Test Drive Citroen C3 since 2002 Hatchback

Minks Naraspyu

Once upon a time, cars were made with the roof of the fabric for the fact that they were easier and cheaper. Now everything is exactly the opposite: a soft awning is more expensive than steel, aluminum or fashionable glass above your head. What can be obtained for extra money, besides the pleasure of awareness that we can spend them? We have chosen for comparison two already relatively rare models of compact convertibles, which are almost the opposite approaches to the design.
From a practical point of view, a convertible is a thing absolutely stupid. Well, where it is suitable: and the doors he is less than that of a normal car, and some kind of soft roof, and on the rear seats (if they are in general) with the convenience, you will not make anything really put in anything, and at the same time For some reason, the convertible is more expensive than the same normal car. Well, those who think that is probably fundamentally cabriolets do not buy. However, not all such practical crackers. It's not the bread of a single person, sometimes you want cakes.
A light movement of the hand ... The sacramental phrase from the diamond hand is more than suitable for describing the roof folding mechanism in MINI Cabrio. The process actually costs without the participation of the driver. Press and hold the corresponding button - that's all that is required from the driver. Seconds for fifteen or a little more, the plated roof with heated rear glass will completely go back and takes out there with a shadow collar. She is not completely removed (in contrast, for example, from BMW 645CI), but this does not spoil the picture at all, but rather, on the contrary, the collar fits very well into the retro style of the car.
The French car from the roof is much more interesting. The fact is that Pluriel the possibility of transformation is very wide, it is not for nothing that its name is translated as multiple. Depending on the degree of bleaching, this car may be the fact that they were officially called the convertible during the time of the USSR - with arcs above the side windows, a convertible in our modern sense - quite open, hardtop - with arcs and roof, but without side glasses, And even pickup, if, removing the roof, fold the rear seats. Such multivariate does not imply ease of treatment with it.
Simple here only the first stage of transformation - when you only need to move the soft top. Turn the handle, and the roof moves to the predetermined distance. Up to the fact that it can break right on the rear window, completely breaking the back. Theoretically, this position is intermediate and precedes the process of cleaning the entire economy under the floor of the trunk. But it would be good to make it accessible only when the car is fixed - for the sake of security. However, Citroen has the right to assume that drivers will not be artificially creating themselves difficulties and will not consciously spoil visibility.
Another source of fresh air is the side windows. Here they can be lowered completely. Oddly enough, the lack of lateral racks creates a much more noticeable effect than it may seem from the side. In general, this already shifting the roof is enough to get the desired feeling of openness and proximity to the outside world. However, we also provide other possibilities, although they are not so easy to realize them. In order to turn the car into absolutely open, you will have to be armed with the instructions - at least at first it is not necessary to do without it. Too many operations so that they could be remembered. It is to fold, then lift, here to open, closing there. Make time, do two ... Designer from the discharge of particularly developing structural thinking. But the patience and work will be aulte everything, and here the result of a developing game is a fully open car and lying on the asphalt with two bulky arcs, each in powder weighing that need to go somewhere, because there is no place in the machine for them. We'll have to leave arcs in the garage on special stands. As far as it is practical, let them tell those who were lucky to get on the illuminated cabriolet to a good Moscow shower. We were not fortunate enough.
Riding in both open cars delivers true resort pleasure - True, at high speeds the wind begins to cling and howl. Therefore, it is better not to chant, but it is in the resort mode that is relaxed and slow. Because after 60 km / h, the breeze turns into the wind, and I really want to raise the side windows until it stops. And with speeds more than 80-100 km / h with lowered tops, it is recommended to ride only after the night in the club - to ventilate the head in every sense of the word. Early in the morning empty roads, and the driver risks only with itself and passengers. However, on Citroen it can be done with arcs, and on mini protection during tipping and other troubles, too, too: the head restraints are safety arcs, and ahead is a pillow.
In the closed state, MINI and PLURIEL have one small, and for someone, maybe a big problem is insufficient visibility. Mirrors have small cars, the rear windows are also not too large.
Restarting the matrix. Both cars - notebook fashionable in everything. And they also have trendy transmissions. The first car is equipped with a variator, the second - robotic five-speed mechanic Sensodrive.
The MINI variator is able to turn into a fan of stepless transmissions of any. It is extremely well configured, so riding with it is one pleasure. It is difficult for hearing it is difficult to distinguish from an ordinary machine. No, for example, typical for variator machines hangs on certain revolutions, accompanied by a nutritional hum, when the process of coordination and movement speed is underway.
There are variator and manual switching mode when one of the six fixed positions is selected. But due to the perfection of the setting of the automatic manual mode, it seems like especially and needed - so, is that playing. Nevertheless, it is decorated here in an adult, like BMW and racing machines: the movement of the lever forward switches to the step below, and backwards.
You can translate the lever into the manual and then do not download it - then the car will go in sport mode. All the same automatic softness and mechanical responsiveness, only all this - at higher revs.
Communication with plryiela robotic mechanical mechanics, Sensodrive, at first, was also very pleasant. Characteristic twitching with automatic gear shifts, we perceived as inevitability and did not pay attention to them. But the case unexpectedly spoiled the electronics - it began to be buggy, and so that sometimes it was for the evacuator. At first, the Sensodrive operating in automatic mode did not always switch from the lowest to the highest, and the box had to push manually - but these were still flowers. The berries began when the electronic brains of the box simply cut down - the motor works, but there is no connection with the transmission, and the car does not go. For the first time, good traffic cops were helped (there are also such) - they have shuddered the car from the road. We treated it like this: removed the terminal from the battery, waited a couple of minutes, put on again. The computer rebooted, the error dropped, the car went. Once this apologative once, but in two days a test drive, this situation repeated four times! Of course it is sad. Sensodrive has some trumps, the main of which is saving fuel and the opportunity to forget about the grip. Yes, and Pluriel himself also produces a good impression: on the road he is not as great as mini, but very good overcomes one of the traditional Russian problems: a rather energy-intensive suspension provides a good compromise between comfort and stability. That with a rather high body looks almost an achievement. And the motor, despite the relative modesty, is quite pleasant in circulation. Now, if another transmission electronics were readily ...
Type retro. Support on the style of this Mini simplified BMW designers work on part of the generation of ideas, but complicated the execution process. After all, in the traditional style it was necessary to enter a huge number of those governing bodies that the fifties simply could not appear on the mass and super-master micro-chain. The voltage was worth it: all this abundance of handles and dials of different sizes causes a pleasant and almost forgotten curiosity. You can look at them for a long time, so in the first couple of weeks of ownership mini, the feeling of novelty is guaranteed. For example, these levers that replaced the buttons on the console are still quite in the spirit of whether 50s, or the aircraft controls are separated by brackets to prevent accidental inclusion.
Retro-impressions even landing driving: a slightly displaced glass stand reminds that the former mini was a very narrow machine. In our mini, in full compliance with the changed style of writing, not closely quite - at least ahead. Rear story is already a bit different. Including with the trunk, which here opens absolutely authentic to the present mini: loops of the lid are located downstairs. And his volume in principle is sufficient: 120 liters with a folded top and 165 - when raised. It is necessary more - fold the rear seats.
Finds and loss. In Citroen, the craving for the past did not go so far as in mini. It seems that the budget has not allowed: the instrument panel is fully borrowed from C3 and C2 ratings. What would be a three-year compliment, today these roundedness seem to be outdated. It remains to be glad designers who apparently will never endure. For example, spherical lattices of inflectors of the ventilation system simply admire the combination of simplicity and functionality: with them the stream can be sent anywhere, and cost - a penny. This can be called a design with a capital letter.
Creative recycling of retro style looks like digital instrument panel. The darkness of the speed figures in the middle is selected just so as not to be very annoying the driver and remain in the reasonable limits of accuracy. And the tackometer ribbon on the upper edge is an idea that fits so well into an advanced retro style that we would not be surprised to see such on other models in the style of 50-60s. The decorativeness of this thing does not interfere with addiction.
I would like to remake the rest. It's just surprising that quite coinciding the style of Pluriel and its instrument panel are perceived so differently: outside the car fresh and original, and inside ...

Text Sergey Sorokin, Valery Chusov
Photo Andrei Danilov
www.gals-club.ru.

We thank BMW Rusland Trading, (095) 795-2900, AUTOMER company, (095) 234-3366 and yacht club Gals, (095) 778-1675.

Citroen C3 Pluriel.
 
Gasoline engine, 4-cylinder, row
Working volume (cube. Cm) 1587
Power (hp at rpm) 110 at 5750
Moment (nm at rpm) 147 at 4000
Drive front
Gearbox 5-speed robotic
Length / Width / Height (mm) 3934/1700/1559
Wheel base (mm) 2460
Mass Curb (kg) 1177
Maximum speed (km / h) 185
Acceleration up to 100 km / h (c) 11.6
Fuel consumption (city / highway, l / 100 km) 8.3 / 5.5
The cost of the tested car from 16 840 (tested car --19 890)

Mini Cooper Cabrio.
 
Gasoline engine, 4-cylinder, row
Working volume (cube. Cm) 1598
Power (hp at rpm) 115 at 6000
Moment (nm at rpm) 150 at 4500
Drive front
Gearbox Variator with imitation 6 steps
Length / Width / Height (mm) 3635/1688/1416
Wheel base (mm) 2467
Mass Curb (kg) 1265
Maximum speed (km / h) 182
Acceleration to 100 km / h (c) 11.2
Fuel consumption (city / highway, l / 100 km) 11.2 / 6.0
The cost of the tested car from 25,600 (tested car - 31 621)

As in the option of hatchback, MINI cabriolet can be bought in three versions, which first differ in the power of engines. They are not afraid of low cost: even one with a 90-strong engine costs from 23 600. Prices for the top version of Cooper S with an engine 170 hp Start with 32,500. Cooper tested by us can be considered optimal by the ratio of costs and results - 115 forces are quite sufficient to demonstrate the rule size does not matter, and they do not require them to fully implement the driver's special qualifications. Or driver.
Hints on the Great Past, in which the success of Mini is partly based, and in the concept of Citroen C3 Pluriel. Rounded silhouette and moving roof guides are honestly borrowed from the famous Hit 2CV. True, in two horses, such a body design was a means of simplifying and cheapening the body, in which Pluriel is difficult to blame. However, the coupe-cabriolet from double chevrons is still relatively inexpensive - once a half cheaper than mini, if you compare the most modest option with a 1.4 l / 75 hp motor However, with a complete set of Pluriel options, it is slightly less than 20,000 - cheaper than the cheapest mini. True, in this category of the car, the price is usually irrelevant ... or has, but the opposite: the cheaper - the worse.

 
 

A source: "Autopilot"