The nimble, dynamic and ingenious C1 is easy to live with and a practical all-round performer. The city car’s innovative compact design, economy and environmental respect underline Citroën’s creative approach. The C1 earned the highest mark in the “essential car” category in a 2008 survey conducted by JD Power and L’Automobile Magazine on customer satisfaction in France.

Since launch in June 2005, Citroën has sold 310,000 C1s worldwide. The Marque is taking advantage of the years’ end to unveil an upgraded version of its popular city car. The new model keeps all the assets that made the original such a success – compact, appealing and playful body styling, excellent roadholding, uncompromising safety and impressive quality levels – while gaining a redesigned, more expressive front end. Fuel consumption and emissions remain outstanding. The 68 bhp 1.0i petrol model equipped with a five-speed manual gearbox consumes just 4.5 l/100 km over a combined cycle, emitting a mere 106 g/km of CO2.

Spirited and refined styling
The redesigned C1 is set for launch in November. The styling upgrade enhances the car’s cheerful, curvaceous looks with several changes to the front end, including stronger bumper outlines that underline the C1’s get-up-and-go spirit. Citroën has made several changes inside, notably in terms of trim and interior design scheme. The C1 is now available, depending on the market, with a third, particularly refined trim level that adds to the car’s seductive powers.

Economical and environmental prowess
The C1 is fitted with high-performance engines that make it equally at home in the city or out on the open road. Combined with the light weight of the C1, these powerplants also ensure low fuel consumption. The 68 bhp 1.0i petrol model equipped with a 5-speed gearbox is an environmental benchmark, consuming a miserly 4.5 l/100 km over a combined cycle and emitting just 106 g/km of CO2.

The upgraded C1 retains all of the strong points that made it a success, namely excellent road manners, top-level safety, compact proportions for city driving and low retail price and running costs.
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Peugeot and Renault lowered their national car sales estimates for Brazil at the International Autoshow in Sao Paulo on Monday.
Peugeot President Laurent Taste said 2008 should end with national auto makers selling 2.7 million cars compared with earlier estimates of 2.9 million.
Renault President Jerome Stoll said he expects similar numbers from Brazil’s national auto market and revised figures to 2.75 million units compared with in-house figures nearing 3 million in May.
In the January-September period, car makers sold 2.21 million units, up 27% from a year earlier, according to the Brazilian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association, or Anfavea.
“We expect sales to be stable next year, which isn’t a bad thing considering the [financial] crisis,” Taste said referring to the global credit crunch and the likelihood of an economic slowdown in Brazil.
Stoll and Taste said costly credit would also impact the sector.
Banks have raised interest rates sales on new and used cars in response to a general risk aversion among lenders.
“At the beginning of the year we financed up to 30% of new car sales and now it’s gone to 40% and could even reach 60%,” Taste said.
Stoll said tighter credit in Brazil could impact the local auto market, which has been a key driver of economic growth in Brazil over the last several years.

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Following its cues from global auto giants like General Motors, Renault-Nissan, Ford, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Hyundai et al, PSA Peugeot- Citroën is also chalking out robust plans to roll out low cost cars for emerging markets like India. This car, which is expected to be introduced by 2011, will be accommodating up to five people and will be having sufficient space for luggage and stowage. The details of the model are limited, but its prospects to arrive in India is high as the French car maker reported that it will be offered in emerging markets like India and China. Chances of battery and hybrid cannot be ruled out as 2011 may see introduction of a number of small cars powered by non-conventional sources of power.

According to reports circulating in the media, PSA Peugeot-Citroen’s low cost car, that will have five doors, is expected to be assembled in Turkey or Poland, and will be sold in markets the Eastern and Central Europe, Russia, Turkey, Africa, South America, China and even India. This car, which is likely to wear Peugeot-Citroen badging, will not be sold in Western Europe.
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French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen is considering launching a new brand in Europe for its low-cost vehicles, business daily La Tribune reported on Monday, without identifying its sources.

It said the group was considering reimporting into western Europe future low-cost models made in emerging economies and was looking at a new brand to market the vehicles.

The newspaper said the group did not want to damage its Peugeot or Citroen brands and was considering using one of the existing brands it owns, such as Talbot, although it said the plan was still “at the stage of reflection.”

The Talbot brand was used to sell models formerly made by Chrysler Europe when its operations were acquired in 1978.

No comment was immediately available from Peugeot.

source : Reuters

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Mitsubishi Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroën of France said Monday that they would set up a joint venture in Russia to produce cars starting in 2011.

The factory in Kaluga, located 180 kilometers, or 110 miles, southwest of Moscow, will produce midrange sport utility vehicles for the Mitsubishi, Peugeot and Citroën brands, as well as midsize Peugeot and Citroën vehicles, with an overall capacity of 160,000 vehicles.

Production is due to start in 2011, the companies said.

The two automakers had separate deals with the Russian government granting them financial incentives to assemble cars in the country, and had said they were open to joining hands with undisclosed partners.

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