Citroen revealed the production version of the new C4 Cactus at a special Convention in Paris this evening, writes Brian Byrne from Paris. The car will arrive in Ireland in the early autumn, according to Citroen Ireland's MD, Frederic Soulier.
The car is very close to the concept already seen at the bigger motor shows, and retains the 'airbumps' feature on the body panels designed to protect it from casual damage.
Introducing the vehicle, designer Mark Lloyd said it is not designed to be a powerful car, but will rather have the most efficient engines. These include 1.2 petrol units in 82/110hp versions with CO2 emissions of 104/107g/km respectively, and a 1.6 diesel with 100hp and emissions as low as 82g/km.
The driver's ambience is dictated by a complete revisit to dashboard and controls design, which is thin and floating, and includes the 7" touchscreen system which we have seen in the new C4 Picasso. Details like panoramic glass roofs are available.
There has been a strong emphasis of reducing weight, with aluminium bonnets, and optimisation of all components including such fittings as the seat frames.
Citroen is tilting strongly at making the C4 Cactus accessible to motorists with lower-budget spendability, but says it won't compromise on specification. A number of 'tailored' finance arrangements are being put in place in key markets, including one where the monthly payments are variable depending on actual mileage travelled during the month. Citroen Ireland boss Frederic Soulier says he's looking at a variation of this on an annualised basis that might better suit Irish conditions.
According to Frédéric Banzet, CEO of Citroen, the C4 Cactus represents another stage of the brand reinventing itself to be in tune with markets and customer expectations.
He said it was fitting that the car be revealed on the birthday of the brand's founder, Andre Citroen, and the new car is a true representation of a marque that always strives to give new automotive answers to the rest of the word.
He noted that five years ago, Citroen had reinvented itself with the establishment of the modern DS line, and had proved that there is a place in premium motoring for a French automotive brand.
Paralleling the rapid pace of development of other consumer goods, particularly the smartphone, he said customers want designed products, that are simple and easy to use, products that are stressless, are immediate and offer much more features. They also must be financially accessible.
The C4 Cactus is, he concluded, the brand's answer to these needs in automotive form, and he felt sure it would be a winner.
