Citroen C2 test drive since 2003 hatchback

Vitamin C

The Citroen plant in the town of Olne, which near Paris, is already riveting the cars of the new C2 model with might and main. In the amount of 825 pieces per day. 190 thousand cars could be obtained per year (825x365 \u003d 301.125), but, firstly, no more on market calculations are required, and secondly, the Frenchmen, like us, are not offended by weekends and holidays. .


Citroen has long appreciated the charms of unification: the entire passenger model range is based on three platforms, and the developers are ordered to use on cars of the same platform up to 60% of the same details, this greatly facilitates the reconfiguration of the conveyor from the model to the model. The French invested 129 million euros in the production of C2, created on platform 1, total with C3 and C3 Pluriel, and the development of the machine cost 193 million euros. Thus, it took 322 million euros a lot or little?


Relatively little. Typically, the creation of a completely new model from design development to the conveyor is much more impressive from $ 500 million to $ 2 billion (and the left boundary of the range belongs to the most simple cars, for example, the baby Daewoo Matiz ‹costs almost exactly $ 500 million). The fact is that C2 can be considered a completely new model only in the ‹product› sense. And in the production of the mentioned 60 percent unification of the details of the chassis and power units C2 and C3 plus almost complete unification of technological (90% of assembly operations). This is a recipe for saving in French. Naturally, the consumer has the right to hope that the decrease in the company's company costs will be accompanied by a decrease in the costs of its maintenance and repair, otherwise, which he, the consumer, is the use of all this economy ...


So, we meet Citroen C2. What is nice, the French do not confuse unification with cloning. With this approach to production, in general, it could be expected that C2 would turn out to be a reduced copy of its contameners (precedents in the world automobile industry will not poke a finger), there is no, this is a car with our own face. Compare it with C3 there are some spheres and hemispheres as form -forming elements. And here the stylistics is a completely different combination of roundness with fractures. Pay attention to the different angles of inclination of the lower lines of the lateral windows and on a sharply broken stern, because it turned out, and it looks stylish.


The car is small (the wheelbase C2 is 15 cm less than that of C3, and the length and height, respectively, by 30 cm and 6 cm) ‹Koroshka› It is oriented primarily on everyday winding along the streets clogged with transport. The machine is quite brisk, parking and lubricated with a length of 3.66 m and a diameter of a turn of 9.6 m (on 14-inch wheels), it fits well into the city crowded.


The rear door is very competently made of two sections, the upper rising and lower folding. ‹Departure› such a door outside when opening is significantly smaller than that of the door of the classic hatchback (this is very important when the cars park the bumper to the bumper), and you do not need to open the entire freight ›if you need to throw some little things into the trunk enough Raise the upper section. And the lower one in a folded position can, among other things, serve as a picnic table and even a bench (holds a load up to 100 kg); In addition, a closing microbagger with a volume of 5 liters with ‹Independent› Access is raised in it is also integrated into it or not, it does not matter. Comfortable.


The trunk is very small only 166 liters. But the internal transformation system is made by the mind by manipulating with separate rear seats that go back and forth and fold quite compactly, the trunk can be inflated to 879 liters. It is acceptable for the city.


And what about us with the living ›conditions? Everything is fine in front. On the driver’s (and hence, in the front passenger), the seat can quite comfortably accommodate a person of any growth and almost any complexion (Sumo’s professionals and Sumo fighters, just in case, from the List of Residents ›Exclude). But the level of comfort of the rear passengers is highly dependent on both their own growth and the growth of the front ones. Following the bad habit of measuring everything on my own, I conducted a simple study. First, sat in front and set up the seat so that it was convenient for me. Then he moved back, sat down behind himself ›and did not feel discomfort. The knees in the ‹Front me› do not rest, and this is the main thing. The sprout in me is 1 m 76 cm. In general, for four such as me (in C2 there are four regular places, and not five, like most hatchbacks), the car is quite suitable. More tall, I advise you to try on it individually.


What I did not like in the C2 cabin is a low ceiling above the rear seats. Everything is fine in front, you can not even remove the hat, but the falling roof is made of itself in the back. When you sit collapsing, nothing yet, but you just have to take a pose more turning away, as the ceiling lies on the theme. This is unpleasant, especially if you take into account the bumpiness of our roads. There will be nowhere to bounce ...


In this regard, I asked a question to the representatives of the company: will there be something higher on the basis of C2? After all, now it was fashionable for Corsa to make a compact wan Meriva, and Fiat based on Punto built IDEA compact van again. Why don't Citroen concoct something like that?


No, they answered me, there will be no CDs on the basis of C2. As there will be no C2-five-five. Want to take Berlingo higher. If you want to take a hatchback-five (by the way, it is also higher). Well, no, no. Someone considers the compact van one of the most promising body types (it is small ‹› Based on a little hatch not to be confused with mini-van) and someone does not think so. The buyer will judge them ...


The driver’s place in C2 is organized well. With ergonomics, complete order, everything is at hand, there is no need to reach anywhere. It is pleasant that the steering column is adjusted both by inclination and by departure so far this is not found on all small classes. I did not notice objective shortcomings, and from myself I can personally attribute only a digital indication on the speedometer to the disadvantages. I do not like it when a large luminous digir looms before my eyes, and even constantly changes for me, the traditional ‹an alarm clock›. But here, I repeat, who likes what.


On the test drive near Moscow, organized by the Russian representative office of Citroen, I skated two versions of C2, designed for our market 1.4i and claiming some sports of 1.6i 16V VTR. Both gasoline; There is also diesel in the model range, but they will not supply it to us.


In the first case, sled impressions, let's say, are neutral. The version is equipped with a 1.4-liter engine that issues 75 hp. Power at 5400 vol./min., And 118 Nm of torque at 3300 rpm. and ordinary 5-speed ‹mechanics›. A normal car, I did not notice anything worthy of special attention in its habits. I wanted to be disappointed, but then I thought that it was exactly what the small city car car should be. It’s just great that there is no special norov to adapt to anything, on the contrary, everything is already adapted to you so that you just ride, not ‹listening› car, but listening to music. A utilitarian practical thing, like an everyday costume that does not press anywhere. Or as a well -lived apartment, where you can walk at night without lighting light, without risk to fly on a chest of drawers. Moreover, these analogies were born after five minutes of movement on C2 ...


From the kind of sports version of VTR, the impressions are somewhat different. Housing comfort is the same, but in a purely driver aspect, everything will be more interesting here. Pluted suspension, low-profile rubber of the 45th series on 16-inch discs (the diameter of the turn on them is 10.7 m, and not 9.6, but this difference is not noticeable by eye), a 1.6-liter engine with a capacity of 110 ‹Horses› at 5750 vol./Min. and thrust 147 Nm at 4000 rpm. All this, as they say, ‹contributes to›. Of course, you should not deceive about any outstanding sports data is not about (acceleration to ‹Hundreds› 11.9 sec., ‹Maximum wipes› 195 km/h), this is simply a more dynamic version compared to 1.4i (in that 13.6 sec and 169 km/h). However, she still provides a certain driver of high. You can cut slightly.


In VTR, at least two features you need to get used to both related to the robotic mechanical gearbox Sensodrive. Firstly, this box with norov sometimes seems that she lives some of her own separate life. For example, with an automatic transition from the transmission to the transmission, certain delays are observed, accompanied by a serious discharge of engine speed (and light biting the machine), and acceleration turns out to be quite torn this phenomenon takes place during active driving.


Secondly, the keys are the keys ›under the steering wheel rim that can be manually controlled with transmissions (an alternative to an ordinary selector lever), are located too close to the steering wheel switches. With an active steering wheel, it happens that the fingers are confused and turn on not what is needed. But a person gets used to everything under the curtain of a test drive, I'm used to the Sensodrive box. Or maybe she is to me. In general, we understood each other.


The impressions of the car as a whole are positive. I would especially like to note the equipment. In the list of basic and optional ‹Pies› cruise and climate control, six airbags (including curtains), parking sensors, steering wheel power steering with a progressive characteristic, ‹Brake assistant›, rain and light sensors, speed excess, CD- Chainer for five discs, ABS, a target stability system ... Not bad, right?


We also note the fact that the nozzles ‹Knogs› C3 and C3 Pluriel at one time received very high grades based on the results of EURONCAP crash tests. The company guarantees that in C2 all safety practices are not only carefully preserved, but also developed. Fortunately, I did not have to check this aspect on a test drive. And I wish you to know about the level of security only theoretically.


Prices for Citroen C2 will start from the mark of 11.500 euros.
 
Sergey Sorokin
 

A source: Motor magazine [December 2003]