Citroen C3 bookings have officially opened – Launch is scheduled to take place on 20th July
Citroen expected to instantly click in India with the launch of its C5 Aircross SUV which is a very popular car in Europe. Even though it was a good car with top quality interior, it was very expensive as there was no localisation of parts. It took a CBU route to India and in our price-conscious market, Citroen’s strategy didn’t click as reflected in sales charts.
Now Citroen is experimenting with a different strategy, albeit in a different segment and a different price bracket. The French automaker’s new car is C3 which will lay heavy emphasis on localisation to get its price down. The company has revealed features of C3’s variants and they are par for the course.
Citroen C3 Prices Leak
There will only be 2 variants and the base model is named, Live. This entry-level model gets a decent kit in terms of a manual AC, manually adjustable ORVMs (mostly internally adjustable), a digital instrument cluster, front power windows and dual front airbags.
Other features include rear parking sensors, a console dedicated to a smartphone at the rear, 100% flat-folding rear seats and a 12V socket at the front. Prices of this variant will be in the range of Rs 6 lakh to Rs 6.25 lakh, ex-sh. This is as per a leaked internal document. These are not official prices, which will only be revealed on 20th July, at the C3 launch event.
In terms of design, Citroen C3 Live gets a matte black front grille, 15” wheels with wheel covers, ORVMs finished in gloss black and fender-mounted indicators. On the inside, it gets a single-tone black finish, a fabric upholstery for seats and we can also expect some chrome accents to up the ambiance. This variant also gets halogen headlights, and to add some quirkiness, Citroen will provide an option for a dual-tone colour scheme on the base Live variant too.
Top-end Citroen C3 Feel variant Prices
This gets a lot of equipment as standard. Important upgrades include rear power windows with a one-touch up/down function for all windows. It also gets remote keyless entry, tilt-adjustable steering, speed-sensing door locks and a manually adjustable driver’s seat.
In terms of infotainment system, it gets a 10” touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 4 speakers and steering mounted audio controls. Coming to convenience features, it gets a parcel shelf, seat back pockets for both front seats, a co-driver side sun visor and a USB charger at front and 2 fast chargers at the back.
In terms of design, it gets a dual-tone C-pillar, body-colored outside door handles, body cladding, faux skid plates, roof rails finished in gloss black and LED DRLs. On the inside, it gets more chrome accents than the Live variant and also an Anodised Grey / Anodised Orange highlights. Adding quirkiness is the dual-tone colour scheme. But on the Feel variant, it is standard.
Engines & Launch
Prices of the Citroen C3 Feel variant will range from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 8.5 lakh. It will be offered in Feel 1.2, Feel 1.2 Vibe pack, Feel 1.2 Dual Tone, Feel 1.2 Vibe Pack with Dual Tone and Feel 1.2 turbo with Vibe Pack and Dual Tone. When comparing Citroen C3 prices with rival Tata Punch, it looks to be aggressively priced.
Citroen C3 gets 2 engine options. Both are 1.2L petrol engines, but the engine on the feel variant gets a turbo option and a 6-speed gearbox making 82 PS and 115 Nm (NA) / 110 PS and 190 Nm (Turbo). The base Live variant only gets a naturally aspirated engine with a 5-speed gearbox making 85 PS and 115 Nm. Both these engine configurations are expected to provide a decent fuel efficiency of 19-20 kmpl. When launched, it will compete with lower end of the B-segment SUVs like Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger and Tata Punch.
