The Citroen day

2010 GQbyCitroen Concept

Two years ago- much to our delight - Citroen brought out the GT by Citroen concept. It took longer than expected, but the French brand is back to their "by Citroen" ways with the debut of the GQbyCitroen concept, a car it developed in collaboration with the popular men’s lifestlye magazine, GQ. The concept will be revealed in London next week.

The GQbyCitroen is defined by a contemporary and sophisticated design featuring a carved front and a muscular side with the rear characterized by a particularly elegant concave rear window. The interior is signed by Patrick Grant, the artistic director of the Haus E. Tautz. It is spacious, comfortable and most importantly - as far as concepts are concerned - defined by futuristic lines.

The GQbyCitroen is a hybrid concept that’s powered by a a 1.6-liter THP direct-injected petrol engine and is capable of clocking a 0 to 62 mph time of just 4.5 seconds with an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph.

2010 Citroen Metropolis

Citroen will unveil the Metropolis concept next month at the Shanghai World Fair which runs from May 1-October 31, 2010. The Citroen Metropolis is a big luxury sedan with a wheelbase bigger than both the Audi A8 or Mercedes S-Class and it just so happens to follow the debut of the BMW long-wheelbase 5 series at the Beijing Motor Show

As you can easily notice, the design language is inspired by the Hypnos concept and was entirely developed by PSA Group’s Shanghai design studio. It is built on a modified version of of the PSA Group’s Platform 3, used on cars such as the Citroën C6 and Peugeot 407.

The Metropolis is powered by a hybrid drivetrain that combines a 2.0-liter V6 engine with an output of 272bhp and 277lb ft and an electric motor that develops from 55bhp to 95bhp. The concept has a CO2 emission of just 70 g/km

2010 Citroen DS High Rider

It has been about a year since the French automaker launched the all new Citroen DS line and only a few months after the new DS3 broke cover, the new car builder is taking the next step by unveiling the new DS High Rider concept at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The High Rider is a modern car with an innovative technological approach, especially because of the new "Full Hybrid" diesel powertrain.

The "Full Hybrid " system combines a refined HDi DPFS diesel burning power plant with an electric motor mounted on the rear axle that enables the Citroen DS High Rider to combine the fuel efficiency and torque of an HDi diesel engine with the green benefits of a next generation ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) when running exclusively under electric power while in other situations, both propulsion sources combine to deliver the maximum amount of power with an excess of torque being transmitted to the rear wheels.

Updated 04/23/2010: Citroen today unveiled images of the concept’s interior. The images revealed that the instrument panel, seats and door panels are all finished in a quality, full-grain leather, while chrome detailing is used around the dials, steering wheel, air vents, gear stick and the arch that connects the instrument panel to the console.

2011 Citroen C4

Citroen unveiled today the first details on the new generation C4 that will make its world debut at the Paris Auto Show. Citroen’s answer to the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus is a mixture of high-tech gadgets and class-leading interior space. The new C4 will go on sale in the United Kingdom in early 2011.

Compared to the current generation, the new C4 has grown in dimensions with 5cm in length, 2cm in width, and 3cm in height. It also comes with a new exterior design: more aggressive headlights, a bolder grille, additional chrome accent, a roof-mounted spoiler, a classier rear bumper, and modern taillights. The new Citroen C4 is a fabulous looking car that resembles the new Focus and Renault’s Megane Coupe. The new C4 should fit well into the very competitive small car segment.

Of course, with the wave of environmentalism sweeping up the world, Citroen made sure that the new C4 would do as little damage to the arctic as it possibly could. The New C4 will be available with Citroen’s new micro-hybrid e-HDi powertrains, which feature the latest generation Stop & Start system that helps deliver CO2 emissions as low as 109g/km at launch - and 99g/km on future models. Next to it there will be the usual turbocharged petrol and HDi diesel engines.

The list of technologies offered for the C4 include: EGS (Electronic Gearbox System), hill start assist, automatic electric parking brake, Lane Departure Warning System and Xenon dual-function directional headlamps, blind-spot monitoring system, cornering light function, cruise control and speed-limiter with road speed memory settings, and an innovative new service called eTouch.

2011 Citroën DS3 R3

Citroen Racing has used their FIA expertise, as well as the new Group R3T regulations drawn up by the FIA, to create the Citroen DS3 R3. The DS3 R3 will feature a steel body shell reinforced with a welded multipoint roll cage created with the use of 45 meters of steel piping. The weight has been reduced by taking out the supports used in the production model with the battery and the automatic fire extinguisher being moved behind the seats to distribute weight more efficiently.

The DS3 R3 is powered by a four-cylinder 1.6-liter THP (high pressure turbo) engine improved with racing parts (air box, camshaft, pistons, connecting rods, exhaust and turbo systems, electronic unit, etc.). It is mated to a six speed gearbox featuring a semiautomatic sequential control. It also carries with it a specially tuned chassis and suspension. The result is an output of 210bhp and 350 NM of torque.

The Citroen DS3 R3 will be sold as a kit and in ready-to-race versions

2010 Citroen Survolt

Citroen sure knows how to capture attention at these auto shows, don’t they?

Remember Paris in 2008? Yeah, that’s when Citroen unveiled the GT by Citroen concept. This year, at the Geneva Motor Show, the French automaker is at it again, this time bringing the aggressively neoned up Survolt concept. It features the same design language as the GT, but taken to a more compact dimension. And if the GT made it to production - only six have been made at $1.8 million a pop - we’re pretty confident that somewhere down the road, we’ll see a production version of the Survolt too.

The concept’s front is defined by the same large oval-shaped grille, slim, horizontal head lamps with LED lamps. The rear features the elegant light signature of the Citroen Revolte together with a spoiler in a timely and essential reference to motor sport, all of which were made through the use of a combination of chrome and aluminum.

Although Citroen is still withholding further details surrounding the Survolt, it is expected that the concept will be powered by an electric drive-train.

UPDATE 07/07/2010: Citroen has announced that the Survolt will indeed make an appearance that’s not in an auto expo showroom, but rather at the Le Mans Classic on July 10. You read that right; the Survolt is getting prepped for its racing debut. Vanina Ickx, daughter of former racing ace Jacky Ickx, will drive the electric vehicle.

Citroen has also finally given us the inner workings of the Survolt, including the concept’s technical specs. The car measures at 3.85m long, 1.87.m wide, and 1.2m high and weighs in at just 1,150 kg. It comes with a tubular chassis, a flat underside with an extractor, and full carbon bodywork. As for capabilities, the Survolt can produce a 0-60 mph time of just a shade under five seconds with a top speed of 162 mph.

Updated 07/13/2010: Citroen today unveiled images with the electric concept at the Le Mans circuit, where the Survolt made its first laps. The concept’s driver, Vanina Ickx, said: "I am very happy to participate in this unique project. On the track, I had a very good sensation. It’s a real race car, with a very promising potential for the future."