More chevrons to come

CITROEN Australia faces a busy period from 2006 onwards with a large number of new models slated for release, starting with the much-anticipated C6 luxury sedan.

As the belated replacement to the quirky XM – sold in Australia from 1992 to 2000 – the front-wheel drive C6, based on the Peugeot 407 platform, will spearhead Citroen’s luxury segment assault against the likes of the BMW 5 Series, upcoming Honda Legend and Audi A6.

Late next year could also see the arrival of the C4 Picasso, a mini-MPV built in the same vein as the Renault Scenic.

Due to debut at the 2006 Geneva motor show next March, the C4 Picasso will replace the long-promised Xsara Picasso that has been shown in Australia on a few occasions but has never made it to market.

It is believed that the C4 Picasso shares many styling cues with the CitroenAirlounge concept car first shown in 2003 (pictured below).

Also expected is a four-seat convertible C4 with a folding steel roof – another obvious inclusion with sister brand Peugeot already building the 307 CC, which would form the basis of such a car.

This segment is about to grow significantly with chop-top tin-top versions of the new Holden Astra and Ford Focus.

A C4 variant would make it the first convertible Citroen in modern times.

A four-door sedan version of the C4 is also in the pipeline, primarily for Asian markets. A Chinese-built variant to replace the 1991 Citroen ZX-derived Dongfeng ZX 988 sedan may also materialise.

It is unlikely a C4 sedan will make it locally, although Ford’s renewed assaultwith the Focus II sedan as well as the next-generation VW Bora could change minds if both prove successful.

A facelift of the C3 light car will also appear next year, featuring extensive changes to the engines and cabin as well as to the car’s appearance.

Further afield, the next-generation Mitsubishi Outlander-based Citroen SUV is due in 2007.

The deal will see Peugeot-Citroen buy up to 30,000 Outlander II units annually.

An all-new, second-generation Berlingo should also debut by then. The current car continues to be built on the Xsara/Peugeot 306 platform in a dedicated factory in Spain.

A replacement for the just-facelifted C5 is expected in 2008.

What's coming from Citroen:

2006 All-new C6 luxury sedan (XM redesign)
2006 All-new C4 Picasso MPV (Xsara redesign)
2006 All-new C4 Coupe-Convetible
2006 C3 hatch facelift
2007 All-new Citroen SUV
2007 Berlingo redesign
2008 C5 sedan/wagon redesign