Citroen India has begun exporting the Basalt coupe-SUV to the South African market, making it the fourth model in its line-up to be shipped overseas from the country. The first Basalt shipment, comprising 500 units, was flagged off from its Chennai manufacturing facility, taking the carmaker’s exports to South Africa to 10,000 units.
- The first Basalt shipment consisted of 500 units of the model
- C3, eC3, and Aircross are already being exported to ASEAN countries
- South Africa-spec Basalt skips features that the India-spec version gets
Citroen Basalt exports
Citroen India had already been exporting the C3, Aircross and eC3 to African markets and ASEAN countries (Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines). The Aircross and C3 are also shipped to Nepal.
Shailesh Hazela, CEO and MD, Stellantis India, said, “Commencing Citroen Basalt exports to South Africa strengthens Stellantis India’s position as a competitive manufacturing, quality-driven and sourcing base. As our export volumes grow, our focus remains on building a resilient and integrated ecosystem, from vehicles to components, delivered through a consistent and high-quality supply cadence.”
South Africa-spec vs India-spec Basalt: What’s different?
The Basalt for the South African market retains its name but drops the ‘X’ suffix. While the coupe-SUV is available in You, Plus and Max trims in India, the South Africa-spec model does not get the You trim and comes exclusively with the much more powerful 110hp turbo-petrol engine paired with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. In contrast, the India-spec Basalt is available in the turbo-petrol-manual guise too, and there’s also an 82hp naturally aspirated petrol option.
It’s a different story inside the cabin as well. Apart from different interior colour schemes, the South Africa-spec Basalt skips out on some features that the Indian model gets. These include front-seat ventilation, an optional 360-degree camera, an AI assistant, a wireless phone charger, one-touch operation for all four windows, connected car tech and adjustable rear-seat under-thigh support. Also, while the India-spec Basalt gets leatherette upholstery for seats, the South Africa model makes do with fabric.
Suraj Viswanathan
Dhruv Dhaka
Dipan Sur
Uday Singh
