Peugeot may be the star of Stellantis’ Malaysia Autoshow stand, but those who venture towards the back of the booth will also be treated to a few left-field offerings from Citroën. But hang on, didn’t this quintessential French brand sell its last car here at the end of 2020?
Yes, but haven’t you heard? Stellantis Malaysia is poised to bring Citroën back to our shores as a “mainstream” brand (think of it as a rival to Toyota and Honda), and its presence here is a look at things to come. To that end, the company is showcasing two cars, namely the C3 Aircross and Ami Buggy.
Citroën C3 Aircross
The C3 Aircross is a world away from the Euro-centric little tyke that was previously sold here. It’s now grown into a seven-seater SUV very much in the vein of the Perodua Aruz and the dearly-departed Honda BR-V. It’s built on the Smart Car Platform and has been designed with the Southeast Asian market in mind, made in India.
Measuring 4,323 mm long, 1,796 mm wide and 1,669 mm tall, the C3 Aircross is quite a bit smaller than the Aruz (4,435 mm long) and especially the BR-V (the new second-generation model is 4,490 mm long), and it has the shortest wheelbase of all at 2,671 mm. It is wider than all of them, however, which should free up some shoulder room, especially at the back.
Power comes from the 1.2 litre PureTech turbocharged three-cylinder engine last seen in the Peugeot 208, producing 110 PS at 5,500 rpm and 205 Nm of torque at 1,750 rpm. Drive is sent to the front wheels through a choice of either six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes, the latter obviously being a shoo-in for our market.
The C3 Aircross’ distinctive design features split headlights with X-shaped daytime running lights, chunky wheel arch flares, scalloped fender surfacing, C-shaped taillights and thick body-coloured C-pillars split by a black band; this defines the border of the optional two-tone colour scheme. Unlike the recently-introduced European model, this car still doesn’t get the new Citroën badge with the oval border.
The car you see here is locked and heavily tinted, so we can’t show you the interior. However, you can expect to find a seven-inch digital instrument display, a ten-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a cool interlocking design for the air vents.
Unfortunately, the C3 Aircross only comes with two airbags and no driver assistance systems whatsoever (not even autonomous emergency braking). We can imagine Stellantis will have to do some significant reengineering to add these much-requested features – including six airbags at the minimum – for our market.
Citroën My Ami Buggy Concept
The other car being shown is a real oddball. This is the Ami Buggy, an off-road version of the Ami electric quadricycle. Specifically, it’s the My Ami Buggy concept shown in late 2021, coming with knobbly ATV-style tyres (wrapped over tiny ten-inch wheels), skid plates, wheel arch extensions and a bull bar at the front.
Other concept-specific touches include head- and taillight guards, a “visor” over the front windscreen, a roof rack with a front light bar and a spare wheel, and a complete lack of any doors. In place of the latter are tubular “protectors” that house deployable transparent rain guards for inclement weather. No, this is not road-legal in the slightest. The car is finished in matte black with a retina-searing yellow interior.
All these cutesy beach buggy design cues go on top of an already cuddly package – the Ami is a tiny city runabout that measures just 2,400 mm long, 1,390 mm wide and 1,520 mm tall, making it an absolute cinch to park. It’s slightly longer and quite a bit wider than the Renault Twizy that was once sold here. That “car” (if you could call it that) sat two occupants in tandem; the Citroën can just about fit two people side-by-side.
Those two people will have a hard time getting anywhere quickly, because the Ami draws just 8 PS (6 kW, or half that of a Twizy) from its single motor, giving it a top speed of only 45 km/h. A tiny 5.5 kWh battery provides a range of 70 km, with a full charge taking three hours from a 220-volt domestic socket.
Of course, the Ami isn’t a real consideration for the Malaysian market, owing to its lack of power, top speed, a right-hand-drive version (yes, even in the UK) and any safety features whatsoever (even the Twizy had a driver airbag for crying out loud). But are you excited to see the Citroën brand back in Malaysia? Sound off in the comments after the jump.
GALLERY: Citroën C3 Aircross at Malaysia Autoshow 2024
GALLERY: Citroën My Ami Buggy Concept at Malaysia Autoshow 2024
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So they’re selling Indian Citroens, and not the Euro Citroens. Good luck
Maybe these Citroën are built to Indian specs and would not qualify to be sold in Malaysia
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French brand car and made in India? Good luck confirm no resale value as dato wira sam loo says
I owning Citroen all my life start with Pallas in 70s until now still drive citroen.good car can be destroyed by ordinary mechanic so find someone knowledgeable because every new model is new technology not
carry forward from old model.