Thursday 27th September 2012

Paris 2012: Citroen DS3 Cabriolet

Citroen hikes roof-raising speed to 75mph

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We’ve all been there: cruising along at motorway speeds with the top down, when out of nowhere a British shower whips up and suddenly you’re looking pretty stupid.

And 16 seconds later it looks like this!

Well, now you can say goodbye to those ‘oh hell my hair’s getting wet’ blues with Citroen’s DS3 Cabrio. Arriving in early 2013, just in time for the depths of winter, the Cabrio features a soft roof that can be retracted at speeds up to 75mph.

The roof comes in three styles - black, Infinite blue and a DS Monogrammed design - to go with the choice of seven body colours. You also get a 3D rear light signature to go with the DS3’s ‘distinctive’ front running lights, which is too complicated to describe in words, and what Citroen calls an original tailgate opening action.

The three-position roof takes 16 seconds to fully close, at speeds up to 120km/h (75mph). Citroen says the cabin is very quiet when it’s shut, and that the soft-top weight penalty of 25kg (compared to the hatchback) is just 25 per cent of the usual hatch-to-convertible weight gain. The DS3 Cabrio is the only adult five-seater in this class, and it’s got the biggest boot too.

Proper cabrio or glorified sunroof? Your call

Inside, there’s white LED ambient lighting on the ceiling console, white lighting around the instrument cluster and all-new upholstery options including Granit blue leather and Akinen weft, which (it turns out) is not a Swedish rally driver. 

[Frimley111R]

Really like this car and the convertible option only makes it more desirable IMO.

[anonymous-user]

Rather nice actually.
Nice work Citroen.

[vit4]

I like that, but isn't that just a full-length sunroof?

[kambites]

vit4 said:

I like that, but isn't that just a full-length sunroof?

It looks like it drops down the back and takes the rear window with it, so it's sort of half way between the two.

Not bad from a styling point of view, which I suppose is what matters most in this market. Deserves to sell well.

[LotusOmega375D]

Bit pointless then! Doesn't the FIAT 500 have something similar.

Remember the gruesome Pluriel with detachable side bars? I wonder why that didn't catch on?

[Hugo a Gogo]

should sell as well as the Pluriel, even though no-one has ever put the roof down on one of them (that I've ever seen anyway)

[BBS-LM]

Really,

[timewatch]

Let's hope it don't leak like the Plural.

TW>>>

[lewisf182]

I dont really think that can be classed as a cabriolet, neither does it make the achievement of 75mph or the low weight gain look all that special seen as, like has been said, its basically a longer sunroof, not a whole roof mechanism that has to fight against wind resistance to close.

[Zircon]

Agreed - not a convertible at all unless those rear quarter windows come down!

I have to say I am not a fan of the DS, I think those dreadful front running lights look massively chav, as do the graphics which will look dated in no time.

Different though, just not sure if it is in a good way or not???

[Butter Face]

BBS-LM said:

Really,

Quite. Just not a good look is it?

[LuS1fer]

Not a good looking car but why would you want a glorified sunroof anyway, over a full convertible?
As noted, lets' hope it's more waterproof than the infamous Pleut-riel.

Edited to say I just showed it to a DS3 owner and she doesn't like it.

Edited by LuS1fer on Thursday 27th September 12:25

[NickHKent]

Isn't this just a Webasto?

[heretheygo]

we're getting one of these or the pug 208 gti..... the ds3 looks like a hash job on the roof imo, and the pug interior is for teenagers.
probably chose the ds3 and refrain from rolling the roof back beyond the rear 'window'. a pity really as the true convertible version of the ds3 was binned but looks much better imo.



or with 'fins':

[Mr Dastardly]

I like this. The Mini and Fiat 500 have shown that customers for this type of car exist, and the roof concept is likely to work better outside Europe (ie: in Asia) where it is often just too hot for a full convertible.

[tommy vercetti]

Quite like the colour of that roof

[Dyl]

The rear looks horrible with the large black plastic sections at either side of the rear window, and the silly chrome bar across the boot.

I really like the normal hatch though, especially in black and orange 'Racing' spec.

[Frimley111R]

kambites said:

It looks like it drops down the back and takes the rear window with it, so it's sort of half way between the two.

Looking at it again I see what you mean. The rear screen is much narrower, preumably to roll down into the hatch bodywork. Looks odd.

[GranCab]

Try opening/closing it at 75 mph a few times and I reckon it will soon be doing a superhero impersonation with a 5 ft. long blue cape flapping in the wind behind it !

Edited by GranCab on Thursday 27th September 14:55

[Wah]

So it can 'retracted' at 'up to 75 mph'. At what speed can it be erected? I would be surprised if that is also up to 75 mph. Unless it is just a big sun-roof, which is what it looks like.

Edited by Wah on Thursday 27th September 17:23