As the weak, dappled autumn sunshine penetrated the large panoramic glass roof it brought a light and airy feel to the cabin, making it seem much larger than it actually was. In performance too, the C3 had a few more conjuring tricks up its sleeve. We are cruising the A13 autoroute between Paris and the French Atlantic coast at the speed limit of 130 km/h, with occasional bursts to 160 km/h to pass another of the Grands Camion (semi-trailers) which dominate French motorways and country roads.
But wait (alors!), we are driving the baby of the Citroen range in Australia. The fact the C3 cruises so effortlessly, and feels like a much bigger, dedicated Grand Touring car, confirms that it's a Grand Master of Illusion.
The C3 has consumed all our luggage with ease in its 300 litre boot. It has sped along the autoroutes, at a frugal 5.2 l/100km, covered more than 1650km in eight days, with the comfort and aplomb of one of its larger siblings, the C4 or C5. The new Citroen C3 arrives in Australia with excellent credentials to fill a number of roles for your automotive pleasure, and should not be judged on size alone. This is a car with a big personality, with performance and capacity to match.
It's no way a modern successor to the slab-sided and spartan, but nevertheless much-loved and famous Deaux Chevaux (2CV). However, the new C3 effectively marries innovative design with the practical attributes you expect in a contemporary hatchback. It is every bit a car for its time, as was the 2CV. In France, it has smaller siblings which probably have no place in the Australian market, and that’s a pity because they make good motoring sense. However, the new C3 is likely to be a very important element in building Citroen's renewed presence here. It should be, because at the moment with so much focus on economy of resources and operating expense the C3 is a common sense decision.
But, back to La Belle France. Today, the electronic signs on Paris’ Peripherique say traffic is 'Fluide' (flowing), but you could have fooled me. We pretty much moved from standstill to 50 km/h and back to a crawl all the way round from Porte De St. Ouen to Porte d’Auteil, before making an escape on to the A13. We then sped up to 130 km/h all the way to the exit for Vernon , heading for the village of Giverny to visit the house and gardens of one of France's most important Impressionist painters, Claude Monet. It seems that after decades of being ignored at home, Monet has suddenly been rediscovered and recognised for his impact on art. There is a huge Monet retrospective in Paris during our visit, which has seen some of his most famous works moved from their regular home at the Musee D'Orsay to the Grand Palais.
The Monet estate does not disappoint. Despite the October timeframe, the gardens still boast beautiful blooms, and the house where the artist created his sensational pieces is lovingly maintained. Back on the road, we are heading for the coastal town of St. Malo – a fortified landmark which is still a major commercial, fishing and tourist centre. The well-maintained old town boasts narrow, cobbled streets which the C3 takes in its stride. As the French live daily with such surfaces, it should be no surprise that Citroen engineers can create a suspension design which copes equally well with these bumpy streets as well as twisting back roads and motorways.
Exiting the Autoroute, we sweep through countryside which is preparing for its autumn role. The C3 responds well to the undulating, and curvy B roads, with its precise electrically-variable rack and pinion steering and capable suspension. We have always regarded French auto engineers as equally competent as their British counterparts in formulating suspension design and calibration which provides excellent secondary ride characteristics, and despite its small wheelbase, the new C3 delivers on this trait. After a 425km run from the French capital we arrive in St. Malo fresh and comfortable, and eager to sample the excellent seafood-based cuisine of the coastal city. We are not disappointed with any aspect of the visit – St.Malo is well-preserved without looking like a contrived museum piece, and its narrow streets contain shops and restaurants which probably demand a longer visit.
However, we are now about to change scene and head for the home of one of the most famous car races in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Just 399 km south west, we arrive in the Loire Valley and sample of a couple of laps of the famous endurance racetrack, which, every June, uses regular roads to host sportscars travelling at 200 mph-plus!, This is not our overnight stop however, as we drive just an hour further east to the regional centre of Blois, a beautiful city nestled on the banks of the wide, and fast-flowing Loire River. We are here to visit another famous French landmark, the chateau at Chambord.
Zipping through a series of quaint villages, we park up outside Chambord, the little C3 dwarfed by the huge chateau. Now, understand this, it was conceived as merely a hunting lodge for King Francis 1st, in 1519. It took so long to finish (around 1685) that by his death in 1547 only one wing had been completed, and he only used it a total of 72 days, in those 28 years. Ah, it’s good to be the King!
From Blois, we tackle the brand new A19, heading east via Troyes, into Champagne country. At 10am on a Monday morning there is virtually no traffic on the smoothly-surfaced A19 so we are able to see that the C3 can comfortably cruise well above the legal limit, loping along at over 160 km/h and still only drinking at a rate of 6.0 l/100km! At Troyes we turn north for an hour or so on the A26, and arrive on the outskirts of Reims, the biggest city in the area. The actual Champagne region is quite small covering only about 40,000 hectares, 160km east of Paris. We are here to do two things, taste Champagne and seek out the remnants of the old motor racing track at Gueux.
We start by following the ‘Route Touristique du Champagne’, and as we tour along the D26 we arrive in the tiny village of Mailly-Champagne, home to one of France’s least known, but highly regarded champagne houses, the Mailly Grand Cru Estate. Grand Cru is the title of the very finest champagne, and at Mailly Grand Cru they blend wines from 17 surrounding villages, covering only 70 hectares to create exclusively Grand Cru champagne..
It’s a relatively new establishment compared to the more famous names like Taitinger, Moet & Chandon etc. Formed in 1929, Mailly Grand Cru now produces over 500,000 bottles annually. The taste? Well, we purchased L’Intemperelle 2005 Vintage for a very reasonable 50 Euros (AUD$68) a bottle and the taste was sublime.
Next, after a lunch of French bread, cheese and mineral water we drove 25 km from Mailly-Champagne to the prosperous-looking village of Gueux. Today, it’s the residential village for executives, bankers, lawyers and toffs who work in Reims. Back in 1926 the first race was held on a circuit created on public roads between the villages of Thillois and Gueux. It was a triangular course, devastatingly fast, and it hosted 14 French Grands Prix. Alas, racing ended there in 1972, and the few remaining old buildings, and the spirit, is kept alive by Les Amis du Circuit de Gueux, a group of enthusiasts who work to preserve the racing heritage.
As all the roads used for the circuit have been returned to public use, and some even re-routed from the original locations, all there is to see is the old grandstand, the pits and the timing and control tower. Fading paint, and the ghostly skeletons of the buildings suggest a grand past, but it was fun to drive around the remnants of the track and pose for photos. To continue our review we must say that the C3 coped very, very well in this touring mode. The new cabin is not only light, airy and roomy, but benefits from excellent materials, fit and finish, and loads of storage areas. Citroen has invested fantastic interior design values in this smart little car.
Of course, the most striking feature is the front windscreen which doubles as the sunroof! It sweeps up and over the front seat occupants, and the breadth of vision is awesome. There is a sliding cover with integrated sunvisors if things get too bright, and the clever design boasts that the cabin gets light, but no heat buildup. Although, it might be best to test this during summer Down Under. The seats are very comfortable, and it’s great for four adults. The Hi-Fi system is outstanding in this class, and our car, the HDi 90 Comfort offered electric windows, air conditioning and an on-board navigation system.
However, it has to be said that this Navteq-based GPS system was hopeless, and the least inspiring element of an otherwise great car. Citroen should have gone with Navigon, or even Tom-Tom, as the Navteq system is so useless, we were unable to enter the Paris address of the Citroen head office in the 17th arrondissement! The 1.6 litre common rail diesel produces 66kW @ 4000rpm, and a staggering 210Nm of torque at 2000rpm. As stated, it’s frugal. Citroen says this 5-speed manual will return 4.3 l/100km on the combined cycle (5.3 City/3.1 Country), and after speeding around France, and getting 5.2 l/100km, we believe them!
At the risk of gushing, the new C3 is an outstanding car and there are so many good reasons to pause before buying a bigger car, and considering this dashing French charmer. If you recognize and accept its obvious limitations in overall size, the new C3 rewards with terrific performance, impressive operating economy, roomy and innovative cabin design, and a great personality.
Vive la Citroen! |
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