Honda may not be making...
Honda may not be making an appearance at this yearò€™s Frankfurt Motor Show, but that hasnò€™t stop the Japanese firm from making big plans for September.
Meet the cut-price Citroen...
Meet the cut-price Citroen thatò€™s out to save the planet! The French manufacturer is fighting the influx of cheap superminis from Korea and China with a hi-tech but affordable production version of the C-Cactus. And our exclusive images show just how bosses are planning to turn concept into reality.
The C-Cactus study, first seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 2007, took a new and refreshingly uncomplicated angle on car design. With its recyclable and lightweight plastic panels, diesel-electric hybrid powertrain and stripped-out interior, it weighed in at a paltry 900kg. As a result, it proved a modern car can be stylish and spacious without having a bloated kerbweight.
And thatò€™s exactly what the production version pictured here will set out to achieve. The design has evolved into a more subtle statement, but retains the rounded bonnet and five-door hatchback body from the show car. The newcomer is expected to be similar in size to the Citroen C2, with clever packaging comfortably allowing space for four adults.
Up front, the twin-bar chevron grille is unmistakable, although in every other respect the styling moves the makerò€™s design language a step forward into the future. Two huge air intakes sit below Nissan 370Z-style boomerang lights, while prominent creases run along the sides of the car to the clean, uncluttered rear.
Taking the C-Cactus concept as a guide, the interior will represent a radical departure for Citroen. To create additional space and keep the kerbweight as low as possible, the entire dashboard structure could be ditched, with only a slim, floating centre console for the stereo and ventilation controls.
While the interior is purposefully low-tech, under the bonnet the C-Cactus is set to show supermini competitors the way forward. As well as a range of efficient small-capacity petrol and oil-burning turbos, the car will be offered with a three-cylinder HDi oil-burner mated to an electric motor. This draws on sister company Peugeotò€™s diesel-hybrid expertise, and will provide class-leading economy, as well as marking the start of a new wave of cheap but attractive hybrids.
Although Citroen wouldnò€™t be drawn on pricing, our sources suggest the conventionally powered models could go on sale for as little as Ò£5,000, with the hybrid variant costing closer to Ò£10,000. This would undercut the current cheapest hybrid, the Honda Insight, by a significant margin.
Rumours are rife that Citroen is planning to establish a new eco-brand to sit below its standard cars, which in turn undercut the recently introduced, premium DS line-up. Called Essentiele, the range would focus on low weight, simplicity of design and affordability ò€“ and the C-Cactus is mooted to be the first member of the family when it hits UK showrooms in 2012.
The Essentiele brand could also provide the perfect launch pad for a production version of the Revolte Concept, displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show last month. This modern incarnation of the 2CV would use the same set of principles as the C-Cactus, prioritising a low price and funky design ahead of unnecessary luxury kit. Could it be the start of a back-to-basics revolution?
See the leaked photos that prove the C-Cactus is on the way here.