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Archive for the 'Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile' Category

206 to get face lift, to look like 207, and a sedan?

The Peugeot 206 is a popular small car in the Peoples Republic of China, despite it being an ‘older’ car that has since been improved in Europe in the guise of the newer 207 model, the 206 continues to sell well in China.

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The Chinese 206 is to be given a facelift to look more like the 207, but not actually become the 207. Let us explain further: The Brazillian automobile market also received the 206, but in May 2008, Peugeot Brazil decided to bring the 206’s design inline with the European 207. This was mainly a re-engineered front end, slight upgrades to the dash and alterations to the suspension design. The Chinese 206 already has a 3cm higher ride height than the previous European 206, so we are unsure if there will be a change to the forthcoming Chinese 206/7.

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Rumors are also afloat that Dongfeng Peugeot 206 will introduce a 206 sedan to compete with the recently introduced Mazda 2 sedan which is selling very well. The 206 sedan is already on sale in Iran

Citroen C1 to be China made, priced 60 to 80,000rmb

The Citroen C1 is quite possibly the coolest super mini to ever come into China, in fact, it might actually be the only super mini from a foreign contender that has dared to go into the 60,000rmb and up price bracket, unless of course you count the Chevrolet Spark.

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The Citroen C1 is to be made via the Citroen-Dongfeng joint venture partnership, and should be on the market by September 08. The C1 will be equipped with front airbags, MP3 player connections, and ABS, priced at 60,000rmb and rising for the 1.0l model, its a car we could love for the city center.

Of course, this makes us wonder - If the C1 is coming to China, then surely the Peugeot equivlant cant be far behind? Not that we care, the models from Citroen China are far better looking than those from Peugeot.

Citroen C5, hatchback Elysee both to made in China next year

The beautiful Citroen C5 will be produced in China from 2009 onwards, alongside a recently announced but yet to be developed Elysee hatchback.

The Citroen C4 was announced in China several days ago, and will officially hit the market in September priced from 140,000rmb and rising. The C4 was given the name Citroen C-Quatre for the Chinese name, or in Chinese: 世嘉, lit ‘world winner’

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The C-Quatre will be powered by either a choice of 1.6 or a 2.0l engine, paired with VVT technology.  Dealers will begin accepting deposits on the C4 in August, and the C4 will be available for pick up from Sept 08 onwards.

Citroen China News - Death to the ZX, rise of the C4

Citroen have a very nice line up in China, that appears to be bringing out new models all the time. The Citroen ZX is finally going out of production in China, but will replaced by the recently updated, China only, Citroen Elysee hatchback. The ZX has run its course in Europe, and will finally be laid to rest ten years after it was last produced in Europe, the ZX has proven popular since it was introduced into China.

Another new model that Dongfeng Citroen will introduce is the C4. Despite being popular in Europe, Citroen have not yet launched it into China leaving them with a large market gap. Currently Citroen have nothing in their range to go up against the ever popular Mazda 3, or the Ford Focus. Citroen hope that introducing the C4 into China, they will be able to enter new market segments and improve sales in each of their segments.

Citroen currently makes the Xsara Picasso MPV, theTriumphe (worlds strongest car?) the Elysee, and the Citroen C2.

The Citroen C2 is not the same model that was launched in the EU marketplace, instead the Chinese C2 is a facelifted Peugeot 206 which actually looks a lot better than the Peugeot 206. The Citroen C2 is due to be updated for 2008/9, thus the current C2 has had a price cut of 13,000rmb.

Citroen C-Triomphe - Worlds strongest car?

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The below Citroen C-Triomphe was crushed by a landslide in the recent earthquake in Sichuan, but despite its roof collpasing the car was able to drive normally according to recent press reports.

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On day of Anti Carrefour protests across China, Citroen announces C4/C5 to be made in PRC

We like the French, especially Citroen. Citroen has that excellent knack of announcing something at just the right time, last time it was the Spanish Chairman Mao advert that made many Chinese angry, the very next day Citroen announced the C4 was to be made in China.

Yesterday, Citroen announced that that mid level Citroen C5 would go into production in 2009, and the C4 would see PRC production in 2008.

c-triomphe.jpgChina Car Times does prefer the Citroen line up to the Peugeot line up! The 207 and the 307 have that squashed frog look about them, where as the Citroen line up looks rather sophisticated, even the latest incarnation of the ZX, with its updated grill and odd metallic paint job looks pretty good. Citroen China also has the C-Triumphe C-Triomphe (left), a notchback sedan based on the Citroen C4, which is a very nice car for its class.

New Elysee - nearly fit for 2008

The face lift awarded to the Citroen Elyesee makes it look almost worth while in 2008.

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The Eylsee is one of the first models that was designed and sold by PSA-Dongfeng specifically for the Chinese market place. The latest incarnation of the Elysee will start at 70,980rmb for the base model. The previous gen Elysee has proven popular thanks to its good quality, and relative trouble free quality. The Elysee falls into the same class of car as the VW Jetta - both are old cars relying on their ultra rock solid reliability and low price tags to win over customers. The makeover for the Elysee makes it look modern, and reasonbly fashionable when compared to other cars already on the market today.

A new and updated Citroen Elysee

The Citroen Elysee is a China only car made via the Dongfeng Citroen tie up, its been on the market for a few years now, and Citroen feel that the well selling sedan is due for a make over to bring it in line with the 2008 Citroen line up.

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The fact that this much older sedan still sells very well, shows that at least some Chinese customers prefer the old to the new. The Elysee engine is the same as whats sold in the Citroen ZX (also still available in China), and is a very popular car which is easy to fix due to a plentiful supply of cheap parts.

LOL of the day, Citroen announces Citroen C4 to be made in China

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Hot on the tail of yesterdays news, Citroen have announced that the Citroen C4 saloon, and coupe models will be made in China later this year. Citroen could have timed their announcement a little better, especially as their Spanish C4 advertisement angered a fair number of Chinese (and potential customers) yesterday.

The Chinese made Citroen C4 will cost 110 to 160,000rmb when it is launched in China.

The car will be made via the Dongfeng Citroen Joint Venture which manufactures and sells the Citroen ZX, Elysee (ZX replacement saloon) C2 (Based on Peugeot 206), Triumphe saloon, and the Picasso models in China.

China Car Times cant help but feel this car will be a hit in China thanks to its funky styling and relatively low price. China Car Times does feel sorry for the people who bought an imported Citroen C4 last year, depending on spec bought, they paid between 210,000rmb and 240,000rmb.

Citroen offends the Chinese People!

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Citroen might have to turn down their sales forecasts for 2008 sales in China, it seems they’ve just earned the anger of the Chinese people with their new car advert in Spain. The above advert was featured in a full page spread in the Spanish newspaper, El Pais. The advert clearly shows Chairman Mao pulling a wry face at the little Citroen hatchback, the text underneath says

“It’s true, we are leaders, but at Citroen the revolution never stops,”

The response to the advert from Chinese residents in Spain was quite strong, and it quickly spread across the internet to China, where Chinese anger was vented quite openly on various websites, BBS forums and blogs.

Citroen apologised via a letter to The Global Times saying:

Citroen expresses regret for any displeasure caused by the advertisement and apologizes to all who have been hurt by it

Citroen later apologised again via the Citroen-China office to Reuters:

Citroen reiterates its friendship with the Chinese people, and highly respects China’s representative figures and symbols,

Although Chairman Mao has long since departed Beijing, he still retains a lot of popularity with young and old Chinese alike, it is no wonder that there was such an uproar, perhaps the Citroen advertisement team would like to think harder the next time it decides to use a former, or current head of state for an advertisement!




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