It's set to be a very crowded Geneva Motor Show for city cars, and it's not about to let up now. Joining the Renault Twingo, the Peugeot 108 and the yet-to-be-revealed Toyota Aygo at the show is the new Citroen C1.
Measuring a scant 3.46 metres long, 1.62 metres wide and 1.45 metres tall, the C1 will share its platform and most of its components with the 108 and Aygo. Indeed, much of the car's exterior is similar to that of the 108, as these pictures readily show.
The C1 will be differentiated by a new front end however, which is a development of the split headlight face that is now seen on recent Citroens. The slim upper (likely to be the indicators) and large round lower headlights create a rather, um, unusual look that is slightly reminiscent of the Nissan Juke.
Elsewhere, there are vertical LED daytime running lights on the front bumper, blacked-out A-pillars, a slightly different rear bumper to the 108 and square tail lights instead of the 108's rows of three stripes. The Citroen C1 can also be specified with the same full-length (760 mm by 800 mm) sliding fabric roof as the 108, this time called the Airscape.
Like Renault with the Twingo and Peugeot with the 108, Citroen has yet to release any images of the C1's interior. However, it is described as having been designed with "clean, structured lines" and features coloured trim for the multimedia panel, air vents and the base of the gearlever. In a nod to the original C1/107/Aygo trio, the new car also features body-coloured panels on the doors.
Open the glass tailgate and you will find a 196 litre boot. That is the same as the 108 without the optional spare tyre, but fold the rear seats down and the figure swells to 780 litres, which strangely is 30 litres larger than Peugeot's figure. Other interior features include a 7-inch touchscreen which shares the 108's Mirror Screen feature, enabling the display to show the same image that is on your smartphone display.
Engine choices are also identical to the 108, so the same two petrol engines are available – a 1.0 litre 68 bhp e-VTi Airdream and a 1.2 litre 82 bhp VTi engine. Both are petrol three-cylinder engines and come standard with a five-speed manual, with the 1.0 litre gaining an option of a five-speed sequential manual transmission, dubbed Efficient Tronic Gearbox (ETG).
Weighing a 108-matching (again) 840 kg, the new Citroen C1 features a 4 kg lighter rear axle, new springs and dampers and a thicker anti-roll bar compared to its predecessor. Its electric power steering has a turning circle of just 4.8 metres.
The C1 is available in three- and five-door bodystyles. Personalisation options include a range of 14- and 15-inch wheel designs, eight exterior paint finishes, three colours for the Airscape roof (red, black or grey) as well as a number of two-tone colour schemes.
With the C1 and 108 being so similar under the skin, it would really be the appearance that will set these two apart in the eyes of the buyer. So, which do you think looks the best – the Peugeot, or the Citroen?
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