Ahead of its launch by mid-July, we've got our hands on engine details and variant line-up of the India-spec Citroen C3. The Citroen C3 will be sold in a petrol-only avatar with a 1.2-litre engine in both naturally aspirated and turbo guise. Bookings for the C3 are expected to begin officially sometime next week.
- Citroen C3 will be available with 1.2-litre NA and turbo engines
- Will be offered in two trim levels
- Prices for the C3 will be announced by mid-July in India
Citroen C3: engine details
We had previously reported that the C3 will be powered by a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine in India. New details now reveal that it will also be available in a lower-spec, naturally aspirated guise. In its turbo-petrol avatar, the C3 will produce 110hp power, while in its naturally aspirated guise, the output is rated at 82hp.
The NA petrol engine will come mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, while the turbo-petrol engine will be offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox. While the C3 will be manual only at launch, an automatic gearbox will be added to the line-up at a later stage.
| Citroen C3 engine specs vs rivals | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Citroen C3 | Tata Punch | Maruti Ignis | Renault Kiger | Nissan Magnite | |
| Engine | 1.2 NA/1.2 turbo | 1.2 NA | 1.2 NA | 1.0 NA/1.0 turbo | 1.0 NA/1.0 turbo | |
| Power | 82hp/110hp | 86hp | 83hp | 72hp/100hp | 72hp/100hp | |
| Torque | 115Nm/190Nm | 113Nm | 113Nm | 96Nm/160Nm | 96Nm/160Nm | |
With these power figures, the C3 stands at par with its primary rivals in the segment, the 86hp Tata Punch and the 83hp Maruti Suzuki Ignis – both of which are also powered by sole 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engines. However, it's interesting to note that in its turbo-petrol guise, the C3 will be more powerful than even some compact SUVs, such as the 100hp Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger.
Citroen C3: variants and dimensions
The C3 will be available in two trims in India – Live and Feel. The 82hp, 1.2-litre petrol engine will be available on both trims, while the 110hp, 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine will be limited to the higher-spec Feel variant. Citroen had previously said that high levels of customisation will be offered with the C3, which means additional exterior and interior packages could come as optional extras.
| Citroen C3 dimensions vs rivals | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Citroen C3 | Tata Punch | Maruti Ignis | Renault Kiger | Nissan Magnite |
| Length | 3,981mm | 3827mm | 3700mm | 3991mm | 3994mm |
| Width | 1,733mm | 1742mm | 1690mm | 1750mm | 1758mm |
| Height | 1,586mm | 1615mm | 1595mm | 1605mm | 1572mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,540mm | 2445mm | 2435mm | 2500mm | 2500mm |
In terms of dimensions, the C3 will be 3,981mm long, 1,733mm wide and 1,586mm high. It will have a wheelbase of 2,540mm. That makes it larger than both the Punch and the Ignis. In fact, the wheelbase is even longer than compact SUVs such as Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon and Kia Sonet. That should translate into a generous amount of interior space.
Citroen C3: launch timeline and expected price
Citroen willreveal pricesof the C3 by mid-July in India. In terms of price, we expect the C3 to be close to the Maruti Suzuki Ignis and Tata Punch. The C3 will competition from entry-level variants of compact SUVs such as the Kiger, Magnite,Brezzaand Nexon.
Do you think the Citroen C3 will be able to make its mark in this crowded budget segment? Let us know in the comments below.
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