Exactly one month ahead of the Geneva motor show, Citroën has revealed the C-Aircross concept, which previews a forthcoming new compact SUV from the French carmaker.
Measuring 415 cm long, 174 cm wide, and 163 cm tall, the design study is inspired by new C3, although adapted for the ever-popular and ever-growing SUV market.
C3-influenced style markers include the protective trim on the lower parts of the body, as well as brightly coloured graphic elements around the headlights, on the wheels, on the side guards and on the roof bars – which also incorporate LED lighting at the front.
At the rear there are protruding 3D-shaped lights, each with three floating sections, which share their graphic design with the decoration on the floating and backlit rear quarter windows. Said to be a key design characteristic, the rear quarter windows were conceived as aerodynamic features of the car and conceal the interior of the vehicle without preventing light from entering the cabin.
Further aerodynamic details include air inlets located in the front bumper, air outlets built into the side door guards, and a diffuser at the rear.
The interior cabin, meanwhile, is accessed by ‘opposing opening doors’, including rear-hinged doors at the back, a design reminiscent of the Aircross and CXperience concepts.
Citroën’s designers have opted for an elevated one-piece dashboard on the inside, as well as for suspended and raised seats. In addition to a tinted ‘head-up display’, the fabric-covered dashboard features a 12-inch touchscreen in the middle, while the lower centre console extends from the front seats right through to the rear, and incorporates a number of storage spaces.
Although Citroën has yet to reveal any engine and chassis details, the road-going version of the concept car won’t be coming with four-wheel drive; it will instead use the brand’s so-called “Grip Control” system, which offers five driving modes that are selected and controlled via a dial built into the central console.
When the production version of the C-Aircross eventually launches in early 2018, it will effectively be replacing the current C3 Picasso MPV.
Source: Citroën
