Before mass production of the Citroen C3 starts, the vehicle will be unveiled in September
Citroen will commence series production of the C3 in December this year ahead of its market debut in early 2022.
The French automobile brand aims to sell the compact SUV in India and other emerging markets like those in South America and thus production will begin in both regions during the same time.
When it comes to Citroen C3 production targets, the Stellantis-owned car brand only aims to manufacture around 33,000 units of the C3 a year in India. This translates to a modest target of 2750 units a month.
However, Citroen has announced that it will increase production capacity at its Tiruvallur facility (in phases) to 1 lakh units a year.
Also, the brand is expected to increase the number of dealerships it has in India ahead of the launch of the compact SUV. Citroen currently has 10 outlets in the country which retail the C5 Aircross.
Code-named CC21/CC21X and based on the CMP architecture which will also be used by the upcoming sub-4-metre crossover from Jeep, the C3 will be heavily localised.
It will be a petrol-only model, likely powered by a 1.2-litre motor which is to be offered in both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged forms. The engine will be paired either with a 5-speed manual or an automatic gearbox.
While the global debut of the 2022 C3 was expected to happen in May this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic which is yet to be curtailed, Citroen had to postpone the event which is now said to be scheduled for 16th September.
When it goes on sale in India early next year, Citroen C3 will rival the Maruti Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, Hyundai Venue and the like.
