CITROEN UNVEILS THE
21ST CENTURY LUXURY CAR

Citroen has revealed at the 1999 Geneva International Motor Show its plans for an all-new luxury car for the next millennium with the unveiling of the Citroen C6 Lignage, a concept car that sets new standards for style, comfort and technology.

With the C6 Lignage, Citroen has set out to re-define the luxury car using the benchmarks of technology and innovation that has seen it produce a series of cars, from the Traction Avant to the Xsara Picasso that have changed the whole car market. It takes its name from one of the most successful large Citroen's of all time, the C6 that dominated its market sector between 1928 and 1933.

The Citroen C6's fluid lines are the company's latest interpretation of aerodynamic styling, an area Citroen pioneered with the Citroen DS, while the long front overhang and short tail have been styling features of a number of large Citroens. The generous three-metre wheelbase provides an extremely spacious interior for the four occupants who are provided with four individual seats. Each of the three passengers has their own consoles and multimedia systems, with the entire interior trimmed in the finest leathers.

Powered by a choice of direct injection diesel or petrol engines, the C6 Lignage uses a sequentially controlled auto-adaptive gearbox that uses both driver and road condition inputs to produce the ideal gearbox operational pattern.

The Global Chassis Control system takes Citroen's famed hydropenumatic suspension system to a new and unique level. Following on from the system used in the Citroen Xantia Activa, which actively controls the suspension to stop body roll as well as pitching under braking and acceleration, the new system integrates engine, gearbox, suspension and steering into one harmonious computer controlled, hydraulically powered system.

By adding artificial intelligence, the GCC system enables the Citroen C6 Lignage to learn about road and weather conditions, the driving environment, the needs and skills of the driver and, from this information, produce the ideal suspension, engine and gearbox programme for safety, comfort and driving pleasure.

As well as all the usual driver features, the Citroen C6 boasts a full head up instrument display. This projects all the essential driving information onto the lower edge of the windscreen so that the driver does not have to take his eyes off the road to check the instruments. So that the driver may keep his hands on the steering wheel, the majority of controls are voice activated.

Of course the C6 has a GPS Navigation system, but it takes this technology to the next level. Rather than passive guidance, the C6 Lignage gathers information on road conditions and weather from radio stations and uses this data to guide the driver round traffic jams and road hazards, even providing public transport information if all the roads to a chosen destination are blocked!

Smart cruise control adapts to the speed of other vehicles. For example if the C6 Lignage's cruise control is set to 110 kmh on the freeway and it catches up another vehicle, it slows automatically to a safe distance from the other vehicle and waits for it to pull over. Once the road is clear, it automatically resumes the 110 kmh cruise speed.

In addition to the normal headlights, the C6 Lignage boasts another pioneering Citroen design: Headlights that not only automatically adjust their height to the optimum level, but which also swivel from left to right as the car turns corners, looking around the corners.

The C6 also goes one step further: Infrared vision enables the driver to look far beyond the range of conventional headlights for hidden road hazards, adding a new safety dimension.

Fully automated systems constantly monitor the driver for alertness and signs of fatigue, providing warnings that the driver should stop and rest and, in the ultimate situation alarms to wake the driver up should he fall asleep.

Seats that mould themselves to each driver's shape Citroen has always been renowned for the comfort of its seats, offering a wide range of positions and support in all the right places to maximise comfort and safety and minimise fatigue. The C6 Lignage, though, goes to a new level. Take a seat in the C6 and the seat automatically moulds itself to the shape of the person sitting in it. Beyond this it also measures the different weights placed in the seat by different parts of the body and adjusts the amount of support for comfort and safety.

A hard day in the office? The seats in C6 offer a full massage by both vibration and infrared means on the way home, reducing stress and fatigue.

Although it is a concept car, Citroen have said that the C6 Lignage is a clear indication of its production plans for a new luxury car.

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

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12/3/99

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