CITROËN C2 BREAKS COVER
Citroën has released the first pictures of the Citroën C2, the new small car that will slot into the French car maker’s Australian range next year under the award winning Citroën C3 that entered the local market in January.
Like the Citroën C3, Citroën has provided its small brother with real character, both in its appearance and in its innovative design and technology which includes a split tailgate/opening rear window/rear hatch design, which is unique in its class.
The C2 will bring Citroën new customers, helping the company to maintain the strong growth of the past six years in Australia and around the world. Three-door models account for more than 56 per cent of compact vehicle sales in Europe. In the space of just 18 months, Citroën will have launched three vehicles in the compact class: the C3, the C2 and the C3 Pluriel – set to arrive in Australia after the C2. This will provide Citroën with three vehicles of very different concepts and styles in one segment – one of the market’s biggest – where it previously had just one vehicle, the Saxo, which was not even sold in Australia.
These three new Citroëns complement each other and provide Citroën with uniquely diverse range of cars to tackle this sector.
- Through its roomy tall-car architecture and strong styling, the C3, a five-door hatch, places the emphasis on space and appeal. With more than 180,000 vehicles sold in its first year on the market, its commercial success has confirmed its potential.
- The C2, a more compact three-door hatch, is a car that brings dynamic performance to mind with its sporty style and strong personality. Its design lines play on visual appeal and on the break created by the recessed side windows. Inside the car, the bright colour schemes and translucent trim underline the emphasis placed on modern design. A car that places the emphasis on vitality and innovation, the C2 boasts a unique concept in modular design. Two sliding, independent rear seats, designed to fold down easily, let the user modify the vehicle interior to cope with a full range of everyday situations. The cleverly designed tailgate opens in two sections, so that the boot can be accessed in all circumstances, even when limited space is available. Compact, easy to handle, and very much at ease in the city, the C2 offers a passenger compartment with four real seats.
- The C3 Pluriel, a three-door convertible, heralds a new phase in modular vehicle design with its ability to change shape at will. Designed to meet everyday needs, it is also a leisure vehicle with a host of possible configurations.
Citroën now has three vehicles with different styling but shared qualities in terms of road holding and safety. Four engines are available for the Citroën C2: three petrol and one diesel, the acclaimed new 1.4 HDi. Two of the engines can be coupled with the SensoDrive gearbox, recently inaugurated on the C3 and set for Australian launch later this year. The car can be fitted with wheels and tyres of up to 16 inches in size, underlining the visual perception of the C2 as a vehicle with a strong on-road stance.
The C2 is available with a range of comfort equipment, standard or optional, usually only found further up the market. This equipment includes variable assistance electric power steering, air conditioning with automatic temperature control, electronic parking assistance and cruise control. In terms of safety, the C2 is a front-runner on its segment with ESP, ABS, emergency braking assistance and six airbags.
The C2 shares the same platform as the C3 and the C3 Pluriel which are recognised as a reference in their segment in terms of road handling. Today's platform organisation has enabled Citroën to produce three vehicles, each with their own distinct personality, on a common base that incorporates the latest upgrades in safety and comfort equipment, together with a wide range of engines. The C2 uses a version of the platform 1 with a short wheelbase of 2.31 m, compared to 2.46 m for the C3 and C3 Pluriel. It is 3.66 m wide and 1.66 m high, positioning it in the middle of the compact 3-door vehicle segment. The new C2 therefore slots naturally into place in the Citroën range. It shares many features with the C3 and C3 Pluriel while boasting its own strong personality.
Full details of the Citroën C2 range for Australia will be announced when it goes on sale locally next year.
A CAR WITH REAL CHARACTER
MODERN AND DYNAMIC EXTERIOR STYLING
The exterior styling of the C2 is specific to this vehicle, even though it uses many parts from the shared platform 1. The C2 has its own strong personality that sets it apart from the C3 and the C3 Pluriel.
The front end is dynamic with strong curves. The rounded bonnet, large vertical headlamps and radiator grille built into the bumper underline its modern, robust character. From a 3/4 front view, the curves of the wheel arches highlight its good on-road stance. Viewed from the side, the C2 breaks with habit to reveal its sporty character, expressed primarily by the marked break in the body line between the side windows. This styling feature underlines the personality of the car and offers remarkable side vision for passengers at the rear. The sizing of the rear lights, the volume of the wheel arches and the deep-chinned bumper give the rear end an elegant, well-balanced appearance.
A VTR version with specific body parts conveys a particularly sporty image. It can be recognised by the additional painted parts on the lower part of the front bumper and by its broad sills. A spoiler positioned above the rear window completes the trim.
A BRIGHT AND GENEROUS INTERIOR
Daring to be different, the C2 innovates with a range of bright and original interior design schemes. The amber, blue, green or grey of the seat upholstery is matched by the trim on the front door panels. The translucent gear lever knob and interior handles add an original touch of colour. The single-colour dashboard sets off the brighter colours of the interior design schemes.
INGENIOUS AND PRACTICAL
MODULAR DESIGN BECOMES CHILD’S PLAY
The C2 features an ingenious design concept through which the rear part of the vehicle can be adapted to the needs of the moment. The two independent rear seats, controlled by a support strap, slide or fold “portfolio style” without any effort on the part of the user. The rear seats pivot and fold up against the back of the front seat at the press of a button. This unique system provides the basis for a wide range of configurations, enabling the C2 to carry three adults in the car while ensuring generous load space. Practical and easy to use, the rear seats can also be folded and removed from the boot.
A TWO-PART TAILGATE TO MAKE THE BOOT ACCESSIBLEIN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES
The C2 makes everyday life simpler. The original design of the two-part tailgate was designed to ensure easy and convenient access to the boot:
• The upper tailgate, which is smaller, can be opened easily in a tight space. In situations frequently encountered in the city (car parked near a wall or bumper to bumper, for example), this design makes it possible to open and access the boot. This feature, identical to that of the C3 Pluriel, is new in this segment. The upper tailgate of the C2 is more than just a rear window that is designed to open.
Openingthe window also draws out the parcel shelf to offer complete access to boot space. The electrically controlled opening mechanism can be activated with a fingertip. The tailgate is light enough to be opened and closed easily.
• Opening the lower tailgate makes it possible to place heavy objects, to provide support for loading or to sit down (loads of up to 100 kg). Closing the tailgate makes it possible to use the entire height of the boot and thus to gain significantly greater loading space than with a conventional tailgate. It also features a neat closed stowage compartment with a capacity of 5 litres, which can be used to hold personal belongings or a vehicle tool kit. This compartment is accessible in both the open and closed position of the lower tailgate.
AN UNCOMPROMISING DRIVE
With the same platform as the C3 and C3 Pluriel, in a 2.31 m wheelbase version, the C2 boasts excellent road handling.
DRIVING COMFORT: C2 AND C3 ARE ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH
Like the C3, the C2 offers a range of comfort equipment usually reserved for segments furtherup the market, for example:
• A steering wheel adjustable for height and reach,
• A height-adjustable driver’s seat,
• An onboard computer,
• Cruise control,
• Automatic illumination of lights,
• Automatic activation of wipers,
• Excess speed warning.
A PLATFORM ADAPTED TO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE C2
A range comprising three petrol engines and one diesel
The range comprises three petrol engines and one diesel HDi engine.
• The entry-level 1.1i engine develops 44.1 kW (61 bhp) at 5,500 rpm with torque of 94 Nm at 3,200 rpm.
• The 1.4i engine develops 54 kW (75 bhp) at 5,400 rpm with torque of 118 Nm at 3,300 rpm.
• The 1.6i 16V unit is the most powerful engine in the range, developing 80 kW (110 bhp) at 5,750 rpm with maximum torque of 147 Nm at 4,000 rpm.
• The diesel offering comprises the 1.4 HDi engine developing 50 kW (70 bhp) at 4,000 rpm for torque of 150 Nm at 1,750 rpm. Particularly quiet and economical, this second-generation HDi common-rail engine also offers an excellent level of performance for an engine of this capacity.
The SensoDrive gearbox more widely available
The market launch of the C2 is an opportunity to extend the use of the SensoDrive gearbox to the 1.4i engine, alongside the 1.6i 16V engine. The SensoDrive is a robotised manual gearbox with two modes of use: manual and automatic. The driver can choose either automatic, by a button on the central console, or manual, using the paddles behind the wheel or the manual gear lever.
Running gear, brakes, ABS, ESP…
The running gear is similar to that of the C3, but it has been adapted to the new characteristicsof the C2, including weight and aerodynamics. The C2 also offers a high level of active safety equipment including ABS with electronic brakeforce assistance, emergency braking assistance, automatic illumination of hazard warning lights, ESP and traction control. The driver can therefore undertake long journeys with complete peace of mind. The wheel size ranges between 14 and 16 inches, depending on the engine and the level of trim.
Variable-assistance electric power steering
While maintaining easy handling in the city, the C2 is equipped with an electric power steering system that varies power continuously as a function of vehicle speed and guarantees a high level of driving pleasure on all types of road and at any speed. An electronic unit provides smooth and gradual control of the level of assistance. The power steering combined with the small turning circle (9.60 m between kerbs with 14-inch wheels), offers a level of driving pleasure that is truly exceptional for urban use.
Occupant protection
Complementing the new platform, the C2 features a wide range of safety equipment including reinforcing bars in the doors, a steering column that retracts over 50 mm, four front and side airbags plus two curtain airbags (depending on the version).
COMPACT EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS AND A SPACIOUS INTERIOR
The exterior dimensions of the C2 position it squarely in the middle of the compact 3-door vehicle segment. Measuring 3.66 m in length and 1.66 m in width, the C2 is a tall car that stands 1.46 m high. As a result, it combines all the requirements of compact design with a bright and airy interior and the excellent interior space of the C3 at the front.
At the rear, the sliding seats make it possible to adapt passenger space and boot volume to the needs of the moment. Rounding out the range of features provided for comfort and driving pleasure, the C2 includes a function that automatically locks the doors and boot when the car is moving, as well as – depending on the versions – electronic parking assistance and power-folding rearview mirrors.
Main dimensions C2 C3
Length 3.66 m 3.85 m
Width 1.66 m 1.66 m
Height 1.46 m 1.52 m
Wheelbase 2.31 m 2.46 m
Elbow room at front 0.90 m 0.92 m
Elbow room at front 1.41 m 1.40 m
Headroom at rear 0.84 m 0.86 m
Elbow room at rear 1.42 m 1.40 m
(ends)
For further information:
Citroën Australia Media Web Site:
Miles Williams
/ Tel: (02) 9558 7111General Manager / Fax: (02) 9558 7722
Citroën Australia / Mob: 0419 800 520
E-Mail:
Edward Rowe
/ Tel: (02) 9558 7111Public Relations Manager / Fax: (02) 9558 7722
Citroën Australia / Mob: 0407 913 244
E-Mail:
Web site:
EJR/ejr/007
5/8/2003