New ride

[foraloysius]

I treated myself to a new car. It’s a Citroën C3 hybrid automatic. A very comfortable car with very comfortable seats. Just what my pelvis needed.

Second picture show the Citroën and my 13 year old Smart next to eachother.

 

[qsd-dan]

I remember when you posted the Smart car when it was new, seemed like 5-7 years ago. I'm still driving the same vehicle 26 years later so I guess the time reference gets skewed.

 

[gizmo]

That is a lovely looking car Louis, I really like that shade of blue.
Unfortunately Citroen have recently pulled out of Australia, so we won't see them new any longer.
They have always been a "fringe" brand here - a small group of devoted customers, but most Aussies are afraid of "funny French" cars.
I have always loved French cars, I have owned 1 Simca, 1 Citroen, 3 Renaults and one Peugeot 307. Currently I drive a VW Golf wagon, it is a really good car and I'm very happy with it, but it lacks some of the charisma of the French cars.

May you have many happy kilometres in your new Citroen.

 

[askolover]

I like that blue! I'm still chugging along in my VW TDI beetle that's now 24 years old and will hit 350,000 miles next week. Of course we have other vehicles for travel such as our awd Acura MDX and my forever truck a Nissan frontier 4x4.
Congrats on the new car! One of life's great thrills.

 

[foraloysius]

Thank you guys.

I instantly loved that blue colour with the white roof because it reminded me of the 1953 Chevrolet we talked about some time ago. (1st picture)

The Citroën brand is special to our family because last year it was 100 years ago that my maternal grandfather bought his first car. He turned 18 in 1924, picked up his driving licence from the town hall and bought a used Citroën type A similar to the one in picture number two.

My new car was built in Slovakia, so it’s only French by brand. But then again my Smart was a German car built in France.

Although these days Citroën is part of the Stellantis group this car still has a few typical Citroën characteristics like the very comfortable suspension and the very sensitive brake pedal.

 

[vacerator]

Unfortunately, PSA isn't in the US market. I don't know if they still sell in Canada. I've seen one driving around near the Ford Dearborn engineering/design centers.

 

[foraloysius]

PSA doesn’t exist anymore. The company merged with other brands into the Stellantis company that owns 14 brands now.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellantis

 

[vacerator]

PSA doesn’t exist anymore. The company merged with other brands into the Stellantis company that owns 14 brands now.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellantis

Correct sir. First Opel was absorbed, then PSA merged with FCA. Currently Fiat, Alpha Romeo, Lancia, Dodge charger, Durango, one Chrysler Pacifica, Ram truck, and Jeep. The Alpha Tonale is rebadged a Dodge Hornet. Chrysler aquierd the hornet name when they bought AMC in 1989 with Jeep. It was originally a Hudson. My brother in law is a Jeep design v.p. manager. The former CEO has been replaced and the Hemi V8 is said to be returning. Possibly the Cummins diesel 6 in the Ram pickup line too.

 

[cfz2882]

Congrats on the car Louis,are you keeping the Smart? -I dont know if "2nd cars "are common in Europe.I think Citroen sold in US in small numbers until about 1974,and then some were sold again around 1986-7 by an outfit in New York that modified them to meet DOT specs.Only Citroen I have experience with is a ~1960 ID19, decontented version of DS. People in the US like to poo poo Stellantis,but i have an Italian made Stellantis Jeep-with US made engine and tranny-and it is a great vehicle with no glaring workmanship or materials goofs

 

[vacerator]

The Citroen SM was also sold in the USA. An Italian built Jeep would be the Renegade. It's a Fiat design. My brother in law is a Jeep v.p, mgr. for design. Others are built by Magna Styer in Graz Austria. At least one engine is made by Automotori spa. Currently both engines are from Italy. No American engine.

 

[cfz2882]

Indeed,2019 Renegade with 2.4 Multiair engine and 9 speed Chrysler transaxle also used by several other carmakers.The valvetrain technology of "Multiair" engines is interesting.

 

[petek]

Congrats on your new car Louis... musta missed this thread. weird how it does seem like it was only recently you bought that Smart car,,, didn't you have VW before it iirc.

 

[foraloysius]

I will probably sell the Smart but I prefer to sell it to a Smart fan. I am taking it easy, right now I have a guest until Saturday. Next week I have more time to clean the inside and make pictures.

Thank you Pete. I had indeed a Volkswagen Polo automatic in white. Worst car I had!

 

[petek]

Seems they stopped selling Smart cars here back in 2019 which I didn't know No wonder I rarely see one these days.

 

[vacerator]

I still see Smarts occasionally.

 

[foraloysius]

Smart stopped making the compact cars with petrol engines around 2019 iirc. They were only available with electric engines with a limited range.

Nowadays Smart is a joint venture between Mercedes and Geely. The new Smarts are no longer compacts but normal sized electric cars based on Geely models but with a different design.

https://global.smart.com/

 

[lavamat_jon]

Looks great Louis! I wish you all the luck with it. I love the colourway too!

My parents have recently retired their 2004 Citroen C3. I had to eat humble pie as I told her not to get it and buy German when she bought it years ago, and it turned out to be the most reliable car she has ever had!

She has a 2024 Renault Captur now, it’s like a spaceship in comparison and is a lovely, comfortable car to drive.

 

[foraloysius]

Thank you Jon! I considered the Captur myself too, but it was just a size too big. The new C3 is much bigger than the previous models, so that’s already a big car for me.

Hope you are doing well.