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Citroen Osee

This is the car Citroen created when it closed its eyes and dreamed... Appropriately called the Osee - French for daring - it's a working show model that's been built with the help of Italian styling house Pininfarina.

March 2002

This is the car Citroen created when it closed its eyes and dreamed... Appropriately called the Osee - French for daring - it's a working show model that's been built with the help of Italian styling house Pininfarina.

A dream machine in every sense of the word, this mid-engined GT is one of the wildest cars to have been unveiled in recent years - and Auto Express is the first magazine in the world to take it out on the road.

Wide and low, the sleek bodywork arcs towards a heavily sculpted rear which features engine-cooling vents. Abandoning conventional design, the bonnet, windscreen and roof are formed from a single piece of glass held in place by polished alloy bodywork. There are no doors - instead, a powerful set of hydraulic rams, operated by remote control, lifts up the body allowing the driver to climb in. The engine is covered by a second clamshell, which is also raised remotely.

The system offers easy access to both the engine and the cockpit - but it takes an age to move up and down. Put bluntly, you'd better not be in a hurry to get in or out! However, as the roof lowers down over your head, the true benefit of the set-up can be appreciated. The combination of the Osee's central driving position and huge glass area means that the machine offers masses of visibility.

Although the car is relatively short - measuring only 4,150 mm in length, similar to Ford's Focus - it spans a Mercedes S-Class-rivalling 1,895mm in width, freeing up more all-important cabin space. Ahead of the driver sits a single-spoke steering wheel, which is reminiscent of Citroens past. There is no key to start the engine - that job is reserved for a red button located on the upper part of the beautifully shaped dashboard. You push it once to switch on the ignition, twice to fire the motor. At idle, the Osee's 200bhp 3.0-litre V6 purrs contentedly. The sound is clear and reassuring rather than loud. A five-speed semi-automatic transmission, complete with steering wheel-mounted paddles to change ratios, transfers power to the wheels. As you head out on to the open road, the driving position grants a clear view ahead, while a television screen relays video images of what is happening at the rear of the car.

The value and exclusivity of our unique test model meant that our top speed rarely exceeded 40mph. While that's not much for a sports car of such sophistication, it was enough to be impressed by the capability and build quality of this show machine. Although the sealed roof and window system does have its drawbacks, the clean shape is incredibly aerodynamic, and we could not detect the faintest rustle of wind noise.

Insiders at Citroen are pleased with the reaction the Osee has generated, as are the design staff at Pininfarina. However, when it comes to the question of production all are agreed this is a car which, for the time being at least, is likely to remain a dream. But even after our short time with the model, we can't help wishing that this is one of those dreams that will one day come true.

With its wild looks and adventurous design, the Citroen Osee is one of the most fantastic cars Auto Express has ever driven. Despite the ambition of the project, it is also one that offers some novel and innovative alternatives to conventional car styling.

Although this simple-to-drive machine is strictly a concept, it shows just how hard manufacturers think about the design of their cars, and how much work goes into ensuring that we can easily live with them. You should not expect to see the Osee at your local Citroen dealership just yet, but it's likely that at least some of the ideas will appear on production cars in the future.

At a glance

* Citroen Osee built by Pininfarina

* Mid-engined, three-seat design

* Powered by 200bhp 3.0-litre V6 and five-speed semi auto

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