Rugged New C3 leads utility push

“Courageous” supermini focuses on accessibility as Citroën targets global expansion

- FELIX PAGE AND JIM HOLDER

Citroën CEO Vincent Cobée has shed new light on his plans to significantly expand the French brand’s global footprint while tangibly differentiating it from the other 13 manufacturers that now form part of the Stellantis portfolio.

Speaking ahead of the unveiling of the so-named New C3, a rugged and affordable supermini that will spearhead the company’s expansion into the crucial Indian and Latin American markets, Cobée stressed Citroën’s commitment to accessibility and utility as a defining characteristic of its strategy. “I don’t believe in the race to add more equipment, to add more range, to add, ultimately, more weight,” he said. “I want us to build cars with courage, that suit a need and have a militant focus on continuing to provide the freedom of mobility – and that includes accessibility of price.”

The New C3 is destined for use primarily in regions with challenging road surface and traffic conditions unlike those the European-spec C3 faces in Citroën’s home market, so it has been designed with a focus on affordability, durability and agility.

It has a similar footprint to the C3 sold here, at 3980mm long and with a wheelbase of 2540mm, but it has been styled with influences from larger SUVs and, as a result, more closely resembles the C3 Aircross. Crucially, at just under four metres in overall length, the New C3 is eligible for a lower tax rate in India, where excise duty is calculated according to vehicle size.

The New C3 is the first of three ‘C-Cubed’ cars developed specifically for developing markets. It will have a tangible styling influence on its range mates, which will adopt a similar rugged ethos.