Text: Chris Thorp / Photos: Auto Plus

19th December 2007

We can reveal these exclusive pictures of the French firm’s next-generation supermini – and, as can be seen, they leave little to the imagination!

The shots show the shape of things to come for the C3, and give away every detail of the new hatchback, as well as clearly illustrating how the firm’s stylists are going for bold with their Renault Clio rival.

The existing C3 has remained virtually unchanged since its launch in 2001, and is now looking dated. The same can’t be said of its successor, which follows in the tracks of the C4 and C6, and confirms Citroen designers are on a roll. Due to be officially unveiled in October, the French fancy looks to the past for inspiration.

We uncovered Citroen’s interest in resurrecting the legendary 2CV back in Issue 959 and, in profile, the new C3 carries over some of the broad styling cues from its much loved predecessor. At the front, the modern-day model’s round nose draws inspiration from Citroen’s latest concepts. The grille shape is shared with the C4, while the high-mounted, large-lens headlamps are similar to those fitted to Ford’s next-generation Fiesta.

The sharp curve of the Citroen’s waistline is reflected in the roofline, while the cabin will be light and airy due to a C4 Picasso-style panoramic windscreen, which stretches up over the cabin. Prominent wheelarches have been carried over from the current model, but insiders have hinted these may be smoothed out before the supermini hits the showroom.

Meanwhile, designers have got radical with the rear end. The existing C3’s conservative lamps have been scrapped in favour of eye-catching boomerang lights. Official details are still scarce about the new model, as it is not set to be unveiled for months. However, underneath, the small Citroen is likely to be based on a redeveloped version of the latest Peugeot 207’s platform.

And, as with its C4 big brother, the C3 family will be made up of several models. The five-door variant revealed here is expected to account for the majority of sales, but a three-door version is also on the drawing board.

This sportier model will effectively replace the smaller C2, which will be dropped from the line-up to leave a larger gap in the range between the basic C1 and the new C3 hatchback. The three-door will get a less practical shape and form the basis for a hot hatch version to take on cars such as Vauxhall’s Corsa SRi. Following its unveiling next autumn, the new C3 three and five-door will go on sale in the UK in 2009. Buyers needing greater practicality will have the option of an MPV bodystyle when the family grows to include a Vauxhall Meriva rival in 2010.

The final member of the C3 line-up will be the drop-top Pluriel. It’s likely to get a more refined roof system than the current car when it arrives in just over two years’ time.

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