1977 Citroen 2cv on 2040-cars

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Citro"en to launch value-oriented C-line as part of brand reorganization

A report in Autocar says that PSA Peugeot-Citroën is realigning its brands. Peugeot will take the top slot to fight in the "premium mainstream" segment; in other words, Volkswagen. Citroën is said to be pointing its spear at a space that has Ford above and Dacia below, while its "DS arm" is classified as "near premium," but it isn't clear how high its aspirations climb. The entry-level point will be occupied by a C-line to be introduced by Citroën that would be "a balance between cost and functionality" and will take cues from the Lacoste concept shown at the 2010 Paris Motor Show (seen above).
The company has split its design studio into halves, one side for DS, the other for the C-line. The C-line's philosophy will be "bold" styling outside with "ease of use and simplicity" everywhere else. Build options will be kept low in order to maintain profits and low prices, but the options sheet won't be bare. The first offering in the line could be shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and will preview the replacement for the C3.

Kubica stepping up to the big leagues with WRC2 title in sight

Robert Kubica may never race in Formula One again. But that's alright, because he's apparently finding a new way for himself in the World Rally Championship.
As you may recall, Kubica was a budding F1 driver, having won the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2005 and his first F1 grand prix in 2008. But before the start of the 2011 season, Kubica suffered a catastrophic crash at the Ronde di Andora rally, in which his Skoda Fabia S2000 was impaled on a guard rail, leaving Kubica with serious injuries from which to recuperate.
Kubica hasn't been up to returning to grand prix racing, but undeterred by his terrifying crash, he's been having a go in professional rallying since last season. Now competing for Citroën in the second-tier WRC2 category, Kubica is within spitting distance of locking up its inaugural title. And he's already stepping up to the big leagues.

Mullin Museum closing after 14 years showcasing amazing vehicles

More sad news to start the year is that the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, is closing in two weeks. Founder Peter Merlin opened the museum in 2010 with a mission "to educate guests about 20th-century French automotive styling and design." This was done beautifully — literally and figuratively — with a focus on vehicles spanning from the Brass Era (1896-1915) to the early postwar period, some taken from Peter Mullins' personal collection. The heavy focus was on French automakers during the interwar period, Art Deco to the Machine Age (1918-1941), namely, Bugatti, Delage, Delahaye, Talbot-Lago, and Voisin, supported with automobilia, sculpture, a theater, and archives.    A lot of enthusiasts might not be familiar with the museum, but the fingerprints of founder Peter Mullin and wife Merle can be found throughout the car world. Peter, who died last September, had amassed the world's largest private collection of Bugattis. Back when a $40 million vehicle sale was enough to be crowned a record sum, Mullin opened his museum with the display of the record-breaking 1936 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic, on loan from the purchaser. He won Best in Show at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance with his own 1934 Voisin C-25 Aerodyne. The museum put on the shows you'd expect of a private Bugatti collector, like Art of Bugatti in 2014; shows you'd expect of a Francophile institution, like "Citroen: The Man, The Marque, The Mystique" in 2017; and surprises like last year's "ArTexture" exhibit of fine art and tapestries by artist Keith Collins. And he was one of the founding board members of the Petersen Automotive Museum, helping the museum through the renovation that turned it into one of the coolest car spots in LA.     Speaking of which, four of Mullins' personal rides will go on permanent display at the Petersen: a 1937 Talbot-Lago T150 CS “Teardrop,” a 1938 Delahaye 145, a 1938 Hispano Suiza H6B Dubonnet Xenia, and a 1939 Delahaye 165. The museum is only open on Saturdays and Sundays, its last day open being Saturday, February 10 — leaving three more visits for anyone who can make it. Said Merle, who continued keep sharing the collection at shows from Amelia Island to Villa d'Este during Peter's illness, wrote in a statement on the closing, "Sharing these ‘rolling sculpturesÂ’ and beautiful art with others was PeterÂ’s truest passion, and the museum helped bring that vision to life.