Citroen unveils new C5
Click the image above for a high-res gallery of pics.
The wraps are off of the new Citroen C5, and as with many designs hailing France; you either love it or loathe it. Naturally, the new model is stretched both in length and width, and comes equipped with Citroen's third-generation hydraulic suspension that adjusts on the fly, soaking up bumps in the pavement and firming up when the going gets twisty.
The C5 finds motivation from one of three different gasoline powerplants: either a 127 hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder, a 143 hp 2.0-liter four, or a 215 hp 3.0-liter V6. Diesel offerings include four different oil burners ranging from 110 hp to 208 hp in the new HDI V6.
The new Citroen C5 won't be officially unveiled until the Brussels Motor Show in January, with sales to begin later next year. All the details are available in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Citroen]
Gallery: Citroen C5
PRESS RELEASE
CITROËN UNVEILS THE NEW C5
Citroën is making business and family motoring even more alluring as it lifts the wraps off the brand new C5 in Paris. Unveiled to the world in both saloon and estate versions, the new C5 benefits from a completely new approach by Citroën's designers who have combined Teutonic-like levels of quality, styling and handling with the highest standards of comfort, safety and in-car technology for which the Company is already renowned.
The all-new C5 conveys a real sense of prestige, with the state-of-the-art design in a classic thoroughbred saloon. Following the success of the innovative C4 Picasso, Citroën's new C5 also introduces a range of new features such as a second-generation fixed-centred controls steering wheel, a seat back massage function and a choice of suspension set-ups.
Set to arrive in the UK in early 2008, the new C5 embodies the progress that Citroën has made in recent years, and will more than satisfy the requirements of buyers of large cars in terms of both quality and reliability. A powerful addition to the Company's impressive car line-up, it ensures that Citroën is strongly represented in the large family car sector, one of the UK's biggest market sectors with over a third of a million sales last year.
With its long, sleek body, sculpted lines and high waist, the new C5's striking styling gives it a true sense of status. The front end is characterised by the large air-intakes and long incisive headlamps that flank the prominent chrome chevrons and assert the C5's identity. From the back, the distinctive concave window and two-part boomerang lights give it a purposeful, determined impression.
Longer and wider than the model it replaces, the new C5 has real on-the-road presence, with an aerodynamic profile that alludes to the car's dynamic qualities and accomplished road handling. Measuring 4.78m long (the estate is 5cm longer), 1.86m wide and 1.45m tall, the new C5 imposes itself at the top end of the large family car segment.
The interior of the new C5 offers occupants an environment that exudes refinement, comfort and style. The same taut, flowing lines seen on the exterior are replicated inside in the detailing around the doors and dashboard, echoing the pursuit of quality throughout the car.
The attractive styling is exemplified by the instrument panel design, where annular needles run around each of the dials, allowing an electronic display unit to be integrated in the centre of each dial. Additionally, a screen on the overhead console displays an illustration on start-up, symbolising the car, its five seats and the seatbelt warnings.
The new C5 introduces a second-generation fixed-centred controls steering wheel, with membrane-covered controls, providing easy access to key functions such as the cruise control, radio or telephone. The model can also be specified with Citroën's new-generation NaviDrive system, featuring a 7-inch central display screen and voice activation of the built-in GSM telephone, audio system and satellite navigation.
Large Citroëns are well known for providing the highest standards of occupant comfort, and the new C5 is no different, with special attention having been paid to the acoustics, suspension and seating.
The new C5 features levels of soundproofing that more than match any of its competitors. Specifically, the measures taken include acoustic barriers on the body and door surrounds, an acoustic windscreen, laminated side windows, reinforced absorbent body and roof linings, and damped mountings as developed for the C6.
With a view to offering the optimum mix of comfort and dynamics, the C5 has been developed to offer a choice of two suspension set-ups based on the running gear of the ultra-smooth C6 executive saloon. The metallicsuspension strikes an excellent balance between comfort and road-holding and features a double wishbone layout at the front and multilink set-up at the rear.
Citroën's acclaimed Hydractive 3 Plusself-levelling suspension features springing and damping that adjusts instantaneously to offer a cosseting ride, whatever the road conditions. A soft mode provides optimum comfort while a firmer mode delivers greater body control. A "Sport" mode can also be selected for an even more dynamic ride.
Further contributing to a relaxed journey, certain versions can be specified with a driver's seat back massage function. The front seats are fully adjustable, with either manual or electric controls, while rear passengers benefit from generous amounts of legroom - the absence of a central tunnel ensures a flat floor throughout the rear.
Typically for a Citroën, the new C5 is extremely well specified. Cruise control and a speed limiter are fitted as standard, while Hydractive 3 Plus versions are equipped with an automatic electric parking-brake and hill-start assist. For ease of parking, the C5 is also available with front and rear parking sensors, as well as a parking gap assistance system that determines the size of any available space and informs the driver.
The current C5 is one of the safest cars on the road and its successor is well set to follow in its tracks. New C5 is equipped with the very latest Citroën safety technology, including up to nine airbags, providing the occupants with reassuring levels of protection in the event of an accident. The stiffened body and cabin structure incorporates upper and lower absorbers at the front end to soak up the energy released in the event of impact.
The new C5 is the first in the range to be equipped with a collapsible pedal assembly - in the event of an impact the brake and clutch pedals retract into the floor of the footwell to limit injury to the driver's legs and feet. A retractable steering column is also fitted.
The driver and passengers are protected by front, side and curtain airbags, together with the option of additional rear side airbags. The fixed central hub of the steering wheel ensures that the optimally-shaped driver's airbag is always deployed at the right angle, while a knee airbag provides improved protection for the driver's legs.
Control in difficult conditions is aided by the C5's advanced braking system - Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Emergency Braking Assistance, ABS and ESP are all fitted as standard. Citroën's much lauded Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) is available on some versions, warning drivers when the car unintentionally crosses lane markings.
Improved visibility at night is provided by the C5's enhanced headlight system. A static AFS (Adaptive Front Lighting System) function incorporates an additional light source that improves visibility and safety on corners and at junctions. A dynamic AFS option is available on models equipped with Xenon dual-function directional headlamps, further improving visibility to 105˚ at low speeds.
Citroën's new C5 is a child friendly environment with Isofix anchor points on up to three seats, four one-touch electric windows with an anti-pinch function and an electric child-safety lock for the rear doors and windows, all fitted as standard.
To meet the full range of driver needs and preferences, the new C5 is available with a wide choice of engines. The petrol powerplants include 127bhp 1.8i 16V and 143bhp 2.0i 16V units,while there are four HDi diesel engines – HDi 110, HDi 138, HDi 173 and HDi V6 208 units – each fitted with a Diesel Particulate Filter System that virtually eliminates particle emissions. A selection of manual or automatic gearboxes is offered.
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
zach 4:06PM (10/18/2007)
Some derivative aspects of the styling, but I really like it overall.
...and the interior; looks nice, but holy buttons, batman!
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jgp 4:09PM (10/18/2007)
If not for the ridiculously-high belt line, this would be a beautiful car.
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Val 4:11PM (10/18/2007)
Wow, this looks even better than the cabrio concept! Probably the best looking citroen in a long time, and for once PSA has a car that looks good. Consiering what else is in this class (mondeo, laguna, passat, vectra etc) it has more than adequate power, and is the only one that has a V6 diesel engine. And 210 hp is a LOT for this kind of car in europe. Not to mention the hydractive suspension, which is basically a unique feature in this class. So I have to agree with Citroen on this one, that this is truly a class leading vehicle.
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Eek 4:41PM (10/18/2007)
Looks good to me!
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Ilya 4:52PM (10/18/2007)
The first new car photos of which weren't leaked to the net before the official unveiling in months... Somebody obviously did a very good job at keeping it secret, or Citroen decided that it didn't want to leak the photos on purpose.
The car actually looks great - ages better the the last C5 and unlike all other new Citroens (that I don't really like). Hopefully it retained the comfort the last C5 provided, because it used to be the most comfortable in its class.
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mk 6:43PM (10/18/2007)
sporty that up a bit, give it 300+hp, and AWD...
That could be a pretty cool car.
I think the convex-concave rear glass is cool.
I didn't realize that the center of the steering wheel stays centered, while the wheel turns.
Steerable headlights, hydraulic suspension, lots of citroen staples that are very interesting bits of tech.
Sometimes I wonder why some of those "Citroen" things haven't been adopted by other companies, in some form..
I have to say that their designs are striking, and original, which is more than I can say for some other companies' designs. I like the C-sportlounge (IIRC) concept, too.
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I_Hate_China_2 7:23PM (10/18/2007)
I like the looks, they're better than the C6.
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whofan 7:39PM (10/18/2007)
Citroen was always ugly as hell. The new Citroen looks great. Good to see Citroen buck the ugly looking trend they have had forever. European designers are on a roll. Lots of good looking cars hitting the roads in Europe.
I hope our American companys take notice here in the US.
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Rollolo 8:11PM (10/18/2007)
ugly car, backlights stolen from Audi.
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Kym 8:42PM (10/18/2007)
To quote a Citroen Xsara as an example of modern French carbuilding quality is laughable. I have owned a succession of French, German and Japanese cars, and the worst were VWs and Audis, followed by old (70s) French vehicles. Current family fleet of 4 includes a 307 and Mgane Sport, both of which are at least equal to the German and Japanese vehicles in terms of being well built and trouble free.
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Paul Aka Shibby 9:26PM (10/18/2007)
The first Citroen C5 is awfull, one of the worst cars in europe. Why? Well I think when a 2001 car sells for about 1k says something! When we've been looking at Honda's, Audi's and Toyot'as, and we struggle to find a hatchback from at least 2004 at about 7-8k. That says alot about the depreciation values when they are sky high.
My nan owned this car, it was awfull and so is the dealer network. All locks had to be replaced, engine problems and the last fault was the power steering had gone! She has got rid of it now. A car that was once worth 23k+ brand new, gone for less then 2 grand.
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Midas 9:40PM (10/18/2007)
Apart from the CLS front lights, the E90 3-series crease on the side doors, and the Audi rear, it looks like a bloated C4.
I’d hate to think that the originality of French car design, particularly from Citroen, has been compromised to ape the Germans.
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Matthew 10:25AM (10/19/2007)
FYI,the C4 and facelifted C5 (which share the same design speaking of front lights) were released in 2004, i.e. the same year as the CLS and E60 5-series. So it's very unlikely they copied each other.
Speaking of reliability, French cars are not that bad nowadays. I know ppl who had severe issues with VWs, Mercedes and Audis, but they don't divulge it too much since you're a bit ashamed when you confess that such an expensive car can have turbo breakdowns or faulty window regulators... A friend of mine has a 1984 Peugeot 205 that did its 250,000th km 2 weeks ago; okay the inner doors are falling apart but the motor is the same. The problem is that ppl who buy French cars often neglect them and don't give them basic level of maintenance, and when breaking down they curse the car...
For resale issues, the quoted value (i.e. what avg people are ready to pay) is mainly calculated from reputation, cliches and whoa factor (in a word: the badge) and from demand, not from effective quality, practicality or services. If the old C5 has a poor resale value, it's mainly because of its bland design (the same for some ultra-reliable but unexciting Toyotas). Many French cars have a decent resale value in Europe (mainly Diesel MPVs, superminis and small family cars). The problem with French cars is that they don't have very good petrol engines since 80% of R&D investments have been devoted to Diesel ones for a decade. Let's hope Renault will take benefit of its alliance with Nissan for that.
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Fafat 3:04AM (10/19/2007)
To be honest US cars haven't good reputation here in France (i'm french and i know what i'm talking about) US cars are too big, with a huge fuel consumption, are not well finished. American engines aren't not able to give 300HP without 8 cylinders and huge Cubic inchs deplacement... so ok french cars aren't the best but they as good as the other european company's. because you always forgot that a Citroen C5 will be almost twice cheaper than an Audi A4 !
cxv 4:59AM (10/19/2007)
I'm stationed in Europe and used to drive a Renault Megane which is a big seller over here and to this day I can't understand how people would choose this car over a civic an opel or else. The quality of French cars are on par with the rest but they feel cheaper than a Kia. I understand they are nicely designed and offer design features that you don't see in any other car.
This new C5 reminds me a little to the new Mondeo and newer VWs so in that aspect is not bad. I don't think this will sell in here because of the unique design elements. See Saab with the ignition key on the floor that only satisfy the fans of the brand and a few here in the States.
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MikeInNC 9:09AM (10/19/2007)
I really like the overall look but it does look WAY too much like a Mondeo with an Audi tail on it to be called original. Still, I do like the look of the final product.
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mj 3:59PM (10/19/2007)
I like the Citroen 4 door sports car look. However, I agree that performance and quality issues are questionable (mentioned previously).
On the other side, we have Nissan who originated the 4DSC moniker and can't design a new Maxima that lives up to the name. I saw the Intima/Maxima concept and its strictly for the luxury cruising crowd.
I wish Nissan could take design cues from the Citroen exterior design and place it over the Maxima powerplant. That would be an attractive package indeed.
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Matthew 2:06PM (10/19/2007)
IMO it would be a great mistake for French makes (the same for Italian ones) to dive now into the American market, given that you'll soon have to pay 3 USD to get 2 euros. I still wonder how, say, VW or Mercedes can make profit in America; at least they have an existing sales network.
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MGBYG 10:30AM (10/19/2007)
Citroen?
What makes this a Citroen, again?
Oh, the jack-o-lantern mouth slice as a grille...
More of the "contemporary styling blob" affixed with some corporate identity. CCW could photo-chop 20 different grilles on this, from a trapezoid Mitshi to the Volvo rectangle with cross-ribbon, and they'd all look possible....
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Mattias 12:56PM (10/19/2007)
Citroens quality of cars build in the last five years (C4, facelifted C5, C6) is absolutely en par with other European brands like Audi, Skoda or BMW. Berlingos however are made on worn tools in Spain, so the gaps just do not fit very well. SEVEL build C8s still suffer from electronic problems, all other SEVEL commercial vehicles do not have any big problems (they do have less electronic stuff).
On the other side Volkswagen and Audi have lots of problems with their particulate filters on the pumpe-duese-engines (140hp and 170hp I4) while the french diesels of similar size and power (PSA, Renault) with common rail system and the additive based filtration do not have these problems. The Audis problems will probably fade when the new I4s are converted to common rail in the next nine months.
Traditionally french gasoline engines are very poor performing. Loud noisy, no torque. However the PSA V6 is a nice engine as well as the new BMW-PSA turbocharged I4. I would really prefer seeing the C5 with the BMW-PSA 1.6l 150hp than with the old PSA 2.0l 143hp.
So you can't say "french cars are poorly" built or "german cars are great". Pick an individual car and compare it to it's counterpart. You'll be surprised to see your prejudices fade away.
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