A price and power cut for Citroën’s baby hatchback
CITROËN South Africa has downsized the engine in its C1 micro-hatch, but at the same time slashed pricing across the two model range.
Gone is the old C1’s 1.2-litre petrol engine, and in is a slightly less powerful 998cc three-cylinder with 51kW and 96Nm.
But, with capacity now under the 1-litre mark, Citroën pays less import duties as per a recent trade agreement between our market and Europe. Similarly to Ford with its new 999cc Fiesta and Focus, and Renault with its 898cc Sandero, Citroën is passing its import savings on to customers, and the new C1 and C1 Airscape convertible are priced at R149 900 and R159 900 respectively. This represents savings of R19 000 and R35 000 for the two models.
Power is down by 9kW and 20Nm, but Citroën says average fuel consumption also drops from 4.3 to 4.1 litres per 100km. Gearbox duty is performed by a five-speed manual only.
Both body variants retain original ‘Feel’ trim levels, meaning six airbags, ABS brakes, electronic stability control, tyre pressure monitors, emergency braking assist, and 15” alloys are included in the deal. Comfort items include full climate control, electric front windows, steering-mounted audio controls, and a four-speaker sound system with USB and Bluetooth connec- tions.
Two new colours - Scarlet Red and Blue Lagoon - accompany the revised C1, and the Airscape version is available with a contrasting canvas roof in either red or black with matching mirror caps. An array of optional accessories, including perfume spritzers, different wheel designs, needle-pile floor mats, and fog lights are also available.
C1s are sold with a threeyear/100 000km warranty (optionally extendable to 5 years), while a four-year/60 000km Service Plan or a five-year/100 000km Free Drive Plan are offered at added cost.