Peugeot RC HYmotion4 Concept Racing Car

With Citroen, Peugeot RC HYmotion4 is a field that is increasingly cluttered with hybrid concepts using a new system that can take the road to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. Fortunately for Peugeot, they have managed not just recycle or rebadge an existing model, but have incorporated this technology into an boldly attractive four door GT coupe.

Peugeot has joined sister-brand Citroen by releasing a concept vehicle based on the new HYmotion4 AWD hybrid system. The new concept is according to Peugeot, a ‘Touring Car Coupe’ that features a number of engineering and technological ideas expected to make their way, if only gradually, into both of the carmaker’s future production models. Unlike the hybrid systems used by current production vehicles, this concept has no direct mechanical connection between the electric and internal combustion drive systems. This way, the RC can operate in either rear, front, or all-wheel-drive modes. That means it can also operate using internal combustion, electric only or blended mode combining both. Propelling this concept is a rear mounted turbocharged 1.6 liter engine driving the rear wheels and producing 218 hp and 206 lb-ft of torque. Up front, an electric motor provides up to another 132 lb-ft of torque and provides a governed combined production of 313 horsepower. This sort of power pays of with acceleration to 62 mph in a mere 4.4 seconds. The electrons are stored in a lithium-ion battery pack of an as unreleased size, but having the electric motor at the front instead of the rear axle means that more kinetic energy can be recaptured through the regenerative braking process. According to Peugeot, the RC can get 52.3 mpg with a minimum output of just 109 g/km of CO2 emissions.

Other Hymotion4 concepts in the mix for the future include Peugeot’s Prologue, which previews an upcoming 3008 crossover, as well as the Citroen Hypnos and C4 WRC rally car. These concepts, according to the manufacturer, are a synthesis of ideas that demonstrate a commitment to both respecting the environment and driving pleasure. If all of the technology that is used within this concept lives up to the manufacturer claims, the French may have the inside track in future hybrid production.

Citroen Metropolis and Survolt due for production

Citroen is working hard on bring two of its most recent concept cars into production: the Metropolis premium saloon and the Survolt electric sports car.

Citroen’s effort at breaking into the European executive saloon market with the current C6 failed but Ploué said that Citroën must carry on and the Metropolis is the model that could do that. The Metropolis would take its place as Citroens flagship saloon and may be badged ‘DS9’.

“We cannot afford to let the likes of Audi, Mercedes and BMW forge into Citroën’s heartland supermini territory without fighting back and pushing into theirs. Selling large luxury cars in Europe is not easy at the moment, but I believe Citroën has a great deal more to bring to the market. A large, characterful DS flagship model — we could call it a DS9 to reference the original DS19 — could do great things for us”, Polué said.

In addition, Polué suggested that developing such a car for the Chinese market – which would measure over 5.4m – and badging it as a Citroën, would be a positive financially.

“It’s still our intention to put the Survolt into low-volume production, and we’re pursuing the idea of a one-make race series,” well-placed insiders confirmed.

Citroen to target 'iPod generation' with new product plan

Citroen is planning to broaden its horizons by offering a new product family for the ‘iPod generation’. It would be the fourth Citroen product family and will be positioned alongside the DS range, the regular Citroën brand and the Picasso MPV family.

Peugeot-Citroën design boss, Jean-Pierre Ploué said that the firm will introduce the new line at the forthcoming Paris motor show. Industry bystanders expected Citroën was preparing to launch a budget model line, but Ploué denied the proposal.

“This is a brand defined not by price, but by simplicity and ingenuity of design. It’s our family of cars for those who value design purity above all else: for the iPod generation. I cannot reveal its name yet, but this brand will cause a lot of shock and surprise at Paris, I promise you. It’s a real departure for us – a break from tradition”.

Ploué mentioned Citroën’s 2CV as the inspiration for its new model family, “not for the appearance of the car, but for its innovative spirit”. However, the real motivation for the brand is the C-Cactus concept, which debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show.

The 4.2m C-Cactus was considered “too challenging and radical” to be put into production as a Citroën earlier this year, but it could hit retailers under the new product line.

“The C3 Picasso would also be a model for the new sub-brand, if we were making it today,” Ploué said. “It’s a youthful, innovative, efficient and simple design. DS is all about ‘Frenchness’, sculpture and sophistication, while the new brand is the antithesis of that. It appeals through its stark, pared-down simplicity, to a different, younger customer than DS.”

One of the first models to be launched under the new sub-brand would be a supermini that would indirectly replace the aged and now axed C2 supermini. “We’re not planning on replacing the C2 as a Citroën, but under the new brand we could use the opportunity to do something much more interesting,” Ploué said.

Citroen GT concept still under assessment

Citroen has denied previous reports alleging it no longer has any plans to put its wild GT by Citroen supercar into restricted production.

Citroen was likely to build 6 cars costing around £1.1m each, but French media claimed Citroen had scrapped plans after it decided the engineering and development costs needed to get the GT production ready would not be worth the returns on the car; each unit would be sold at a significant loss. However, Citroen has now verified that the GT by Citroen is still "under evaluation" for production and no choice on whether or not the supercar will make production has been decided.

Earlier reports suggested Citroen is planning to focus on developing smaller sporty cars, such as the Citroen DS3 Racing, rather than developing a range-topping supercar. The GT by Citroen's engine has never been publicised, but it was believed to be powered by a V8 petrol engine producing more than 500bhp supplied by either Ford or GM. The production car is expected to use a manual gearbox with paddle shifters.

The Citroen GT concept stole the lime-light at the 2008 Paris motor show.

Citroen confirms RHD Nemo Multispace and 7 seat Berlingo

Citroen is to bring a right-hand drive version of its Nemo Multispace mini-MPV to the UK next year. This tiny utilitarian vehicle is a passenger-carrying version of the Nemo van, and a sister model to the Fiat Fiorino Qubo , which also goes on sale here in Spring 2009. The Nemo and Fiorino (plus Peugeot's Bipper) are all built in the same factory in Tofas, Turkey, in a joint venture between Fiat and Peugeot-Citroen.

Both the van and the passenger models, with sliding rear doors on both sides and full-length windows, have been developed on the Fiat Panda's underpinnings, so they should be car-like to drive and reasonably refined. And for outdoorsy types, there'll even be a camper van version: Romahome of the Isle of Wight is to offer a single-bed conversion, similar in spirit to the popular C15 van-based model it built in the 1990s.

Engines for the Nemo Multispace will be taken from Fiat - 73bhp, 1.4 litre petrol and a 75bhp, 1.3 litre MultiJet diesel, with the diesel model able to achieve 63mpg combined and the petrol for over 40mpg combined.

Citroen promises that the Nemo Multispace will be competitively-priced - expect a starting price of under £10,000 - to draw distance between it and the larger C3 Picasso, which will also go on sale in February.

Citroen's third new people-carrier, also on sale in February, is a seven-seat version of the popular Berlingo Multispace. To accommodate the extra pair of rear seats - which slot into the boot - the 2nd row seats have been raised a little and moved further forwards. All five rear seats fold down on their bases, though not completely flat, and tumble forwards. They can also be removed altogether, to create a large load-bay.

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