The made-in-India, right-hand-drive Citroen C3 has been spotted testing near Chennai, completely undisguised, in near production form. This is in line with our report from August last year, stating that the India production of the new Citroen C3 would commence in December.
- Citroen C3 for India to come with 1.2-litre turbo-petrol
- Expected to rival Tata Punch, Maruti Suzuki Ignis and more
Made-in-India Citroen C3: what do the images reveal?
On first glance, the made-in-India Citroen C3 appears to be identical to the model that made its global debut last September. However, a closer look reveals that there are some differences.
First up, the vehicle is right-hand drive, which confirms it is a made-in-India unit as our country is expected to be the mother plant for RHD versions, just like all left-hand drive models will be built in Brazil. The model spotted also has additional chrome elements – around the turn signal on the front fenders, on the rear reflectors in the bumper and on the tailgate next to the tail-light. Citroen may have added this just for the Indian car given that buyers in our country generally like more chrome. The car in the images is also running on steel wheels with wheel covers, instead of alloys, and was missing the plastic cladding on the lower part of the doors that was seen when the C3 made its global debut.
However, it is possible that this might be a mid-spec variant, and hence, has all the aforementioned differences to the one shown earlier. Other than that, the new Citroen C3 spotted in India looks identical to the global version.
The 3.98-metre C3 looks like a cross-hatchback as it has a high ground clearance and a high bonnet. It has a split headlamp set-up up front, with Citroen’s double-slat grille connecting the two units. Along the sides, there’s cladding around the wheel arches, blacked-out pillars and roof rails, and lift-type door handles.
At the rear, the C3 has an upright tailgate, with rectangular tail-lamps on each end, a dual-tone bumper and a faux skid plate. Overall, the C3 does look like a smaller sibling of the C5 Aircross that’s already on sale in India.
The images didn’t reveal any details about the made-in-India car’s interior, but we know that the C3’s cabin has a quirky design with different textured surfaces and coloured trim. A 10-inch touchscreen takes centre stage and will feature Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. There’s also a nifty smartphone holder beside the screen. The C3 gets a chunky three-spoke steering and a digital instrument cluster, but on the flipside, it makes do with internal adjustment for the mirrors, manual air-con controls and single-piece front seats with integrated headrests.
Citroen C3: platform and engine
The Citroen C3 is based on the CMP modular platform that will underpin other vehicles, including a sub-four-metre SUV from sister-brand, Jeep. The platform has been heavily localised for India with over 90 percent components being locally sourced.
While Citroen hasn't revealed the powertrain details yet, the C3 is expected to get a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine in India. Transmission options will include a 5-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. There won’t be any diesel engine on offer.
Citroen C3: launch timeframe and rivals
The Citroen C3 is expected to launch in India in the coming months and, in the run up to it, Citroen will expand its dealer network, which is currently limited only to its La Maison flagship stores in select few cities, along with a dedicated online sales platform.
Citroen is expected to position the C3 quite aggressively in the sub-4m segment and it is expected to rival models like the Maruti Suzuki Ignis, the Tata Punch, the Renault Kiger and the Nissan Magnite.
Are you excited for the launch of the Citroen C3? Let us know in the comments.