CITROEN line up

Citroën is a French automobile manufacturer, founded in 1919 by André Citroën. It is today part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, and its headquarters is on rue Fructidor, Paris.

Originally a mass-market car maker with relatively straightforward designs, Citroën shocked the world in 1934 with the innovative Traction Avant, the world's first mass-production front wheel drive car (1934-56). Significant models include the H Van (1947-81, "HY"), the 2CV (1948-90, "The Duck"), the DS (1955-1975, "Goddess") and the CX (1974-91).

André Citroën built armaments for France during World War I and after the war he had a factory and no product. In 1919, the business started to produce automobiles, beginning with the conventional type A. The Type A was designed by Jules Salomon, Chief Design Officer from Le Zèbre.

Citroën was a keen marketer - he used the Eiffel Tower as the world's largest advertising sign, as recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. He also sponsored expeditions in Asia (Croisière Jaune) and Africa (Croisière Noire), intended to demonstrate the potential for motor vehicles equipped with the Kégresse track system to cross inhospitable regions. The expeditions conveyed scientists and journalists.

In 1924, Citroën began a business relationship with American engineer Edward G. Budd. From 1899, Budd had worked to develop stainless steel bodies for railroad cars, for the Pullman in particular. Budd went on to manufacture steel bodies for many automakers, Dodge being his first big auto client. In 1928, Citroën introduced the first all-steel body in Europe.

The cars were initially successful in the marketplace, but soon competitors (who were still using a wooden structure for their bodies), introduced new body designs. Citroën did not redesign the bodies of his cars. Citroëns still sold in large quantities in spite of not changing the body design, but the car's low price was the main selling point and Citroën experienced heavy losses.

In an attempt to remedy the situation, Citroën developed the Traction Avant. The Traction Avant had three revolutionary features: a unitary body with no separate frame, front wheel independent suspension, and front wheel drive. Citroën commissioned Budd to create a prototype, which evolved into the 7 horsepower (CV), 32 HP Traction Avant of 1934.

In 1933, Citroën also introduced the Rosalie, a passenger car with the world’s first commercially available diesel engine developed with Harry Ricardo.

Citroën was weak and unable to withstand the softening of the automobile market that accompanied the 1973 oil crisis. That year FIAT withdrew from PARDEVI and returned its 49% stake to Michelin. This was an ominous sign of things to come and, less than a year later, Citroën went bankrupt. The French government feared large job losses and arranged talks between Michelin and Peugeot, in which it was decided to merge Automobiles Citroën and Automobiles Peugeot into a single company. In 1974, Peugeot purchased 38.2% of Citroën and became responsible for managing the combined activities, in particular their research, purchasing, and investments departments.

Peugeot sold off Maserati to DeTomaso in May 1975, and the Italian firm was quickly able to exploit the aspirational image of the Maserati brand to sell tens of thousands of newly-designed Bi-Turbo models.

The takeover was completed in May 1976, as Peugeot SA purchased a 90% stake of Citroën SA and the companies were combined into a holding company, known as PSA Peugeot Citroën.

The PSA venture was a financial success from 1976 to 1979. Citroën had two successful new designs in the market at this time (the GS and CX), a resurgent Citroën 2CV, and the Citroën Dyane in the wake of the oil crisis, and Peugeot was typically prudent in its own finances, launching the Peugeot 104 based Citroën Visa and Citroën LNA. PSA then purchased the aging assets of Chrysler Europe, which it rebranded as Talbot, leading to losses from 1980 to 1985.

PSA gradually eliminated Citroën's ambitious attitude to engineering and styling in an effort to rebrand the marque as an economy brand. In the 1980s, Citroën models were increasingly Peugeot-based, which was part of a worldwide motor industry trend called "platform sharing." The 1982 BX used the hydropneumatic suspension system and still had a Citroënesque appearance, while being powered by Peugeot-derived engines and using the floorpan later seen on the Peugeot 405. By the late 1980s, many of the distinctive features of the marque had been removed or diluted - the AX GT, for example was noted by contemporary journalists for its poor ride quality, an unusual attribute for the brand.

Citroën has expanded into many new geographic markets. In the late 1970s, the firm developed a small car for production in Romania known as the Oltcit, which it sold in Western Europe as the Citroën Axel. That joint venture has ended, but a new one between PSA and Toyota is now producing cars like the Citroën C1 in the Czech Republic. In China, the C3 and Xsara are sold alongside the Fukang and Elysée local models. Citroën is still a global brand except in North America, where the company has not returned since the SM was effectively banned in 1974 for not meeting NHTSA bumper regulations.

The ubiquitous and versatile 2CV workhorse was finally killed off in 1990, without replacement. Companies like Chrysler with the CCV concept car, Toyota with the Scion xB and Honda with the Element have recognized the 2CV concept and translated it to the modern era. More recently, Citroën has introduced the C3 Pluriel, an unusual convertible with strong allusions to the 2CV, both in body style (such as the bonnet) and in its all-round practicality. A "retro style" C3-based, post-modern 2cv like the new VW Beetle and BMW MINI is under active consideration by Citroën.

The Pluriel is but one example of Citroën's return to innovation, after launching somewhat dull (although efficient) models throughout the 1990s. Other examples are the C2, C4, and C6. The introduction of newer models, such as the long-awaited CX replacement, the C6, indicates Citroën's continued commitment to innovation in the 21st century. But the days of clean-sheet thinking and truly radical innovation are long gone. Being too avant-garde and too far ahead of public taste is too risky.

In 2003, Citroën sold 1,372,500 cars, according to the PSA Peugeot Citroën group's 2003 annual report.


Berlingo

The Citroën Berlingo is a panel van and leisure activity vehicle produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since 1996.

Two different models replaced the first generation of the Berlingo in 2008.

One, known as Nemo, has been developed in cooperation with Fiat and Tofaş Based on the Fiat Grande Punto platform, it will be build in Turkey and is also marketed as Peugeot Bipper and Fiat Fiorino. The Peugeot and Citroën will be almost identical; the Fiorino will also have a different, Fiat made, diesel engine. It will be cheaper and smaller than the present Berlingo.

The Berlingo II  is based on PSA's Platform 2 (like the Citroën C4) and therefore is slightly larger and more expensive than its predecessor. The engine range is expected to be similar to other current models of the PSA group. It has been officially unveiled in January 2008.


C1

The Citroën C1 is a city car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since 2005.

The C1 was developed as part of the B-Zero project by the PSA Group (Peugeot and Citroën) in a joint-venture with Toyota. The Peugeot 107 is identical to the C1 other than the front bumper and front and rear lights, while the Toyota Aygo is slightly more differentiated but still obviously similar. All of them are built at the new facilities of the TPCA joint-venture (Toyota Peugeot Citroën Automobile) in the city of Kolin, Czech Republic. The project was presented for the first time at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. The cars are 4-seater, 3 or 5-door hatchbacks measuring 3.40 metres (133.9 in) in length. The body was designed by Donato Coco.

A notable feature of the 5-door C1 and 107, though not the Aygo, is the large tail light cluster, which extends from the edge of the rear doors to the rear window, meaning there is no external metal "C-pillar".

The C1 is powered by a 1.0 L 3-cylinder engine, which has a fuel economy of 61.4 mpg (3.8 L/100 km). A 1.4 L 4-cylinder engine is also available.


C2

China Ver.

The Citroën C2 is a supermini produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since 2004. A completely different car, based on the Peugeot 206, is sold in China as the C2.

Along with the Citroën C3, the C2 was intended to replace the popular Citroën Saxo. The two cars have relatively different designs allowing Citroën to grab different sub-markets of the supermini class. The C2 was designed by Donato Coco. The C3 was originally designed as a larger "family friendly" vehicle" being 5 doors, whereas the C2 is seen as a "young driver" image with 2 doors and flatter styling, though still with low power.


C3

The Citroën C3 is a supermini car with a range of inline-4 engines that has been produced by the French automaker Citroën since 2002. It was launched to replace the Citroën Saxo with the Citroën C2. It was designed by Donato Coco and Jean-Pierre Ploué, previously known for designing the Renault Twingo; the former has been the head of the Citroën design team since 1999. A mini MPV version of the C3, reportedly to be marketed as the C3 StreetLounge, was scheduled to be released in 2007.


C4

The Citroën C4 is a small family car produced by French automaker Citroën since autumn 2004. The C4 was designed to be the successor to the Citroën Xsara.

Three-door coupé and five-door hatchback are the available body styles, with petrol or diesel engines.

A sedan version is also marketed in certain markets. In China, a sedan version is locally built and sold as the Citroën C-Triomphe and is four-door sedan with a separate trunk. The sedan version is also manufactured in Argentina, where it is sold alongside the three-door version. The sedan is sold in Brazil as the C4 Pallas, and will be exported to Spain, where it will be sold as the C4 Berlina.

A seven-seater compact MPV version, the Grand C4 Picasso, was introduced in 2006, while a five-seater called the C4 Picasso was introduced in 2007.


Xsara Picasso

China Ver.

The Xsara Picasso was Citroën's answer to the enormously popular compact MPV Renault Scénic when it went on sale late in 1999 with two trim levels - LX and SX, and three engines. The rear seats could be removed to create extensive storage space. It soon became the bestselling multi-purpose vehicle in France, Great Britain, and most of the rest of Europe. The Xsara Picasso is also built in Brazil for the Latin American market since 2001, where it is the top selling car in its class.


C4 Picasso/Grand C4 Picasso

The Citroën C4 Picasso is a range of two compact MPVs, a five-seater and a seven-seater (Grand C4 Picasso), unveiled by French automaker Citroën in August 2006 and presented at the 2006 Paris Motor Show in September 2006 for the seven-seater, and in January 2007 for the five-seater. It shares platform and engines with the Citroën C4 and Peugeot 307 and coexists with the Xsara Picasso, the previous compact MPV produced by Citroën.

In early 2003 the Xsara Picasso in the UK was given a 2.0i 16v engine with a four-speed Automatic gear box (the Picasso was only available with manual transmission for the first three years of production). In August 2006, Citroën unveiled its successor Citroën C4 Picasso, based on the Citroën C4. There are two versions, the Grand C4 Picasso seven-seat and the slightly smaller five-seat C4 Picasso. The Xsara Picasso will remain on sale as the smallest MPV in Citroën's range.


C5

The Citroën C5 is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since early 2001. The C5 replaced the Citroën Xantia in the large family car class. The second generation C5 was officially unveiled in October 2007, which will retain the liftback body style. The range is predicted to include powerful versions of the 2.7-litre V6 HDI Diesel engine.

The style is unveiled through a concept car called C-Airscape, shown at the 2007 Frankfurt car show.


C6

The Citroën C6 is an executive car produced by the French marque Citroën since 2006. It is inspired by the C6 Lignage prototype which was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in the spring of 1999, but differs from the concept car's styling in minor details. At the time it was hoped that the C6 would go into production by the end of 2001 as the replacement for the aging XM, which was first produced in 1989. The XM did cease production in early 2001 but the first C6 rolled off the production line almost four years later.

It is powered by either a 3.0 L ES9 V6 producing 211 hp (155 kW) or a 2.7 L V6 HDi diesel producing 204 hp (150 kW). In October 2006 was introduced yet another engine, a 2.2 L HDi producing 173 hp (125 kW) with FAP, four cylinders and a dual turbo.

The C6 is aimed as a stylish alternative to executive cars like the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Despite its hatchback shape, the car is a fastback. It has a classic trunk and a unique to the C6 concave rear window such as the one its ancestor the Citroën CX used to have. Citroën hopes one of its main selling points will be its innovative technology, which includes a head-up display, a lane departure warning system, xenon directional headlamps (also available on the Citroën C5), Hydractive 3+ suspension with electronically controlled springing and damping, and a rear spoiler which automatically adjusts to speed and braking. The C6 is the first car to obtain four stars in the pedestrian test rating of EuroNCAP due to the inventive design, where the bonnet pops up a little if a person/animal is hit and skids over the car.

On an episode of Top Gear, co-presenter Jeremy Clarkson tested the C6's Hydractive suspension by mounting a camera on it and driving it on the infield of a track while filming a horse race. Despite the bumps and potholes on the infield, the C6 managed to provide a comfortable ride and stable video coverage of the race while moving at 60 km/h (approx. 40 mph). At the same time, a BMW 5-series performed the same test, but its suspension could not keep the camera upright.


C-Crosser

The Citroën C-Crosser is a compact crossover SUV, to go on sale in the summer of 2007 designed for the French manufacturer Citroën, and produced by Mitsubishi Motors on the basis of the new Outlander. The equivalent Peugeot badge-engineered version will be the 4007. It was expected that the car would be named the C7, but it has been announced that it will now be called the C-Crosser. The C-Crosser has taken its name from the four-wheel drive concept car that Citroën first displayed in the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Both the 4007 and C-Crosser will be the first Japan-produced cars sold under any French brand. They will be assembled in Mitsubishi's Mizushima plant (水島製作所), Kurashiki, Okayama.



Eurovans/Synergie/Evasion

"Eurovans" is a common name applied to nearly identical large MPVs resulting from Sevel, a joint-venture of PSA and Fiat, and manufactured at Sevel Nord factory in France, near Valenciennes. The first eurovans were sold as Citroën Evasion (Synergie), Fiat Ulysse, Lancia Zeta and Peugeot 806. The present, second generation, saw the renaming of all but the Ulysse to Citroën C8, Lancia Phedra and Peugeot 807 respectively.

The eurovans differ little technically and visually, being a prime example of badge engineering. The eurovans share mechanicals and body structure with Sevel light commercial vans, Citroën Jumpy (Dispatch), Fiat Scudo and Peugeot Expert. They are more technically related to PSA than Fiat vehicles, as PSA governs the Sevel Nord part of the joint-venture.


C-Triomphe

The Citroën C-Triomphe is a compact sedan automobile produced for the Chinese market by Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile, a joint venture between the French PSA Group (Peugeot-Citroën) and the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng.

This new model range was designed to supplement other Chinese models in the range such as the Fukang and the Elysée, rather than being any direct replacement.

In April 2007, Citroën announced that the four-door C4 would be built in Argentina. The Argentinian version will be sold as the C4 Pallas in some South American and European markets.

The car is essentially a notchback sedan version of the European C4 model, since the Chinese market prefers traditional three-box sedans over hatchbacks. It did not keep the designation, however, because in Chinese the number "4" is unlucky. The sedan is much larger than the hatchback: its length is 4770 mm (187.8 in) over the hatchback's 4260 mm (167.7 in) and its wheelbase measures 2710 mm (106.7 in) against 2610 mm (102.8 in) of the hatchback. The C-Triomphe has a number of unique features, such as an integrated air freshener which allows the driver to choose the smell of the interior.


Fukang

The Fukang was the first in a range of cars produced for the Chinese market by the Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile group, a joint venture between the French PSA Peugeot Citroën) and the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng.

The first Fukang appeared in 1997 and was little more than a rebadged Citroën ZX hatchback. The car was renamed the Fukang DC7140 in China, as this title was translated as ‘Prosperity and Health’ in Chinese.

The next year, the first of a number of special Chinese Citroën models was launched when the Citroën Fukang 998 arrived. This was a saloon version of the Fukang DC7140 and featured either 1.4 or 1.6 fuel injected engines.

The saloon Fukang was developed by specialist engineering firm Heuliez, who also developed a long wheelbase limousine version called the Fukang 988 VIP.

The saloon versions continued until 2003, when they were replaced by an updated version of the theme, the Citroën Elysée, however the hatchback Fukang continued to be part of the Chinese Citroën range and these models were joined in 2006 by Citroën Xsara, Picasso and C-Triomphe.

Elysée

The Citroën Elysée is a compact sedan automobile produced for the Chinese market by the Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile, a joint venture between the French PSA Group (Peugeot-Citroën) and the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng.

The Elysée was designed in China and is derived from the Citroën ZX, with many parts (including the dashboard) taken from the Citroën Xsara.


Jumpy/Dispatch

The Citroën Jumpy is a small van produced at Sevel Nord since 1995. It has undergone a major facelift in 2004. It shares its body design with the Fiat Scudo & Peugeot Expert. A new model was launched in 2007. In the UK and Ireland, the van is badged as a Citroën Dispatch.


Jumper/Relay

The Citroën Jumper is a van produced by Sevel Sur from 1994. It is similar to the Peugeot Boxer or to the Fiat Ducato. In UK it is sold under the name Citroën Relay.