New C3 debuting at Geneva; two PureTech 3-cylinder gasoline engines
22 February 2013
The new Citroën C3, set for launch in April 2013, will make its debut at the Geneva motor show. Citroën has sold nearly 3 million units of the C3 since 2002. Among a range of more efficient engines with CO2 emissions as low as 87 g/km, the new C3 will also offer the new PureTech gasoline engines (earlier post) bringing 15% more power and a 25% cut in fuel consumption.
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| The new C3. Click to enlarge. |
The 3-cylinder PureTech engines are in 1 or 1.2 liter capacity. Some 52 patents were filed in the development of the new engine generation in order to bring down weight and bulk, optimize combustion and reduce friction. The VTi 68 and VTi 82 offer fuel consumption of between 4.3 and 4.5 l/100 km (54.7 mpg US and 52.3 mpg US), and CO2 emissions between 99 and 104 g/km.
The VTi 120 engine, available with a manual or automatic gearbox, rounds out the gasoline engine offerings.
The new Citroën C3 is also available with five diesel engines, the HDi 70, e-HDi 70, HDi 90, e- HDi 90 and e-HDi 115. The three powerplants with micro-hybrid e-HDi technology offer the most efficient Stop&Start system on the market, according to Citroën.
More power with less fuel consumption and less emissions used to be called 'the impossible' by most car manufacturers, not so long ago.
CAFE's standards will have to be applied much sooner to stay meaningful?
It seems obvious that we have been had for many decades and that 35+ mpg can be done now, not in 12 years time?
Very soon, the same will happen with batteries, i.e more energy storage with less weight and less cost. The 5/5/5 goals may be reached sooner than expected.
Posted by: HarveyD | 22 February 2013 at 12:44 PM
This shows the "benefits" of the EU's low CO2 limits and expensive fuels (>$8 / US gal) in Europe.
We end up with very economical cars.
This is a small, non-hybrid as the market could not afford full hybrids at this price point.
IMO, you need both the government mandate as well as expensive fuel to really drive up efficiency.
The thing that held back progress during the 90's and early 00's was the low cost of oil. Once this looked like staying above $80, people took notice.
Posted by: mahonj | 22 February 2013 at 03:46 PM
I wish we could have more comments about the tech mentioned in a particular article instead of rehashed generalized comments on CAFE, fuel taxes, ect.
Posted by: CaptainA | 23 February 2013 at 07:45 AM
We should use a few minutes of our valuable time to realize how we have been had for many decades. If we don't, we will continue to be taken for a ride and drive gas guzzlers and eat junk foods for another century or more.
We should realize that we are 66+% over weight and/or obese (and rising) and so are our vehicles.
We do not have to weight 200++ lbs and drive over 2000 lbs vehicles like the industrial food industries and the Big 3 have been telling us for 100+ years.
We have a major attitude problem to fix.
Once we have fixed our attitude problems, we will not only accept but will look forward to be more selective of what we eat and drive.
Posted by: HarveyD | 23 February 2013 at 10:19 AM
The attitude adjustment is needed by the person that sounds like they were abused by a large person driving a large vehicle.
Posted by: SJC | 23 February 2013 at 12:13 PM
Now we're even further off topic, talking about obesity.
Posted by: CaptainA | 23 February 2013 at 02:00 PM
CaptainA...large, heavy boats on wheels and obesity may be more closely related than we think. Where people are not as fat/big, they seem to drive smaller vehicles.
The C-3 is a smaller, higher performance vehicle probably better suited for normal size people, i.e. for no more than 40% of North Americans (north of the Mexico/USA border).
Green coffee beams extracts integrated into junk food and sweet drinks may be a way to reduce children obesity and promote the use of smaller cars.
Posted by: HarveyD | 24 February 2013 at 07:56 PM