Citroën C-Cactus - The Ultimate Economy Car

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Citroën C-Cactus - The Ultimate Economy Car

Citroen will display its interpretation of the ultimate economy and environmental car at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (11 September 2007) when it unveils the Citroen C-Cactus, a car uses fuel as efficiently as its namesake looks after water, averaging an impressive 3.4 litres per 100 km and emitting just 78 g/km of carbon dioxide.

But the C-Cactus is designed not just to be economical with fuel – it’s also designed to be truly ecological, with its entire construction process and body designed to minimise consumption of the planets resources as a whole. For example the entire interior is made up from just 200 parts, less than half that of a conventional car. This is not just an advantage for the environment, either because cutting production costs means that despite its advanced high technology diesel hybrid drivetrain, the C-Cactus, were it to go into production, would cost no more than a today’s entry level Citroen C4 at around $25,000, something existing hybrids simply cannot achieve.

Essential, intelligent and ecologically aware

The economic and ingenious solutions adopted for C-Cactus keep production costs down and make it possible to fit a diesel hybrid drivetrain, all for the price of an entry-level C4. To achieve this result, C-Cactus places the emphasis on equipment that is essential to passenger comfort. At the same time, it explores new design processes in order to show that economy and ecology need not be synonymous with a rough ride.
New avenues in design
C-Cactus is the result of an intelligent design process pursuing new objectives. By exploring new forms of expression and new technical solutions, Citroën's engineers cut the number of parts required to build the car.

To achieve this objective, the engineers:

- simplified a number of parts and mechanisms to the extreme,
- grouped several functions in a single part,
- removed all parts that are non-essential to the running of the car or to the comfort and well-being of its occupants.

The dashboard has gone, and its usual functions are now grouped on the central console and the fixed hub of the steering wheel. The central console thus includes the active loudspeakers, gearbox controls and tactile screen giving access to the onboard computer, navigation system and air conditioning controls. The controls for the indicators, lights, wipers, horn and cruise control/speed limiter are on the fixed hub of the steering wheel, as are the tachometer and lights for the indicators, headlamps and warning signals.

Advanced ecological features

To achieve real environmental impact, Citroën's objective has always been to market technologies and vehicles that are affordable to the greatest number. The objective with C-Cactus is to go one step further, by bringing out a car whose hybrid HDi drivetrain makes it truly ecological car, but that can be sold at the same price as an entry-level family car.

With its diesel hybrid drivetrain combining a 70 bhp DIN HDi diesel engine with a particulate filter and an electric motor providing additional power of 30 bhp DIN, C Cactus consumes just 3.4l/100 km with CO2 emission levels of 78 g/km over a combined cycle. In urban use, ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) mode provides silent, all-electric operation. On journeys involving successive acceleration and deceleration, the hybrid system limits fuel consumption by using both types of energy.

The solutions adopted for the design of C-Cactus also contribute to bringing down fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Using fewer parts makes the vehicle 15% lighter than a C4 Hybrid HDi for a total weight of 1,306 kg.

A modern car with appeal

Based on the bold but rational use of parts and materials, C-Cactus is an essential vehicle reflecting a new vision of the car focused on:

- a new balance of priorities, and a design that pursues the essential without sacrificing comfort,
- a design in which ecology and economy are synonymous not with dullness, but with expression and pleasure.


Looking for simplicity: intelligent, fun exterior design

C-Cactus has a unique personality: appealing, modern and offbeat, with its simple shapes and mix of round, curving lines. The original styling also reflects ingenious design choices. Throughout the design process, the focus was very much on simplicity. This led to the development of ingenious solutions that contribute to the attractive offbeat design of C-Cactus.

At the front, the headlamps of C-Cactus give the vehicle an appealing air with their rounded and slightly angular forms. They are underlined by two cylindrical air intakes cut out of the bumper, above an air intake grille of modern design which, while contributing to the vehicle's rounded forms, also adds a muscular energetic touch. The raised bonnet and two air intakes also contribute to the dynamic looks of C Cactus.

The vehicle's rounded forms are reflected in its profile. The dynamic design lines are accentuated by the forward flowing roof line and the asymmetric doors made of crude steel that has been treated for corrosion.

The doors feature an original cut-out since the fixed windows remove a number of the constraints that usually apply to design. Shaped to provide easy access to the interior, they give C-Cactus a curving, sleekly muscled appearance. The use of crude steel treated for corrosion, but without paint or varnish, contributes to savings in production costs while giving a strong, contemporary look.

The high waistline and 21-inch wheels also underline the strong character of C Cactus.
The wheels were the focus of particular attention. Large-diameter wheels and low-profile tyres have become key styling features in vehicles of strong, contemporary design.

For new and even more original styling, these specially designed tyres feature a green pattern on a white background printed inside a wide groove spanning the entire tread.

The same styling codes can be seen at the rear, where a combination of curves and taut lines illustrate the car's dynamic and appealing personality. The chevrons identify this car as a Citroën. The name "Cactus" appears in relief on the bottom of the tailgate, in a young, smooth, modern printface.

The rear lights, which resemble the headlamps in shape, boast an innovative feature: cut-outs in the interior plastic that let the driver see through. This innovation considerably increases the driver's field of vision and may be particularly useful in manoeuvres, for example.

Pertinent choices for an easy and enjoyable ride

C-Cactus boasts advanced equipment, optimised on-board space and modular design at an affordable price. Passengers have all the comfort essential to their well-being.

First, the ignition key of C-Cactus is a portable MP3 player with a touch screen. When it is plugged into the fixed hub of the steering wheel, it is recognised by the vehicle which can then be started.

The fixed-hub steering wheel includes a wide variety of functions. In addition to the usual controls, it also includes the speedometer, which is of an unusual design. The figures, placed in relief around the hub, rotate according to speed and are positioned with respect to a fixed point.

Generous interior space ensures passenger comfort. C-Cactus boasts the dimensions of a family car (4.2 metres long and 1.8 metres wide) with a generous and modular boot (between 500 and 1,100 litres).

The rear seat, placed on a rail, slides up against the front seats. The floor pan, which is integral with the rear bench, also slides forward to reveal a subfloor. This reveals a virtually flat surface area to load bulky objects.

http://www.globalautoindex.com/news.plt?no=1918&nl=y

2007-09-03 Filed under New model introduction
Please quote Global Auto Index if You use this news article!

Pictures:






The design looks Ecocuty!

[Josh0027]

its cute and sporty for me

[GerardTagayty]

cute! ina dune buggy sorta way

[normanenoza]

cute! ina dune buggy sorta way

cute nga.mukhang nguso ng baboy.

[ghosthunter]

Reminds me of a Mini

[BlueBimmer]

like a mini on steroids and 20years into the future! nice!

[meledson]

Weird but cute.

[bunge]

sana makarating ang Citroen brand dito sa pinas.. kaya lang baka disaster din na tulad ng Peugeot sa sales.

[Horsepower]

eh kung ganyan ba naman ang fuel economy nya, for sure bibilhin yan ng informed & thinking buyers. Im just concerned about the price of the battery and whether it can be bought anywhere.

It looks like a cross-bred mini+porsche to me. hehe

[kinyo]

the front looks like ..... a subwoofer!

if they sell it here (i doubt it) they have to rid of transparent roof ... 29.4 km/li is pretty good but some hyundai accent do it too ... nice to have