Citroen to launch India-bound C5 Aircross SUV Hybrid in Europe

Citroen will launch its plug-in hybrid C5 Aircross SUV at the upcoming Brussels Motor Show. The French automaker confirmed the news before the event kicks off on January 10.

The Citroen C5 Aircross SUV Hybrid will be powered by 1.6-litre petrol engine that is paired with an 80kW electric motor. Together they are capable to produce a maximum power of 222bhp and a maximum torque of 320Nm. The C5 Aircross SUV will come with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The electric mode comes with about 50 km range (WLTP cycle).

With the launch of the C5 Aircross SUV Hybrid, Citroen hopes to take the first step towards its target of fully electric fleet in the next five years. Starting withC5 Aircross SUV Hybrid, all the new models launched by the Brand will feature an electrified version.

Set to kick off India journey next year, European auto major Groupe PSA is initially targeting ten cities for Citroen brand through smaller, yet highly digitised showrooms, with an aim to help its dealers to invest judiciously on premises, as per a senior company official.

The company, which formally announced to enter the Indian market with Citroen brand early this year, is looking to create a seamless digital experience for prospective customers of its first model -- C5 Aircross SUV.

"Through our network, we aim to bring in a digital disruption for a seamless customer experience," Citroen India Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing Roland Bouchara told PTI.

"To support the launch of the C5 Aircross SUV, a premium C-SUV which will help us establish and deliver the Citroen brand experience, we will initially cover ten cities through Citroen network," he said.

This will include all the key metro and tier-1 cities where the brand sees potential buyers for the C5 Aircross SUV, he added.