12th October 1998

UNIQUE PEOPLE MOVER COULD COME TO AUSTRALIA

The Citroën Xsara Picasso, an innovative people mover based on the Citroën Xsara launched in Australia earlier this year, could be destined for Australia, providing a new form of transport for Australian families.

"We are examining the Xsara Picasso with great interest because it is ideally suited to the Australian lifestyle in the 21st century," says Miles Williams, General Manager for Citroën in Australia. "On the one hand it offers an extraordinary amount of interior space, with room for five full size and separate adult seats and a maximum interior load length of an astonishing 2.4 metres, enabling it to offer plenty of space for our lifestyle. On the other hand, with an overall length of just 4.2 metres and a 1.7 metre width, its compact dimensions make it ideal for our increasingly congested roads."

Launched at the 1998 Paris International Motor Show (October 1998), the Citroen Xsara Picasso joins the hatchback, coupe and wagon variants of the Citroën small car range. Defined as a 'monospace' design, the steeply raked bonnet line flows into the windscreen, roof and rear pillar lines, giving the maximum amount of passenger space within the overall length, in a single, or mono, design with no separate bonnet, boot and passenger cabin.

Interior space is further enhanced by a compact drivetrain, with the engines - 66 and 82 kW petrol and 69 kW diesel - driving the front wheels and compact suspension taking up the minimum of space.

Inside, the Citroën Xsara Picasso is designed to be user friendly and spacious. The seats, front and rear, are designed for full size adults.

Spacious door pockets are fitted to all four doors and all of which can hold the largest size 1.5 litre bottle and A4 sized documents and there are rear power points for computers, games and fridges, remote controls for the radio and the ability for passengers to move between the front and rear of the vehicle without stepping outside, while under the rear floor are two security storage areas, each of nine litres capacity and there are drawers under the seats, able to hold maps and guidebooks.

Remarkably in such a small vehicle, from the outside at least, the passengers do not use all the available interior space. Even with all five seats occupied, the boot can still accept more than half a cubic metre, or 570 litres, of goods. With seats removed - they can be folded as well - the interior becomes a vast empty space, able to take large loads, with a maximum length of 2.4 metres and an interior width of more than 1.1 metres.

As would be expected from a company with Citroën's reputation for fine handling, roadholding and safety, the Xsara Picasso is exemplary in all areas, with front wheel drive, fully independent suspension, ABS anti-lock equipped brakes, twin front and side air bags, alarm equipped immobiliser, full height side impact protection and three point seat belts on all seats all standard.

"The Citroën Xsara Picasso demonstrates, once again, the design and technology development skills which have endowed Citroën with a unique place in automotive history," says Miles Williams. "It is the sort of car that many Australians, we believe, would welcome as their 21st century transport."

For further information please
e-Mail Miles Williams - General Manager on
mailto:100250.3324@compuserve.com

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12/10/1998

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