One of the most elegant stands at the Johannesburg International motor show must go to Citroën who unveiled the new C4 Picasso amongst the other cars on display that included the C1 supermini, the new C3, the C4 Aircross off-roader, the DS3 Ultra Prestige, DS3 Cabrio, and a chrome-wrapped DS4. Taking pride of place in the middle of it all, however, was the Citroën C4 Picasso MPV, arguably the French brands best and most important C-badged vehicle.
Due for launch in South Africa in 2014, the C4 Picasso is as an expression of Citroën’s Créative Technologie. It is a new generation model based on the EMP2 (Efficient Modular Platform 2), the Citroën Group’s new platform, and has a compact exterior envelope with benchmark interior space and great luggage capacity of 537 litres. The EMP2 modular platform has contributed to the weight reduction of 140 kg over the previous model Picasso. The new platform also allows a reduced front overhang, lower mounting of the engine and a wider track.
The new Citroën C4 Picasso in South Africa will be launched as a e-HDi 115 (115 referring to the horsepower figure) turbo diesel, developing 85 kW, which will be mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and provides good fuel economy, with emissions of only 105 g/km. It has a full digital driving interface with a dashboard structured around two screens located in the central section: a 7-inch touchpad and 12-inch panoramic HD screen. The latter displays essential driving information and can be configured to show the navigation system of driving aids.
