The new Citroen C3 Picasso
The funky, and already award-winning Citroen C3 Picasso, is the latest addition to the Company’s Picasso family. A vehicle for the individual thinker, the C3 Picasso offers users adaptable, class-leading space, effortless modularity, unrivalled visibility and exceptional driving pleasure in a bold design that is as cool as it is functional. The C3 Picasso, focused on the needs of everyday life, presents flexibility and capability in an individual, chic design. With its innovative style taking inspiration from often opposing qualities, the C3 Picasso is intelligent yet simple. It unites the parallels of cubes and curves, contemporary and retro styling, strength and comfort, and, quality and affordability. Small on the outside and deceptively huge on the inside its distinctive appearance deliberately sets it apart from rivals. The C3 Picasso blends the roomy, versatile advantages of an MPV with the agility and comfort feel of a family hatchback.
Conjuring a cavernous interior space out of a compact exterior – just a few inches longer than a supermini – the C3 Picasso offers occupants class-leading amounts of cabin room and ample storage in the 500-litre boot – one of the biggest in the segment. Unrivalled in its roominess, it also boasts the best ratio of internal space to external size of any vehicle in its class. Rear passengers can enjoy plentiful knee room even when the rear split folding seats are slid forward thanks to the front seats’ slim design. Elbow room in both the front and rear is also the best in the segment.
Benefiting from an intuitive internal design, the C3 Picasso’s internal space is swiftly and simply adapted for a range of different uses. Whether it’s transporting the whole family, or tumbling the seats down to use the 1506-litre flat rear load space, users are guaranteed effortless simplicity with easy one-handed control of the seat-folding mechanisms. With the versatile flat folding front passenger seat the MPV is equipped to carry loads up to 2.4 metres and to increase either boot volume or rear legroom the 60:40 split-folding rear seats can be slid back and forth independently.
With one of the largest glazed areas in the segment – up to 4.52m2 – the C3 Picasso’s cabin is a bright and spacious environment. The car’s innovative three-part panoramic windscreen featuring a slim A-pillar design means drivers receive a commanding, clear view of the road and a class-leading side vision angle of 29.5°. A panoramic glass roof is also available for a light flooded cabin.
The C3 Picasso has been built with a high quality, premium feel. The entry level trim, VT, meets all the needs of a family friendly Citroen MPV. At the heart of the range, the VTR+ trim level, offers some added extras such as air conditioning and alloy wheels. And the top end of the range, Exclusive trim level, is brimming with luxury touches and unique practical features such as a completely flat folding front passenger seat, and a removable boot light torch.
The C3 Picasso will be available with a choice of two petrol units, co-developed with BMW – the VTi 95 and VTi 120 – and two HDi diesels – the HDi 90 and HDi 110 DPFS – renowned for their efficiency, exceptional refinement and low CO2 emissions.
The 1.6HDi 110hp DPFS also carries the Airdream® signature, given to only the most environmentally conscious vehicles in Citroen’s range. Further improving its green credentials, certain models will be available with Michelin Energy Saver tyres, which help to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and lower fuel consumption.
A safe and secure bubble, the C3 Picasso features high levels of active safety including ABS with EBD and EBA, up to six airbags, Isofix anchor points and a seatbelt monitor system. ESP is also available with an ASR traction control system, providing reassuring safety in difficult driving conditions.
The C3 Picasso is on sale from the 9th April 2009. MRRP prices start from just £11,495 for the entry-level 1.4 VTi 95hp VT model to £15,595 for the range-topping 1.6 HDi 110hp Exclusive version. Industry pricing experts, CAP Monitor, have predicted class-leading residual values, for what could become the most popular model in the range – the C3 Picasso 1.6HDi VTR+ is expected to retain 37.72% of its value - around 10% more than rival models.
Xavier Duchemin, Managing Director of Citroen UK, said “The C3 Picasso represents the very best of contemporary Citroen design and stands as a showcase for the bold new confidence that characterises the Citroen brand today.
This is a car that is perfect for today – practical, stylish, spacious, economic, fun – but also forward thinking in its innovative and unique approach to the family vehicle. The C3 Picasso is not afraid to challenge preconceptions. It sets new standards in the compact MPV segment and proves that small can be spacious, practical, exciting, and, that opposites can indeed attract.
The C3 Picasso isn’t just to be driven - it’s designed to be used, and become part of the family. Just how a car should be and just how a Citroen is.”
MARKET SPACE
With a long line of award-winning family vehicles noted for their distinctive styling, class-leading space and uncompromising safety, it’s perhaps no surprise that Citroen remains the most popular MPV brand in Europe with almost one in every four MPVs bearing Citroen’s double chevron on the bonnet.
And this popularity is largely due to Citroen’s experience and knowledge of MPV owners’ real needs. Research has shown that buyers are looking for space, ease of use, good visibility and safety – all areas in which the C3 Picasso excels.
Joining the Xsara, C4 and Grand C4 Picasso in the artist-monikered range, another strong product, the new Citroen C3 Picasso, is set to be a key model in the compact MPV segment where 21st century buying behaviours of ‘use’ and ‘image’ are ever important considerations in choosing a new car.
CITROEN C3 PICASSO PEOPLE
Appealing to young families and older, active individuals, the C3 Picasso is an attractive package, combining stylish and bold good looks, a pleasurable driving experience, unrivalled space, adaptable storage options and value for money.
C3 Picasso buyers lead active lifestyles and need a car that will give them the freedoms of space, versatility and comfort. They are style conscious, appreciate quality design and believe that their car makes a statement about them, at the same time they are practically minded, requiring simple functionality.
They are environmentally considerate and want to limit their carbon footprint yet they still need the robust space to transport their family comfortably and safely. They are individual thinkers and not afraid to be different but they don’t want to be unconventional or weird.
As consumers they are drawn to things that express their personality - in the same way they are attracted to an iPod, they want a car that is contemporary, uncomplicated, useful and stylish. The C3 Picasso delivers on all these requirements.
