The first of Citroën's C-line cars will be shown at the Frankfurt motor show next month, according to company sources.
The C-line will mark a revolution for Citroën in recasting itself as a value brand that will offer simplicity and be pitched at customers who "seek a balance between cost and functionality".
The first C-line model, which is expected to replace the ageing Citroen C3 supermini, will feature "bold" styling but will also be inspired by the stripped-out simplicity of 2010's Lacoste concept. Autocar has learned that the C-line look is to be rolled out across the rest of the Citroën range "as quickly as possible".
Last year Citroën CEO Frédéric Banzet described the C-line as "competitively priced", rather than a direct rival for budget brand Dacia. Manufacturing costs will also be held down by reducing the number of drivetrain and trim options offered.
However, C-line buyers will also be able to customise their car with options such as a large touchscreen and upgraded sound system. Many of these options could be dealer-fitted, further reducing costs for Citroën and reducing delivery times.
Banzet also said the arrival of the C-line would be the last link in the chain of repositioning PSA's three brands. Peugeot will compete against Volkswagen in the 'premium mainstream' market and Citroën will slot in between Dacia and mainstream brands such as Ford, with Citroën's DS arm a 'near premium' brand in its own right.
Last May Citroën also announced that it was separating its design department into two divisions: a new DS studio led by Thierry Métroz, and the C-line studio working under Alexandre Malval.
Malval revealed that part of the C-line philosophy would be to emphasise "ease of use and simplicity". Interestingly, future DS models will drop the distinctive Citroën chevron and develop its own, unique grille styling to distinguish the new brand.
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Hmmm ...
"Peugeot will compete against VW in the 'premium mainstream' market and Citroën will slot in between Dacia and mainstream brands such as Ford, with Citroën's DS arm a 'near premium' brand in its own right." ... Really?? ...
For a start, Peugeot's current offerings are nowhere remotely close to VW's and I would go as far as to say that Citroën has the better 'premium mainstream' brand image than Peugeot (the C3 is actually quite a classy car for a supermini, much more so than the 208, which is better suited for matching Ford) ...
C-line, Peugeot, DS.
Why not just position Peugeot between the C-line and DS to allow both brands to breathe easily. Make the DS a more premium alternative to the mainstream, allow Peugeot to compete with VW and the C-line would compete with rest of the mainstream. If needs be, bring back Talbot to compete with Dascia and you've basically covered the playing field. As long as the C-line and DS line have their unique design language, branding, price range and intended target audiences then they could be sold from the same showroom and not confuse customers. The DS would also give Citroen a halo range for the C-line customers to buy into the brand and to asspire to own a DS.
As for Peugeot, i've liked their cars for a long time and my family have owned a few and they are good cars, however, they need to improve their products, brand perception to succeed in becoming a VW rival. I don't see that happening too soon.
Not saying my mini was
Not saying my mini was without fault, it had a coils pack failure, and squeaky window motor. mini/BMW handled it, and subsequent services perfectly.
Point I was really trying to make was about the dealerships. The Citroen ones are pretty low rent, which is fine. For DS range to go up market, they need to address it. Mini were in BMW garages at launch, which allowed them to go down the premium route easier, and most now have a dedicated garage.