Return of the Picasso! Radical Citroen ELO concept hints at next-gen MPV

Citroen has revealed a cheeky people-carrier concept that hints at a new generation of practical small cars with clever interior space.

The Citroen ELO concept, which takes its name in a rather contrived way from the second letter of the words rest, play and work, is only slightly longer than the latest C3 supermini, but has a McLaren F1-style central driver’s seat for a spacious, commanding driving position. 

There are three seats across the second row, and an additional two can be slotted ahead of them, but set back from the driver’s seat, to create a six-seat layout when required. These two are accessed by a wide set of double sliding doors with no central pillar and fold away under the outer rear seats when not in use. Alternatively, they can be removed for use as picnic chairs, for example, and the cabin can also be transformed into a sleeping area for two. The driver’s seat can also rotate 360 degrees when the car is parked. 

Rather than a touchscreen, the ELO uses an updated version of the so-called Smartband display first seen in the 2022 Oli city car concept. This stretches across the base of the windscreen and Citroen says it’s a more cost-effective way of getting information into the driver’s eyeline than a regular head-up display. 

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Other cost-cutting measures that hint at a production application for the ELO include the front and rear bumpers being interchangeable, which should help keep insurance premiums in check by making parts cheaper to produce. It’s a train of thought already seen on the AMI microcar, which has the same panels front and rear to keep repair costs down. 

The ELO’s design pushes the wheels out into the corners and the car features a large 4.5 square metres of glass area stretching from low sills and curving round to increase the feeling of space. 

Although the ELO is said to be driveable, Citroen hasn’t yet confirmed what size of battery or motor is fitted to the concept. Meanwhile, insiders are hinting that there’s increasing demand for a more practical alternative to the fashionable breed of SUVs. 

If you can’t wait for the ELO concept to make it to production, we highly rate the all-new C3 Aircross and C5 Aircross. You can currently save over £2,000 on a C3 Aircross from stock, or grab one of the last outgoing C5 Aircross models with more than £6,500 off. 

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