Citroen C3 SUV to make global debut today

French auto giant Citroen is all set to take the covers off its ‘Made in India for Indian’ SUV today. The global debut of the SUV, codenamed CC21 and is likely to be called C3 when launched, will take place for the Indian markets and the South American markets.

Citroen had earlier teased the unveiling of the SUV this week, showcasing some of the highlights of the car. The teaser image showed the typical Citroen logo perched on the lid of the bonnet which appears similar in design to the C5 Aircross SUV earlier launched last year in India. The silhouette image of the SUV also showcased the LED headlight and DRL units which appear futuristic and slightly different from the ones seen on the French auto giant's first offering in India.

Citroen C3 is going to be a technical cousin of the upcoming Tata Punch micro SUV. Citroen will use the Common Modular Platform (CMP). The reason why Citroen chose the platform was to keep the cost of the SUV down by as much as possible and make it more affordable for markets like India or South America where SUVs under the four-metre category have been quite a favourite of late with customers.

Citroen C3 could well be the first car to hit Indian roads with a flex-fuel engine which is compatible with ethanol-based petrol. Reports claim that Citroen is going to fit the C3 SUV with flex-fuel engine with a capacity of 1.2-litre with turbocharge, which is likely to be mated to either a 5-speed manual or automatic gearbox. The engine is capable of churning out maximum power of 130 bhp. The SUV may also get the option of a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine as well, though it may be reserved for the South American markets only.

Citroen C3 will be the French auto giant's second offering in India after the C5 Aircross SUV. The 2021 Citroen C3 SUV is likely to take on rivals in the subcompact SUV category, like Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, Mahindra XUV300 among others.