporates a reversible alternator-starter and super capacitors that can both power accessory systems like the A/C and stereo, as well as give the diesel engine a shot of extra torque when needed.
The C5 Airscape will officially debut in Frankfurt next month and gives us a preview of the new C5 sedan, which we expect to meet next March in Geneva.
[Source: Citroën]
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Citroën introducing C4 BioFlex in EuropeFiled under: Economy, Euro, Green, Hatchbacks, Citroen 
Click images for photo gallery
With favorable tax incentives for biofuel-powered vehicles popping up across Europe, European manufacturers are making moves to take advantage of them. Renault recently launched its BioEthanol Megane hatchback, and now Citroën has unveiled is entry, the C4 BioFlex, which will go on sale in France next month. When it arrives, the stylish 5-door will be priced identically to its gasoline-only stablemates and will benefit from the same trim levels, as well.
 Since Citroën already sells flex-fuel vehicles in Brazil, it didn't have to go to great lengths to source the powerplant in the C4 BioFlex. The 1.6L engine is imported from the Ethanol-happy South American country and makes 110 horsepower and 112 lb-ft of torque when run on E85 compared to 107 HP/108 lb-ft on gasoline. Performance when driven on gasoline only is said to be no different than what's experienced in the C4 1.6i 16V petrol-engined car. As is the case with other flexible-fuel vehicles, the C4 BioFlex can be operated on any fuel blend containing up to 85% Ethanol. It does consume more fuel than the gas-only car (24 mpg vs. 33 mpg), but Citroën claims that it's ultimately cheaper to run because of the price difference between E85 and gasoline.
Pricing has been set at €18,650 for the Pack trim, €20,000 for the Ambiance trim, and €22,140 for the Exclusive model.
[Source: Citroën]
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