Currently reading: Citroen C5 set for bold reinvention

A more simplistic, stylish car will replace the Citroen C5, officials have confirmed, and will not be in the same vein as the current model

The next Citroën C5 will not be a straight replacement for the current car, according to high-up officials within the company.

Linda Jackson, Citroën’s CEO, said the company is considering a number of alternatives for its next large family car.

“You have to look at it in a different way,” Jackson said. “What is the C5 customer going to buy? With the emergence of SUVs getting more important, what we are looking at is what that customer will want in five years’ time. I don’t think it is simply replacing the C5.”

The new car is likely to take on the more simple approach, as championed by the latest C4 Cactus and the Cactus M concept, which leaves out features that the customer doesn’t need.

“It is not about getting down to a car with nothing in it. It is about having in the car exactly what makes sense,” Jackson said.

The company will not take the same approach as the likes of budget brand Dacia, though, because Jackson said Citroën will not simply be making cars to be sold as cheaply as possible.

“Low cost is not our strategy,” she said. “Our view for Citroën is that we are right in that mainstream, and to be successful there you have to have something a bit different. You have to add value.”

Get the latest car news, reviews and galleries from Autocar direct to your inbox every week. Enter your email address below:

Join the debate

Comments
16
Add a comment…
Will86 12 October 2015

Yawn

So many car makers seem to want to reinvent the car with every new iteration. Spend less on marketing and gimmicks and more simply making a good car - one that is reliable, practical, comfortable and has a dash of driving pleasure (note, comfort and driving pleasure are not mutually exclusive). The concept of the C4 Cactus is good, but spoiled by poor details (overly soft seats, fiddly touch screen, no split fold rear seats, questionable airbumps etc).
Harry P 12 October 2015

C5 Cactus

So the next C5 becomes the C5 Cactus. Not revolutionary but if it sells then all the better for Citroen. A large value for money hatch estate come sudo SUV is the sort of vehicle Citroen should be able to create and one that there should be a market for. Whether Citroen can create a profitable DS5 is another question.
winniethewoo 12 October 2015

Because this strategy didn't

Because this strategy didn't make any sense to me, I looked at the figures. They sold 28,000 Cactii across Europe in 2014. As opposed to say VW with over 500,000 Golfs. Can someone tell me why then the Cactus is being used as a template for the whole range?