Less than completely psyched about the launch of the new Citroen C3? Granted, the new compact hatchback may not be the most exciting vehicle ever to come from the quirky French automaker, but don't despair – we've got some more exciting news from the other end of the spectrum as reports surface that Citroen has approved a small run of its fantastical GTbyCitroen supercar for production.

You'll recall the GT as the design which Citroen unveiled together with the creators of the Gran Turismo video game franchise last year in Paris. The closest the concept was ever meant to get to reality was the single show car built and the digitized version which gamers would be able to play on PS3, but earlier this month, we reported that the French automaker was receiving enough interest on the car to consider putting it into very limited production.

As if to whet our appetites, Citroen took the concept on a drive around London last week, and has since confirmed that it will make the climb up the hill at Goodwood this month. But if you're looking for a closer approximation of life-imitating-art-imitating-life, a short run of GTs will reportedly see the light of day. Only six are said to be built, at a reported price of £1.1 million ($1.83 million USD). The jury's still out on what will power the mythical beast – gossip suggests an American V8 sourced from either General Motors or Ford and driving in excess of 500 horsepower through a sequential gearbox – but carbon-fiber construction and exotic interior are said to be part of the final package. We could see a production version at the upcoming Frankfurt show in September, so stay tuned.




[Source: Autocar]

The Citroen C3 is old enough in car years that it's getting a re-do before it undergoes a mid-life crisis. The new version is certainly a more mature design, receding hairline and all. Citroen has come up with its own euphemism for it, coining the phrase "Zenith Windscreen" to describe a large windshield that extends further up into the roof than normal to create a panoramic feel to the interior.

The new C3 is a smoother looking supermini than before, with slicker styling keeping it modern and slipping through the air with a Cd of .30. Inside the redone sheetmetal, the interior gets classed up and quieted down. Most notably, there's an integrated air freshener, presumably useful when you're using all 10.5 cubic feet of boot space to haul big dogs or foie gras party platters.

An HDi (Citroenese for "diesel") engine keeps CO2 emissions low, and new powerplants are in the pipeline for 2011. The new engines will use stop/start, the diesel versions of which will drop carbon dioxide emissions further, while gasoline-fueled C3s will also dip below the 100g/km of CO2 emissions level with a new three-cylinder engine. The C3's new duds don't come with the typical generational increase in weight, and the Chevron-emblazoned C-class car will motor onto the small car battlefield ready to earn more accolades with its latest generation. Follow the jump for Citroen's official press releas,e or browse over the C3's new design in the high-res gallery below.

Gallery: 2010 Citroen C3

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[Source: Citroen]

When most people think of sidecar motorcycles, visions of World War II-era BMWs likely spring to mind. For others, however, "sidecar" may be translated a bit more literally. Take François Knorreck of Italy. After some 10,000 hours of work over a ten-year period and at a cost of 15,000 euros, Knorreck created a unique sidecar motorcycle called the Snaefell – likely named after the tallest peak on the famed Isle of Man. Half the machine is based on the guts of a Laverda motorcycle, while the other half uses bits from a Volkswagen GTI, Audi 80 and a Citroen Xantia.

Equally as interesting is this mashup that combines what appears to be an older British motorcycle with a cut-down Citroen 2CV sidecar. It seems both machines are in fully working order with the older 2CV still sporting what we assume is an inoperative a steering wheel. Check them both out in the gallery below.



[Source: Bikes in the Fast Lane]

The crew from World Car Fans apparently have a mole within the Citroen dealer network who supplied them with a handful of images of the 2010 Citroen C3 before its official reveal at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September.

The leaked images show a significant redesign, including a thoroughly revised front fascia with more aggressive headlamps, sunken foglights and a larger air intake. The windshield has been extended further into the roof, creating a pseudo sunroof and eschewing any rumors about a panoramic glass top. New chrome trim surrounds the grille and across the hatch, while the revised rear end features new tail lamps and a more bulbous back side. If you're seeing a few shades of the recently revealed Citroen DS3 concept, you aren't mistaken, as this new C3 takes several cues from the compact concept that debuted in Geneva.

Speaking of the DS3, Autocar is reporting that development of the upcoming DS4 and DS5 is churning along, and both models will supposedly be high-riding crossovers influenced by the C-Sportlounge concept and Hypnos concept, along with a roofline eerily reminiscent of the BMW X6. The allure of coupe-like CUVs obviously isn't lost on the French, and we can expect one of the new crossover concepts to be revealed alongside the production CS3 in Frankfurt.

[Sources: WCF, Autocar]

The almost impossibly long and low GTbyCITROËN, which started life as a concept car for the wildly popular Gran Turismo gaming franchise (part of Polyphony Digital Inc. and Sony's Playstation empire), has made its first real-life foray through London in a recreation of the video game's street circuit.

Though originally designed as nothing more than a model to drum up interest in the quirky French automaker and the oft-delayed next installment of Gran Turismo, there has reportedly been so much interest in the GT that there is actually a very real chance that Citroen will put the supercar into limited production, possibly powered by a rumbling V8 engine from Detroit.

While this thinly-disguised photo opportunity passage through Piccadilly surely took place at a snail's pace, we can only hope the French supercar aqcuits itself well as it storms up the upcoming 1.16-mile Goodwood Hill as part of the Sunday Times Supercar Run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which starts on July 3. Click past the break for the press release and below for a high-res gallery.



[Source: Citroen]

When Citroen collaborated with the people behind Sony Playstation's hit Gran Turismo game franchise on the show-stopping – if clumsily named – GTbyCitroen for last year's Paris Motor Show, few thought it would see the light of day. That includes the French automaker itself, but as we reported back in March, demand has picked up enough to prompt Citroen to consider the GT's creation. The latest reports indicate that the Chevron-labeled automaker will have its answer ready, one way or another, within a month's time.

The indication of Citroen's deliberation reportedly comes straight from the mouth of the company's product guru Vincent Besson (think Bob Lutz with a beret and a dangling Gauloise). Apparently Citroen has received a number of prospective orders from potential buyers who'd like to see the supercar drive off their plasmas and into their garages. If the PSA subsidiary does indeed decide to built the GT, it will be in extremely limited numbers and at a price high enough to cover the costs -- 15 examples at a million euros apiece is where it's tipped to be at. Powertrain is another issue altogether, as the concept's conceptual hydrogen electric drivetrain would likely be replaced by a more conventional V8 sourced from Detroit. French style and American muscle? Sounds like a winning combination. We'll just have to wait four weeks to find out if it will come to fruition.




[Source: Autocar]

At the Geneva Motor Show in March, Citroen pushed its DS3 concept into a darkened corner with horrible lighting, making the actual vehicle extremely difficult to see and photograph. Apparently, the quirky French automaker wasn't quite ready to have the motoring public take a good look at its DS revival. That changes today as Citroen has released a bevy of images along with a video of its latest DS Inside concept vehicle, which is likely a thinly veiled demonstration of what's in store for the upcoming DS3 production model.

We can clearly see that Citroen is planning to make the DS3 a premium small car. Leather surfaces with unique textures and graining are the theme inside, and we think it's all highly purposeful and attractive. Unlike recent modern takes on classic vintage designs from Volkswagen, Mini and Fiat, the revived DS shares absolutely nothing in common with its forebear and namesake. Couldn't we at least get a cool single-spoke steering wheel to gaze at? See for yourself in our gallery below and in the video posted after the break.

This is surely one of the most original/bizarre/impressive/controversial hybrids we've seen in quite some time. In fact, it's likely to be so controversial as to single-handedly effect Franco-Italian relations. After all, how does one explain away the melding of one of Italy's favorite sons (F355) and a variant of France's iconic people's car, the 2CV fourgonnette?

In any case, while we're not sure as to the condition of the Fezza before it received its Tin Snail conversion, we're just going to hope that it was a write-off and enjoy the metalwork madness that has resulted. Far from a cut-n-shut operation, this conversion looks to have taken some serious craftsmanship and man hours, as aside from the basics (four wheels, an engine, headlamps, etc.), there isnt exactly a whole lot of commonality between the two vehicles.

Admittedly, our Italian is on the rusty side, but from what we can gather from the various websites linked below, this is also likely the costliest 2CV ever built, having apparently tallied 180,000 Euros to build (in excess of $250,000 USD). Why a Citroen? Our Italian is a bit shaky, but judging by the car's website, it appears to be some sort of amusement/promotional tool for the Nimik Rally Team, which runs (what else?) Citroen racers.

High-res gallery below, video of the build (complete with a howling Janis Joplin soundtrack) available after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Daniel!



[Sources: Nimik.it; TheAutoUnion.net | Images: SwissCarSightings]

Jean-Marc Gales, who has been running Citroën since leaving Mercedes-Benz in February, is aiming make Citroën Europe's third-largest brand. During a recent interview with an Italian newspaper, Gales stressed the importance of collaborating with other automakers and focusing on product, not just volume. "It's not important for us to produce 6 or 7 million cars to survive... We have another strategy, we believe in alliances, we cooperate with Ford and BMW on engines and gears, the most expensive parts to develop in a car," Gales said.

Even with the mentioned alliance with Fiat S.p.A. for commercial vehicles and vans, Gales is going to have his work cut out for him. Citroën is currently ranked seventh in European sales, behind sixth-ranked Peugeot. Far above both brands is Volkswagen, currently holding the spot on the top podium.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

Last week, French automaker PSA-Peugeot-Citroen announced the development of the world's first hybrid diesel powertrain. Called HYbrid4, the propulsion system is earmarked for initial implementation on the Peugeot 3008 crossover. But after that, its sister-company Citroen will use the system in an all-new vehicle: the DS5.

Following on the heels of the Citroen DS3 premium hatchback displayed at this year's Geneva Motor Show, the DS5 will be the second vehicle in the company's revived premium line. Styling, as this initial rendering suggests, should follow along the same line, but in a sleeker, more elongated form. But the real party trick will be under the hood, with the option of serial or parallel hybrid propulsion through the front, rear or all four wheels, all the while reducing complicated moving parts in the process. Sources suggest the use of the HYbrid4 system would add less than $3,000 to the car's list price, while returning significant improvement in fuel economy and emitting 35% less CO2 than even its particulate-filtering conventional counterparts. The Citroen DS5 could be on the road as early as 2011.

[Source: Auto Express]