Citroen may be retiring its long-serving hydropneumatic suspension, but the novelty is set to continue in another form, Autocar reports. Come 2017, the brand is set to debut a new suspension system to replace the Hydractive 3 that will sail into the history books along with the Citroen C5 when the model is discontinued.
According to Citroen CEO Linda Jackson, the new suspension will focus on ride comfort without compromising body control. No details were disclosed on the configuration of the new system, but work on it has apparently been going on for some time now.
The new suspension is expected to make its way on to the complete Citroen model range as it goes along, and Jackson told the publication that it will be unique to the Citroen brand. It had earlier been reported that PSA/Peugeot-Citroen’s stand-alone brand, DS, was looking at a new suspension system.
Sales of the hydropneumatic Citroen C5 slowed down to a trickle last year, with only 10,000 units sold, and in June it was reported that the French automaker had decided to pull the plug on the Hydractive 3 suspension, the final iteration of a six decade-old system that first made its debut on the Traction Avant in 1954 but was more noted for its application on the DS of 1955.
In brand-related news, the automaker is also set to halve the number of Citroen bodystyles that are available currently. Jackson told Autocar that the model range will eventually be whittled down to seven from 14 right now – to be retained is the Citroen C1 that is jointly-developed with Peugeot and Toyota, and long-wheelbase variants specifically for the Chinese market are also set to feature.
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They should’ve put the Hydractive suspension in the DS5.
just make you car affordable like toyota and honda.. people know cietrone is an affordable brand in Europe..
Citroen deserves to succeed. They bring to market really beautiful designs that are different from the Germans. Arguably, the DS5 is probably one of the most beautiful cars available right now. So it’s good to hear that they are innovating to bring back one of their key technological strengths.
Citroen’s USP is its ride comfort.. However they have eschewed that in the new range in favour of a firm ride to ape the German models. All they need to do is to look back at the old Citroen ZX. That model possesses the legendary Citroen suppleness albeit without self levelling and height adjustability. It also does away with the complex hydropneumatic system. Here’ s to them getting back their mojo.
Allez Citroen!