The successors to the current Citroen C4 and C5 could morph into crossover vehicles, according to a new report out of the UK.
With the current C4 hatch and C5 closing in on the end of their production runs, well outclassed by the likes of the C4 Picasso, C4 Cactus and the new C3, it seems Citroen may take a more unorthodox approach to the next generation of both.
Speaking to British website Autocar at the launch event for the new C3 hatch, Xavier Peugeot, Citroen’s product boss, said that while a new C4 is among the brand’s eight upcoming models, it will not be designed to the traditional hatch formula.
“There will be a new C4, but it will not be conventional. It is possible to change the image of a model name and we can do that with that car.”
“Perhaps we will change its silhouette,” he added.
While a Citroen SUV already wears the C4 name – the C4 Cactus – a crossover-styled C4 could follow in similar fashion to the limited-edition DS 4 Crossback that went on sale locally in April.
On the subject of the C5, however, Peugeot said that there could potentially be a name change, hinting at an indirect successor to the brand’s mid-sized car that could sport an SUV body-style
“It’s clear that we want to be a mainstream player, and to do that, we need to cover the various segments,” he said. “So yes, we want a Citroen offering in the D (medium) segment where the C5 currently is.”
“But would it be a direct successor to the C5? I’m not sure,” he added.
Pierre Monferrini, Citroen’s head of future product, added to Peugeot’s comments, saying: “We will be present on the D segment, but it won’t be conventional”.
The C5 successor could well be the production version of the Citroen Aircross SUV concept, that was shown at the 2015 Shanghai auto show, which is rumoured for a 2018 launch.
Should the next-generation C5 adopt the SUV bodystyle, it could possibly be called C5 Aircross, in similar vein to the C4 Aircross that was briefly offered in Australia.
Citroen’s future range will exclusively feature five-door models, with Autocar quoting Monferrini previously saying: “The market has moved towards five-door vehicles, we have to reflect that in our targets.
While the French car maker has plans to offer eight new models globally within the next few years, not all of these will necessarily make it to Australian showrooms.
The new C3 is a ‘likely’ starter locally, while the new C6 is China-only – so time will tell whether Australia becomes a target market for the eccentric French brand’s newest offerings.
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