French automaker Citroen has revealed the Citroen Cactus Concept, its vision for future C-line models, ahead of next week’s Frankfurt Motor Show.
The origins of Citroen Cactus began with the C-Cactus concept car, which premiered at the 2007 Frankfurt show.
C-Cactus was a radical automotive approach that posed a number of key questions: What do motorists expect from cars in today’s world? And which equipment and features really count? The exercise pushed engineers and designers to make sweeping changes and explore new solutions to motoring challenges. The pragmatic approach avoided the unessential to concentrate on what makes motorists feel good. The end result is the Citroen Cactus – a concept car which previews future models in the C-line.
Citroen Cactus’ styling marries the aesthetic with the practical, the designers having sought to find the right volumes and extend efficiency to the smallest details. The idea was to keep only the essential and this approach allowed the designers to break free from classic automotive cues and explore new solutions to bring customers useful equipment and features.
With a shape that is both original yet familiar, the body styling of Citroen Cactus is easy to identify, with: pure and smooth surfaces in pearlescent white, flowing contours, ‘floating’ roof and rear quarter panels, contrasting and functional detailing such as Lama grey ‘Airbumps’, textured black wheel arches and gloss black roof rack and a bright and airy cabin with a large panoramic sunroof.
A stand out component of the Cactus is the ‘Airbump’, located on the sides and bumpers of the car.
Combining style with function, the ‘Airbump’ strengthens the appearance and personality of the car with its originality and personalisation possibilities. The supple material features a soft treatment that resists scratches and includes air capsules that absorb impacts.
The Citroen Cactus boasts proportions optimised for efficiency and comfort with:
– The dimensions of a compact hatchback (4.21 m long & 1.75 m wide)
– An ideal balance between one-third glazed area and two-thirds wing surface
– High ground clearance (21 cm) but with an optimised height of just 1.53 m
– Reduced overhangs, with the wheels directly located at each corner
A key objective of the Citroen Cactus concept was to provide more interior space for driver and passengers, ensuring user-friendliness and greater comfort.
The slender, floating dashboard fully frees up the floor below to create a large, easy-access storage space on the passenger side. This design was achieved by the adoption of a 100% digital interface and optimising the driver station, in particular by:
– Replacing the instrument cluster with a 7-inch screen
– Swapping control buttons for an 8-inch touchscreen connected to all vehicle functions (air-conditioning, audio, satnav, connected services and driver aids)
– Installing the passenger airbag on the ceiling
– Replacing the traditional gearstick with push-button controls on the lower part of the dashboard and steering-wheel paddles
Another comforting innovation is the thermally-treated panoramic sunroof which allows light into the cabin, but repels heat and UV rays – comparable to category-4 sunglasses.
Another objective for Cactus was to deliver a stylish and relaxed atmosphere on board. Inspired by contemporary furniture design, the interior layout offers optimum space.
The inviting front seats were designed in the style of a sofa for improved comfort whilst the treatment of the upper storage areas and interior door handles were inspired by luxury luggage styling.
Natural materials such as cotton fabric and ‘camel’ leather (vegetable tanned) are used throughout the cabin, including on the steering wheel trim, seats and door handles.
Citroen Cactus technologies are easy to use, economical and environmentally considerate, accessible to all while being resolutely focused on the new needs of motorists.
The Cactus concept features Citroen’s revolutionary new Hybrid Air drivetrain – a full-hybrid, compressed air and hydraulics system – which is combined with a PureTech engine to deliver exceptional fuel economy in excess of 94mpg (under 3l/100km).
This innovative and highly efficient system, which requires no additional batteries, is widely affordable thanks to:
– Low-cost per mile use (45% reduction in fuel consumption in urban driving)
– Easy maintenance and servicing through the combination of proven technologies
– No compromises to interior space
In the centre of the dashboard is the eight-inch digital touchscreen which integrates all driving commands. Easy to use, both the driver and passengers benefit from access to Citroen Multicity Connect, a portal of web-connected applications that use vehicle data – including mileage, speed, range and GPS position – to provide information adapted to motorists’ needs, such as warning them of traffic delays, locating service stations or tourist destinations.[wzslider height=”400″ lightbox=”true”]
