Citroen is the largest French car manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroen group since 1976. The company was founded in 1919 by French entrepreneur Andre-Gustave Citroen. The company was the first to establish serial production of cars outside the United States and was the first to introduce a modern approach to creating a car sales and service network. In just eight years, the company became the most significant European car manufacturer and took 4th place in the world. The entire Citroen model range.
Story
Five years after its founding, Citroen for the first time in Europe produces a model with an all-steel body - the B10. Ten years later, Citroen earned its reputation as an innovator with the 15CV Traction Avant - not only the first mass-produced front-wheel drive car with independent suspension, but also the first-born car with a monocoque body without any chassis. This revolutionary solution reduced the weight of bodies and has now become the standard for most cars produced in the world.
However, that same year the company encountered financial difficulties and most of the company's shares were bought out by Michelin's main creditor. However, Michelin made the right decision, because the Traction Avant was such a commercial success that the basic design philosophy of this car, as well as the technological solutions used, could be traced in subsequent Citroen cars until the end of the 90s.
A milestone in the history of the company was the 2CV model - initially it had an engine of only 12 hp. At the 1948 Paris exhibition the car became a bestseller. It could be purchased extremely inexpensively, and its tiny two-cylinder engine was very economical. This car was produced with only minor changes until 1990 and was a common sight on French roads until recently. Over the years, 8.8 million copies of the 2CV were produced.
In 1954, Citroen equipped its cars with the world's first hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension, and in 1955 it showed the world the revolutionary DS car, for the first time in Europe, equipped with disc brakes on all wheels. In addition, the DS had power steering, a semi-automatic transmission and, from 1968, rotating headlights. The car was a unique phenomenon of its era and had a loud name - DS means prononuced DeeEss, in French - Goddess. With this car, Citroen showed that the aerodynamic characteristics of the body are very important. Low airflow resistance reduced fuel consumption and made it possible to achieve higher speeds with the same engine power.
A new wave of economic problems hit the company in the early seventies and it went bankrupt. Fearing the loss of many jobs, the French government organized negotiations between Citroen and Peugeot. It was decided to merge these two companies into one.
Features of the French brand Citroen
There are hardly any car enthusiasts who do not know the famous French brand Citroen. The corporation, founded almost a hundred years ago, still produces reliable and powerful vehicles, remaining one of the active players in the automotive market.
Citroen cars are characterized by original design and design solutions. The company strives for an optimal balance of quality and price, which distinguishes it from many competitors.
The popularity of the Citroen concern is explained by the fact that it has been offering high-quality products for many years and has managed to create a reliable reputation for itself. The engineers of this French company are constantly searching for new ideas, without stopping there, which is why drivers’ interest in it does not wane. This applies to both new products and the modernization of existing models.
All Citroen cars are characterized by the highest levels of safety and driving comfort, thoughtful design and excellent build quality. This makes them popular and relevant for many decades. The design of these cars is unique, which makes them stand out on the road among vehicles from other manufacturers. Ease of operation and ride comfort are two more typical attributes of Citroen cars.
The Citroen automaker closely monitors all technological innovations and incorporates them into its cars in order to keep up with modern safety and comfort requirements. These are, first of all, engine control systems and lighting mechanisms.
Thus, Citroen cars - both used and new - have many significant advantages that are important for a car enthusiast. The model range of this French concern is very diverse, and even the most picky buyers will be able to choose a car to suit their taste, matching their wishes in terms of technical content and external design.
Foreign markets
Citroen began selling its cars in China in 1984. Today this is the main foreign market. Citroen is in steady demand in Russia. On the official Russian website of the company you can see the proposed range of products from two dozen models and up to six modifications for each.
A plant equipped for large-scale assembly, PSMA Rus, opened in the Kaluga region in the spring of 2010. Its annual capacity is over 125 thousand cars. In addition to Citroen, the plant assembles cars of two more brands - Mitsubishi and Peugeot.
Exterior and interior
In order to operate the French sedan in the Russian Federation, the manufacturer installed a reinforced suspension, underbody protection and double door seals on the car. The sedan has various security systems and basic functions for the Russian climate (heated windows, seats, air conditioning with express interior cooling function). In terms of dimensions, the sedan is a leader in its segment: 4427 mm × 1748 mm × 1466 mm. The length of the wheelbase is 2652 millimeters. What can I say, where they produce the Citroen C-Elysee knew exactly what market the car was intended for. The car was built on a redesigned PF1 platform. The car is available to customers with a choice of 15-inch and 16-inch wheels. We can’t say that the sedan’s appearance is somehow unusual and super-original, but it has character. The new radiator grille, smooth body lines and front optics catch the eye.
The Frenchman's salon is quite spacious and modern. For finishing, the manufacturer used good quality plastic and fabric. Since the car is a budget car, you will not see luxury in the interior. Everything here is simple and harmonious. The dashboard is also no different; the usual set of controls is in place. The front seats have a “semblance” of lateral support. Passengers in the back will be more or less comfortable, there is plenty of legroom, but if they are too high, they will definitely hit the ceiling with their heads. The luggage compartment volume of the French sedan is 506 liters.
In recent decades
Between 2003 and 2010, Citroen produced the C3 Pluriel, an unusual convertible with hints of the 2CV model, both in the body style (like the bonnet) and in its all-round practicality.
Since 2009, the company's sales in Europe and around the world have declined sharply. But China's Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroen continues to grow rapidly and is ranked first in JD Power's 2014 customer satisfaction survey in China. In 2014 in China, sales of Donfeng Citroen cars increased by 30% with an overall market growth of 11%. The launch of the Citroen C3-XR in December 2014 will enable Citroen to continue its growth in 2020.
What France, the manufacturing country of the Citroen C3, presented to the world
Recently, a well-known European manufacturer presented to the public its new city car called “C3 Citroen”. The manufacturing country (France) plans to conquer new markets, relying on the modern design of the new product, its good technical characteristics and reasonable price. Also, according to the company, the hatchback has changed its finishing materials to higher quality ones. But we will find out whether it will be able to achieve its goal a little later, but for now let’s take a closer look at the machine and find out how its manufacturing country wants to conquer the world market.
Citroen C3: design review
If you look at the appearance of the new product, you will notice that the front part of the car has undergone the main changes. At the front, the hatchback has a new impact bumper; inside it, the manufacturer has provided space for LED headlights, which are called “running lights”. Fog lights are also present here - they are located slightly lower. The radiator grille also changed its design and became more voluminous. And this is not all the innovations with which the country wants to conquer the market. The moldings on the side of the car are trimmed mainly with chrome, and from below you can see small reflectors that signal drivers about the appearance of an oncoming car at night.
Specifications
The country decided to focus on efficiency and environmental friendliness, completely replacing the 4-cylinder engine line with a three-cylinder one. From now on, the base engine is a 68-horsepower unit with a displacement of 1000 cubic centimeters. This engine really turned out to be economical - it consumes about 4.3 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers. The average is a 1.2-liter engine, the peak power of which is 82 horsepower. With such a unit, the new product consumes a little more (4.5 liters) of gasoline per 100 kilometers. The top-end engine with a power of 120 “horses” and a volume of 1500 “cubes” consumes no more than 6.5 liters of fuel per hundred. By the way, the latter engine is not included in the list of 3-cylinder engines - it was borrowed from the 208 Peugeot and will be available on both the Russian and European markets. The company also has 3 diesel units, but they will not be supplied to Russia. All engines are equipped with either a 4-speed automatic transmission or a 5-speed manual gearbox. But it’s not a fact that the first option will survive until next year. In the future, the company plans to replace it with a more progressive 5-speed automatic transmission.
Price policy
The country decided not to greatly inflate the cost of its new product. Thus, the restyled version of the hatchback will rise in price by only 15,000 rubles and will cost about 500 thousand. As for the most expensive configuration, it will cost buyers 635 thousand rubles, but this is far from a budget price. At approximately the same price, a similar small car called Citroen C4 is offered, the country of origin of which also intends to conquer the entire world market.
