Citroen

Geneva Motor Show 2010: Citroen Survolt bridges the divide

Of all the automakers in the world – and by the world, we mean the world outside the United States – Citroen’s design arguably runs the gamut more than any other’s. On the one hand, you’ve got cheap, compact and quirky hatchbacks like the comically named Revolte concept revealed in Frankfurt half a year back. On the other, you’ve got the GTbyCitroen, an extreme exotic supercar concept, now slated for limited production. In between lies a gorge as big as, well, France itself. But the chevron-emblazoned automaker has bridged the divide this year in Geneva with an intriguing concept called the Survolt.

Not digging the Revolte/GT comparo? Think Bugatti Veyron meets Chevy Volt, circa “Hackers”. Beneath the compact sportscar shape, splattered with more neon graphics than “Tron”, lies an all-electric powertrain. Citroen’s provided little in the way of details regarding the propulsion, but you can read more esoteric prose about the design in the press release after the jump. Better yet, check it out for yourself in the gallery of live shots from the Geneva show floor below, and the studio shots in the gallery below that.

First Drive: 2010 Citroen C3

With a windshield that’s w-a-y longer than its roof, Citroen‘s new C3 is sure to stand out among the hordes of small hatchbacks that crowd the streets of European cities. The 53-inch long piece of glass, officially dubbed Zenith, will be fitted to 50 percent of C3s built, estimates Citroen product development chief Thomas d’Haussy. This will be a lot of cars. The previous generation C3 sold a neat 2 million over its eight-year life.

Zenith, which will be standard in high-grade C3 models and a (Euro 400) option in most others, makes the new incarnation of Citroen’s best-seller a lighter and brighter experience. The huge expanse of glass, the rearmost foot of it progressively tinted, creates a forward view that feels more bubble-cabin helicopter than car.