Autoblog

Click image for a high-res gallery of the C2 Kappa

Now that the 2008 Beijing Motor Show is underway, we're getting a chance to see how a lot of those sketches and renderings we saw ahead of the festivities translate into actual cars. One of the concepts we were curious about was the collaborative effort between Citroën and sports apparel maker Kappa. Not only is the red-and-white C2 Kappa concept faithful to the drawing released last month, it's also pretty cool.

The C2 Kappa is lowered and fully kitted, sporting a unique front fascia that tones down the base car's oversized headlamps and adds aggressive Kappa-emblazoned grillework below the bumper. That logo is repeated all along the fat red racing stripe that runs from nose to tail, flanked by thinner grey accent stripes. Another red door stripe with the Kappa branding runs along each flank. A roof spoiler and a color-keyed diffuser insert add visual flair in back, while white rally-style wheels take up residence at the corners. Inside, sport seats with the Kappa insignia dress up the passenger cabin, rounding out this surprisingly appealing styling exercise from Dongfeng Citroën and Kappa, even if it the equivalent of a car dressed in a jogging suit.


[Source: Autoblog Chinese]

All photos Copyright ©2008 Bin Chen / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for photo gallery of the Dongfeng Citroën C2 Kappa

Dongfeng Citroën will reportedly show a pair of cars adorned with graphics inspired by soccer/sport apparel manufacturer, Kappa. From what we can gather, a trio of Dongfeng Citroën C2s will be on hand, one in the red-and-white motif you see above, and two more sporting the automotive equivalents of the official Team Italia uniform. If the sketches are any indication, the cars will be given a dressed-up, rally-car look as well, with updated fascias, wheels, and the like. Whether a Citroën/Kappa trim package model is in the works for China is not clear, but at the very least, these show cars ought to be interesting to see when they're unveiled.


[Sources: Autoblog Chinese, FoMoCo News]

Click to enlarge

For its latest entrant in the Chinese marketplace, Citroën tapped its corporate sister for a little hand. The Chinese Citroën C2, you see, is is built on the Peugeot 206 platform. The 206 bloodlines show: notice that the C2 China's hood is vented in the exact same spots as the 206. While it's badged a C2, it has nothing in common with the European-market car whose name it shares.

Despite its ties to the older Peugeot, this C2 is still a stylish automobile. A five-door hatchback, it wears a slightly upturned variation of the C4-C5-C6 grille, with its open "wings" angling up into the headlamps. That, combined with the larger opening below the bumper, gives the face a meaner, more purposeful look than its Euro cousins. Two gasoline engines will be offered -- the 1.4i (75hp) and the 1.6i 16V (106 hp). The 1.4i will be available only with a 5-speed manual, while buyers of the 1.6i can opt for a 4-speed automatic.

The base SX trim offers a good level of standard equipment, with the EX adding goodies like leather and an optional power sunroof. Oddly, the SX trim only features power windows up front. backseaters must make do with cranks. Customers who want to have power windows all around must select the better-optioned EX. How weird is that?

This C2 joins an eclectic lineup of Citroëns in China, ranging from the unbelievably dated and excellently-named Fukang to the modern C-Triomphe. It'll be in dealerships at the end of 2006, and Citroën hopes the car will leave them at a brisk pace -- the plan is to locally build as many as 40,000 of them a year once they hit the market.

Related Posts:

• Autoblog Spanish - Nuevo Dongfeng-Citroën C2 para China
• Autoblog Chinese - 东风雪铁龙新两厢车T21定名C2

(Additional Photos, Press Release after the jump)

[Source: Citroën}