Citroen

by

Monday – Weightwatcher

ddddd

Jeremy I think I’ve found out why the DS3 is such a nifty little mover – it’s all down to weight. Turning any car into a convertible means beefing up the structural integrity of the body, usually compromised by chopping off the roof. Then you have the extra weight of the roof folding mechanism itself to add to the equation.

So, far from being lighter, cabrios often tip the scales in the wrong direction. The DS3 is different. Like its Fiat 500C rival, the cars B and C-pillars (the metalwork around the windows) remains in place, keeping the structural rigidity intact. According to the Fiat press blurb, this means the Cabrio is only 25kg heavier than the hatch!

On the road, this translates into a convertible that feels exceptionally sharp turning into a corner, with none of the rattle and body shake associated with soft-tops in the past. Great fun for a car that is essentially a hatchback with the roof peeled off.

I have also finally managed the get the DAB radio working today! It’s obviously an aftermarket fit for UK customers, which makes operation less integrated than a lot of other cars. That said, it works, although as far as I can work out it does not flash the chosen station onto the screen, making station selection harder.

 

by

Sunday – Rain Stops Play

dddd

Jeremy We’re just back from the England vs India cricket final at Edgbaston. Suffice to say, we have a convertible on test at the moment so the weather was appalling and not a single ball was bowled while we were there. So we decided to leave at 3.30…. and then the game started as we drove back down the M5!

With rain lashing down, at least the little D3’s 155bhp petrol engine can perk me up a bit. Maybe it ‘s just the compact size of the Citroen but it feels faster 0-60mph than the official 8.2 seconds claimed. The six-speed transmission is also very precise and just encourages you to flick up and down through the gears at leisure.

I’m not very sure anybody actually realises this is a convertible either. If I hadn’t told Jessica the Citroen had a soft -top, I’m sure she wouldn’t have guessed. Well, until she hit the motorway and the wind noise went up several decibels.

I’ve also decided the postbox boot, hinged to open upwards, isn’t for me. The aperture for putting items in is too small and to reach inside means almost getting down on my knees.

Forecast for the rest of the week is looking better so let’s hope I can get the roof down properly soon.

by

Saturday – Classy Cabin

fofofo

Jeremy – The choice for buyers looking for an affordable cabriolet with a soft-top rather than a folding metal roof probably comes down to the Fiat 500C, Mini Convertible or our new Ds3 Cabrio. All very different cars, each with styling that is going to split the buying public down the middle.

I’m warming to the DS3 because the cabin area is so much larger and it just feels like a bigger car when you are inside. This is especially true in the back, where there are three seats, instead of the two found in the Fiat and Mini.

The boot is still crazy small like its rivals – except the Citroen boot lid is hinged so that it slides vertically upwards on opening, a rather unique twist on conventional thinking which might be a nightmare for tall people loading bags because they have to bend down to see inside.

What has truly surprised me about the Ds3 is the interior. The leather seats in our car are deep and comfortable and there’s a touch of class about the dashboard that is a cut above the Mini. Over the shoulder vision is, however, non existent with the roof folded down.

And then there’s the quality of the fittings. Citroens never used to be this good! The DS3 is solid, with buttons and dials that could have come off a Mercedes. Even the big doors shut with a reassuring thud.

I’m off to watch the international cricket final in Birmingham tomorrow, so more words after that…

by

Friday – Man vs Machine

gfgfgf

Jeremy Regular readers will know that I have an issue with cars that overcomplicate functions on the dashboard. If I can sit in a Hyundai or Peugeot and operate the DAB radio and Bluetooth without opening a manual, then why can’t I do it in other vehicles?

Citroen have made a pre-emptive strike with the DS3 test car – they have added a comprehensive, three page A4 guide in the press pack that explains all. In a spirit of fair play to other the motors Car Couture has tested, I opted to ignore the sheets and try to work it out for myself.

Forty minutes later in Waitrose car park and I’m really struggling – not only with DAB but forcing the Bluetooth function to match up with my iPhone. Back home, I can see why. The DS3 comes with a seperate, remote control unit about the size of a keyfob that is the fast-track to everything DAB. Now I just have to work out the Bluetooth issue.

So, round one to the DS3. I admit defeat but I imagine a lot of other DS3 drivers might have similar frustrating issues. While the Citroen has a dashboard that looks dynamic and stylish, wonderful seats and ‘big car’ comforts, form over function rather blots the copybook in this instance.

by

Thursday – Drop The Top At 75mph!

fgfg

Jeremy – Ah, the English weather… One day it’s hot, the next day there are floods – what is a wind-in-the-hair motoring enthusiast to do? Well, you could do worse than take a test drive in the new DS3 Cabrio.

Unlike other convertibles with a hood rather than a folding metal roof, the Citroen is something of a halfway house. In fact, you have to look closely to spot that it is a convertible at all because the slick shape of the standard DS3 has hardly been changed to accommodate the fabric roof.

That also means that with the hood down, the side windows and frame are still in place, with the hood stacking up neatly where the rear parcel shelf used to be. Truthfully, it’s more of a giant sunroof but make no mistake – when it’s open, the DS3 feels every inch a convertible.

I’ve been playing with the buttons this afternoon and I’ve never experienced such a smooth running roof operation. It simply glides back with the minimum of fuss. What’s more, you don’t have to stop or slow down. The roof operates at speeds of up to 75mph, leaving folding hard-top owners left on the hard shoulder.

I haven’t tried it at speed yet but every car should have a unique selling point and this is one situation where the Citroen really scores.