Citroen have a new debutante for the 2012 Paris Motor Show in the shape of the DS3 Cabrio. Just like the hatchback version, the Citroen DS3 Cabrio has a number of customisation options that allow it to stand out in a crowd.
Citroen DS3 Cabrio uses a sliding roof panel
It may be called a ‘Cabrio’ but the DS3 isn’t quite a full drop-top convertible. Only the centre panel of the roof moves, leaving the side windows and the DS3’s signature B-pillar intact. It works in the same way as the Fiat 500C and, if you remember it, Citroen’s own Pluriel.
The roof has three positions – intermediate, where the driver gets to enjoy the sunshine; horizontal, where rear passengers also get to share the rays; and ‘total’, where the roof drops back down and rests on the bootlid. Citroen claim that the DS3 cabrio is as quiet as the hatchback model when the canvas roof is closed and that, as well as seating five adults, it also has class-leading boot space (245 litres in total).
The roof can be fully closed in just 16 seconds and it can operate at anything up to 75mph. That could be handy if you’re caught in a sudden downpour on the motorway.
Like purple? How about a purple roof on your DS3?
The cabrio is available in seven different colours with a choice of three roof styles – black, Infinite blue and a DS Monogrammed design. The Infinite blue soft-top is made up of three different coloured threads, one of which is shiny, and the result is a roof that changes from blue to violet depending on the light conditions. The Monogramme roof option features the DS logo in two different shades of grey.
On the inside the DS3 Cabrio is fitted with new white LED ambient lighting on the ceiling-mounted console, home to the roof opening control, while the instrument cluster and air-con controls also receive new white lighting. New upholstery options include Granite blue leather and Akinen weft available in Mistral (dark grey), Chic brown and Infinite blue. You can also choose from six different colours to to enhance the dashboard and gear stick, colour-coded to the body paint and soft-top.
3D LED Lighting
Look to the rear and you’ll find a distinctive new light cluster inspired by the designs on Citroën’s Revolte and Survolt concept cars. Packed inside are 31 LEDs arranged in a rectangle surrounding a series of mirrors. The result is a 3D effect that looks like the rectangular light pattern recedes into the distance. Another nice detail is a chrome-finished DS logo set in an embossed black DS setting.
Citroen DS3 cabrio’s rear lights employ mirrors to great effect
Engine details, pricing and availability are yet to be announced, but perhaps we’ll know more after the Paris Motor Show, which opens later this month.
