Citroen introduced at the beginning of this year a special edition of the C3 Picasso model which is available under the “Code” name. Essentially, we are dealing with the successor of the Blackcherry special edition and it is based on the HDi 90 manual VTR+ model.
It comes with additional chrome, a roof rack and obsidian black bumpers, along with 17-inch alloy with cherry red or white polar accents. Inside the cabin it gets bespoke floor mats and packs Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control and an air conditioning system.
The car is already on sale in the United Kingdom and has a starting price of 15,695 pounds (OTR).
The French automaker Citroen has introduced two new special editions of the popular C3 model in United Kingdom. Known as the C3 Black and the C3 White, both cars are motivated by a 1.4i VT engine that delivers 72 hp. These two cars are offered as you would expect, in an Obsidian black body and a Polar white finish.
These cars are replacing the 72 hp 1.4i VT version of the successful hatchback and are 300 pounds more affordable than the outgoing models. Aside from the lower price tags, these special editions come with more goodies in the standard configuration, like front fog lights, 16-inch alloy wheels, chrome inserts on the lower front bumper, white dashboard and door mirrors, along with air conditioning.
Both cars are available only with a manual gearbox and should be able to return 47.1 mpg UK, while the CO2 emissions stand at 139 g/km.
The two Citroen C3s will be hitting the dealerships next month and will cost 11,990 pounds for the White version while the Black one will be a little bit more expensive, priced at 12,430 pounds.
To be honest, I haven’t heard of Musketier before and after doing a little bit or research I learned that they developed some tuning programs for Peugeot, Citroen and Toyota. Their newest project is based on the 2011 Citroen C3, one of the most cool-looking cars in the segment.
Musketier Citroen C3
From the looks of the car, it seems that they took their inspiration from the higher-spec DS3 which was a very good idea. The car sports LED daytime running lights installed on the vertical front bumper with a matching contrasting color pattern on the edges of the fenders and the bumper’s lower edge. They did a little bit of work to the rear lower lip in order to fit in the twin exhaust system. The C3 is now 35 mm lower and sits on a cool set of 18-inch rims.
Inside the cabin, the guys over at Musketier (cool name by the way) wrapped the interior in leather upholstery and added aluminum and carbon fiber inserts here and there.
Musketier Citroen C3
They also increased the power of the engine from 115 hp to 129 hp by reconfiguring the car’s electronic system. It might not seem much but any boost in power is welcomed.
Although the changes are not very significant, the tuners from Musketier added a little bit more flavor to the Citroen C3.
A week after we tested the Panzer tank which was the BMW 5 Series GT, we had the opportunity to try out a totally different type of model, the new Citroen C3. If the previous generation wasn’t really my cup of tea, the new one seems pretty chic, at least at first glance. But let’s see how it all went:
A week after we tested the Panzer tank which was the BMW 5 Series GT, we had the opportunity to try out a totally different type of model, the new Citroen C3. If the previous generation wasn’t really my cup of tea, the new one seems pretty chic, at least at first glance. But let’s see how it all went:
Exterior
The first impression I got when I saw the new Citroen C3 was that it was smaller than the last gen, getting closer to the C2 (which makes sense, seeing as how the model has disappeared from the Citroen range). After checking the technical specs, I saw that things were actually quite the opposite, with the new C3 being bigger than its predecessor. But, even though it keeps the arched roof, it looks much better.
Also, throw in the Blue Belle-Ile color (the name wasn’t our idea) with the stunning Clover 17 inch wheels, and the result is excellent.
Interior
On the inside, there are two sides in terms of the equipment: the Zenight windshield and everything else. You may have heard about this new option, but what’s so great about it? It’s huge. It’s not like a regular windscreen as it is elongated, covering half of the actual roof. To put it in another way, it’s like the sunroof and the windshield decided that a strip of metal shouldn’t keep them apart and merged together. The Top Gear guys put it even better: after driving the Zenith-equipped C3, driving the rest of the cars feels like walking around with a hat on your head. At first, the experience is a bit weird, as if you look at the rear-view mirror it seems like it’s floating in mid air. After you get used to it, though, it’s stunning, to say the least. You don’t have to break your neck while looking for traffic lights or signs and you can just enjoy the ride. The only downside appear when the sun is too bright, as the car fills up with light and you can’t see a whole lot. In those cases, you can pull up the half of the roof, with sun guards and all, and the car turns back into a regular one.
The other options include everything Citroen has best: automatic climate control, parking sensors, ambient perfume (so that you don’t need to buy tiny air fresheners, you just push a button and the car smells better), satellite navigation, a great HiFi audio system, leather seats plus a great and sporty steering wheel with a bit of flat bottom. The controls on the aforementioned steering wheel are a bit weird, at first, as they aren’t actually on it, but rather behind it. It takes a bit of time until you get used to it (I realized on my second day that it has such things), but once you grow accustomed to them, they’re quite practical. It’s not all Zenith sunshine and butterflies though, as the car lacked any … cup holders! Now we’ve grown accustomed to such a downside on BMWs, but we didn’t expect such a thing from Citroen. Another drawback is the instrument panel, which has a cheap look (you think stickers are glued to it) and the handbrake lever which is placed a little out of reach.
On the road
So, we have a small car with a gasoline-powered 120 HP engine. Sounds pretty good right? Well it pretty much is. Pretty much, though. I don’t know why, but when you see the actual technical specs, you would expect a bit more (the same feeling we got from the C4 by Loeb we had this winter). Still, on the open road, it’s a bit of a sloth and isn’t as responsive as you’d expect. This doesn’t mean it’s not any good. Quite the opposite. In the city, the car was pretty awesome. The steering wheel is extremely light (at one point you’ll actually be scared not to break it), and it’s coupled with a soft steering, which makes the C3 a joy in the city. I even tried (in completely safe conditions, of course) to drive it with just one finger. As I said, it was pretty awesome and I think, leaving all misconceptions behind, that it would make a great car for the ladies (nobody will break a single fingernail while maneuvering the wheel).
The new Citroen C3 isn’t so bad outside the city either. During overtakes, it has a certain jolt which makes all the difference and the suspension is quite comfy, even on gravel roads. We had the chance to take on some country roads and the C3 offered a much better ride than even a Saab 9-3, driven by a friend.
The engine doesn’t really impress through numbers: 1.6-liter, 120 HP, 0 to 62 mph in 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 190 km/h The fuel average sits between 26 and 33 mpg (US) but it depends on where you drive it. The price was €17,800 or $22,6000 (taking into consideration the €1,000 discount Citroen has on all the C3 lineup). It might seem a bit steep, but our test car was practically the top-of-the-range full option model, with the best of the best. If you’re on a budget, the entry level model, with a 61 HP 1.1-liter engine, that starts at a bit over €10k, isn’t that bad.
Overall
The new Citroen C3 is a brilliant city car (the steering and the wheel are great) and won’t embarrass you outside the urban environment, even on bad roads. If you want a sporty experience though, you might want to consider something else. Still, given its attractive looks, that might be a bit hard to do.
We liked:
- the Zenith windshield
- the outside looks (wheels, color, accessories)
- the steering and the wheel
- the handling
We didn’t like:
- not that sporty
- no cup holders
- not so great fuel average, especially if you’re into sporty driving.
2010 Citroen C3 specifications: Weight: 1,075 kg (2,370 pounds) Engine: 1.6-liter, four-cylinder in-line engine, max power output of 88 kW (120 HP) at 6,000 rpm and 160 Nm max torque at 4,250 rpm. Performance: 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.9 seconds and top speed of 190km/h (118 mph) Fuel consumption (city/highway/combined, official figures): 37.1/58.8/43.4 (US MPG) or 8,1/5,6/6,5 (liters per 100 km).
As always, big thanks to Laura and Paula from Citroen Romania for all their help!
Citroen isn’t forgetting about its presence in Brazil, and has just revealed the first pictures of a new AirCross model using Twitter.
As you can see, the new model is basically a more off-road-ready variant of the current C3 Picasso MPV. It has received a design overhaul, with plenty of “rugged” plastics being added to the exterior. Also, it can join the big SUV club by having a spare tire mounted on the outside of the vehicle.
Set to debut later this year in Brazil, the Citroen AirCross will have ride on higher suspension and boast increased length, largely due to the rear-mounted tire. It is expected to have a single engine, either a 1.6-liter or a 2.0-liter unit, both flex-fuel capable, as is the norm in Brazil.
Given the fact that the Volkswagen group is also pushing these sorts of plastic-cladded models in Europe, it’s possible that Citroen will bring the AirCross over the Atlantic later this year. Until then, Brazilians should get ready for the official premiere of the vehicle.
As you may have found out yesterday through the teaser video we posted, Citroen is launching today the new generation of the C3, right in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
What’s more interesting is that the company has dedicated a special website to the occasion which allows visitors to choose one of ten viewing points and watch the live stream of the presentation show, which will include, besides the car of course, a spectacular light show hosted by the famous Tower itself. Here is the link, and the presentations will start at 9 PM Paris time (that’s GMT+1), meaning in just a few hours.
If the French are known for one thing, that’s style (and some rather awkward cheeses, but we’re a car blog, not a culinary one). Citroen proves this by releasing this teaser video which previews the launch of the new C3 model which will take place at the Eiffel Tower in Paris on October 22nd.
You may know that I spent a weekend in Paris celebrating the 90 years of history for the French brand, and I can tell you that we’re for a very interesting launch. Enjoy the video below and stay tuned for more details tomorrow when it will take place.
Beside the GTbyCitroen and the Hypnos, the new Citroen C3 Picasso was another of the French carmaker’s premieres for Paris. The small MPV, which looks a little like the Kia Soul, with its cube-like body shape, offers plenty of interior space and it will be offered with a range of four petrol and diesel engines that develop between 90 and 120 hp. The car will make its UK debut next year and you can read more about it in our previous post and in the official press release. And here are the photos we took in Paris. Enjoy!
Citroen has announced that the latest addition to their range, the Citroen C3 Picasso will make its debut next month, at the Paris Motor Show. The small MPV, the third member of the Picasso family, after the Xsara and the C4 Picasso, is 4.08 meters long, 1.73 m wide and 1.62 m tall, and features a cube-like body shape, with short front end and vertical rear. The interior space is optimized through Citroen’s modular design, with split-folding rear seats that slide back and forth independently, while the flat load surface extends right up to the front seatbacks and can be extended by folding the back of the front passenger seat.
Under the hood, the Citroen C3 Picasso will be available with four engine, two petrol and two diesels. The VTi petrol units, developed in cooperation with BMW, develop 95 and 120 hp (the latter complying with futre Euro 5 pollution standards), while the two diesel units, a 90 hp HDi and a 110 HDi DPFS achieve CO2 emissions of 125g/km and 130g/km respectively.
After its Paris debut, the C3 Picasso also has an UK launch scheduled for next year. Read more about the car in the official press release.
This year, the legendary Citroen 2CV will celebrate its 60th anniversary and, some time ago, we were wondering how Citroen will mark this moment. Not as impressive as we would’ve expected, but who knows, maybe that’s not all. We’re talking about the Citroen C3 Pluriel Charleston, a special edition of the French cabrio finished in a two-tone color scheme of black and bordeaux red. Other extras include new 15” alloy wheels, and a special interior with gloss-black fittings, leather upholstery and chrome trim.
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