Citroen have toasted the new-quarter with the reveal of an all-new concept known as the Aircross. The vehicle has a number of unique and quirky features which have helped steal the headlines in the motoring press this morning.
The vehicle’s outlandish styling should not surprise you – Citroen have form on producing vehicle’s with a few curveballs thrown in and you only have to look at the Cactus to see how much designs like this polarize public opinion.
Comparisons with the Cactus are likely to be natural considering the vehicle employs the identical ‘Airbump’ technology although this time Alloy Bumps are equipped towards the bottom and underside of the vehicle.
The new vehicle has the family crossover market in it’s sights and an impressive arsenal of features that mean it’s very well-equipped to tackle those who have been in control of the market since it’s formative days.
In order to get some perspective on the vehicle’s size it’s specs are largely in-line with the Land Rover Discovery Sport and BMW X3. Citroen bosses are believed to have received a serious boost of confidence at the Cactus’ upward trajectory in terms of sales and the French brand will be hoping to see similar success when the Aircross hits the road.
Powered by a plug-in hybrid drivetrain the Aircross will only enhance Citroen’s reputation in the indutsry for a gearing towards cleaner engines. The electric motor has the ability to produce 95bhp with an all-electric range of 31 miles and will join forces with a 1.6-litre petrol engine offering 218bhp. A lithium-ion battery has the ability to be recharged in a median time of 3 ½ half hours through your common or garden domestic socket.
Offering 22inch alloys and a helpful set of exterior cameras which will help identify the surrounding environment and display all manner of information gleaned from these cameras onto the two internal screens. The Aircross could, once again, allow Citroen to set the bar for SUV technology although a better judgment can be made when the options list is given release.
So what does this all mean? Well the facts are that the vehicle will go from 0-62mph in about 4.5 seconds, with CO2 emissions at an incredibly low 39g/km and fuel economy of 166mpg it looks pretty good when you examine it’s proficiency against opponents.
The interior continues the vehicles ‘’out there’’ styling with a combination of orange and white textiling. The seats are perhaps somewhat uncoventional with a design more akin to Captain Kirk’s cabin, but are to the credit of Citroen quite endearing. A pair of HD panoramic screen sit comfortably behind the wheel and we expect a host of interior technology to be reeled off in the near future, though the vehicle is firmly in the concept stage and it could (unfortuneatly) be some time before Citroen's latest dish on the SUV menu is served.
