"tapzz" (tapzz)
02/06/2014 at 05:52 • Filed to: citroen, c-cactus
2
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"tapzz" (tapzz)
02/06/2014 at 05:52 • Filed to: citroen, c-cactus | 2
| 19 |
A generic crossover on a generic platform. If 'Airbumps' are a Citroën's headline innovation, the brand might as well be dead.
Or so I thought, until the details came through this morning. How's this:
965kg (2,134 lb); 200kg (440 lb) less than the Focus it competes with.
3.1l/100km (75.8 mpg US)
The latter is the result of combining the former with a modern turbo diesel triple. The question is, therefore, how they managed the weight reduction. Part of the answer is the expected use of aluminium and high strength steel, but the remainder is effectively a matter of intelligent decontenting.
The model is rated to only 190 km/h (118 mph) and modest power outputs, which allows lighter and simpler suspension and frame solutions. The rear windows pop out rather than power wind down. The rear seat doesn't split, etc and so on. They started simple, and added just enough to make the car viable- just like they used to.
Marketing is also going to be interesting: they'll sell it on an all-inclusive, smart phone style monthly contract, and maybe even on a pay-per-mile deal. Because millenials. Easy to scoff, but being able to predict exactly how much the lump outside will cost, and being able to predict what the consequences of cancelling the contract will be, could be very attractive.
Both the engineering and the marketing clearly have Citroën levels of innovation. It's just such a crying shame that the most saleable type of family car today is the hateful, pointless crossover...
Sources: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
duurtlang
> tapzz
02/06/2014 at 06:05 |
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This whole CUV thing is something I'm not a fan of either, however this new Citroën implementation is interesting. I wonder how this will play out. It's clear the world would be a worse place without brands like Citroën.
Kookanoodles
> tapzz
02/06/2014 at 06:14 |
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People on my Facebook feed have been talking about this car, saying it's atrociously ugly.
I really, really don't get some non-car people when they talk about cars. Their opinions on which cars are pretty and which aren't seem completely arbitrary an irrational. I mean, they all absolutely love retro-designed city cars like the Mini and 500, and minimalistic Apple-like design, but the Cactus, which sort of combines those two trends, is completely hideous ? It doesn't make sense. And I've heard "it'll never sell", which makes me laugh because it'll sell by the bucketload, that's a given.
Maybe it's because a car has to be really disgusting for me to find it ugly (I think the PT Cruiser and Mini Paceman look stupid, for example, but not really ugly). Maybe I'm so far into car-nuttery that I don't remember how non-car people see cars now. Or maybe this car really is ugly and I can't see it because I love Citroën so much. I don't know. In any case, I don't get it.
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tapzz
> Kookanoodles
02/06/2014 at 06:33 |
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I don't get it either. I'm still angry that people insisted on painting the practical plastic bumpers that were such a feature of the Mk I Ford Ka in body colour. I have a sneaking suspicion that the same is going on here- everything in body colour = premium, so a car is 'ugly' if it doesn't have it.
I just hope Citroën will be able to resist the temptation to do that to the air bumps.
Having said all that, the point of a proper Citroën is to polarise; you love 'em or hate 'em; there's no middle way. In that sense, the response of the great unwashed may be encouraging.
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Kookanoodles
> tapzz
02/06/2014 at 06:40 |
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The airbumps will remain like that, this is the final production version.
speedygopher
> tapzz
02/06/2014 at 07:08 |
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It's not ugly per-se, but it does have that concept car blandness and softness, mixed with unusual features like the high mounted lights and airbumps. I am ready for the CUV trend to come to a peaceful end, and don't see why these ideas can't be applied to a sedan or small wagon. And I really hope that the airbumps don't come in white. Reminds me of the inexplicable white belt trend that we saw in the US for a whole. But that's just me...
NeedForSwede
> tapzz
02/06/2014 at 07:14 |
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I'm truly astounded by the weight. I want them to make this a hatch more than about anything.
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Kookanoodles
> speedygopher
02/06/2014 at 08:15 |
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They come in two shades of grey, black, and chocolate.
ihm96
> Kookanoodles
02/06/2014 at 09:21 |
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I have a friend who literally got angry about the fact they even sell 500s in the US. He was saying how it was pointless and stupid and didn't make sense and I was all like "did a fiat molest you or something" because his anger was so unnecessary
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Kookanoodles
> ihm96
02/06/2014 at 09:26 |
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How could one get angry at that face ?
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ihm96
> Kookanoodles
02/06/2014 at 09:47 |
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Right?
RMudkips
> tapzz
02/06/2014 at 10:57 |
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It's a shame no one bought the C6 back when it was still out.
I think this is a pretty good idea, well at least the airbumps.
Joseph Shaul
> Kookanoodles
02/06/2014 at 13:03 |
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Doesn't matter. Cheap french diesel hatchback. A great car for people who don't even know what the hell will be happening in their life in ten years, and want to buy their car - like Citroen successfully identified - like their phone.
Fuel_of_Satan
> tapzz
02/06/2014 at 13:28 |
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Clearly the "air-pockets" are filled with helium. Very much a Citroën-of-the-past move.
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Kookanoodles
> Joseph Shaul
02/06/2014 at 13:38 |
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At least they'll buy something interesting.
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tapzz
> Kookanoodles
02/07/2014 at 08:00 |
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Yup- I was wondering about what might happen a little further down the line. The Ka didn't acquire body colour bumpers until a couple of years after the launch.
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tapzz
> NeedForSwede
02/07/2014 at 08:02 |
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My thought exactly: if they can get a C segment crossover down to less than a metric ton, what will they be able to do with a proper supermini or city car?
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tapzz
> RMudkips
02/07/2014 at 08:05 |
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On the flip side, those C6s are now dropping to between £5k and £10k ($8-16k; current model used Fiesta money) Seriously tempting.
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RMudkips
> tapzz
02/07/2014 at 10:24 |
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If you get one, you need to post thoughts of it.
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NeedForSwede
> tapzz
02/07/2014 at 13:39 |
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The mind....it's boggled.