So cute it copped a glad eye

OVER the years I have grown to be a man not easily affected by what others say about me – criticism or compliment. My mentor taught me never to allow people’s views to change or affect my character.

And I have also been that guy who wears a pink shirt with confidence and who is not worried about being called names.

I have often disagreed with those who associate the size of a car with gender. Some people have the view that small cars are for women, as I do and I wouldn’t waste my breath debating whether a pink car with a pink dashboard and pink seats was designed for women.

But test- driving the new facelifted Citroën C1 cabriolet Airspace almost changed the above.

While in the 60kw 1.2- litre, I experienced a few incidents but, due to limited space, I cannot reveal all – so let me tell you about one that deserves mentioning.

Two police officers thought I was a woman and tried their luck with me. I was driving to work one morning with the roof open and, with the car’s built-in Bluetooth, I was playing music loudly.

I realised the lights flashing behind me were those of a police van and, because I had done nothing wrong I continued driving. But, when I realised the lights were for me, I moved into the left lane at the next traffic lights and their car drew up alongside.

I looked at them, realised they were waving and smiling at me, so I rolled down my window and asked if they needed help. To my surprise nothing was wrong – all they asked for was phone numbers.

I’m not sure if it was my cold manner or their having a closer look and realising I was a man that made them make a U-turn and drive off.

For a moment my ego felt trampled, and my self-confidence went out the roof. But mainly I was left feeling offended.

From that moment, the fun of sitting in the pink interior almost ended – I was now conscious of who was looking at me.

But the C1 Airspace is too funky and exciting and the interior too bright for one to stay offended.

As the saying goes, you can’t keep a good man (or woman) down.

The C1 comes standard with some practical technologies, such as a reverse camera, Bluetooth, steering wheel control buttons, a USB port, 15-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning and my favourite – cruise control.

At first I was impressed to see the C1 had cruise control, but after I had worked out how it operated, it became more frustrating to have it than not to have it at all.

You set your desired speed limit on your dashboard digital screen and – unlike other cars, – with the C1 the cruise control serves only to help the driver not exceed the speed limit.

No matter how hard you press the accelerator, the car will not go faster than the set speed.

You also have to apply your foot constantly to the accelerator or lose momentum.

But nothing can keep a good man down when he is in this ideal city runaround.

Priced at R168 900 and compared with cars in its league, such as the Fiat 500C, the C1 Airspace offers more and comes out tops.

Besides the police officers’ incident, in my view this city car is the cutest and most brilliant city car… for women.

● Editor’s note: The C1 does have a conventional cruise control and it includes the speed-limiting function, which is apparently all our tester found.

SITTING PRETTY: The Citroën C1 Airspace is a zippy pink cocoon that almost charmed a guy into changing his ways.