1968 Citroen Ds 19 on 2040-cars

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Citroen presents new C3-XR crossover for China

At its flagship showroom on the swank Avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris, Citroën revealed the new C3-XR. The compact crossover joins the C3 range alongside the five-door hatch and C3 Picasso minivan, but is targeted specifically at the Chinese market.
The C3-XR closely follows the lead set by the C-XR concept presented in Beijing earlier this year, with a higher riding stance than the conventional C3 and a more robust design. Details are few and far between, but the French automaker confirms that it will be launched with a gasoline-burning 1.6-liter turbo four with 160 horsepower and stop/start system mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox.
The new model launches at the end of the year in China, a market which accounts for a quarter of all the brand's sales and where it has already introduced such dedicated models as the C-Elysée and C4 L. The launch today in Paris coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China.

End of the road for French flagship sedans as Citro"en C6 production winding down

Even if their avant-garde styling has historically meant that they would never enjoy the sales success of their more staid German counterparts, it was always somehow comforting to know that the French were building large sedans. With a history of nontraditional looks and peerless ride quality (a legacy built on the hydropneumatic suspension of the original Citroën DS), big French cars have always been an acquired taste.
And now it appears buyers with that specific palette won't have a clear place to go, at least for a while. According to Automotive News, production of the Citroën C6 shown above (click to enlarge) is scheduled to cease this month, leaving French buyers (and Francophiles) without a true-bleu option. As the article points out, Renault will still offer its Latitude - effectively a badge-engineered rework of the Korean-built Samsung SM5 - but patriotic consumers have apparently been staying away because it isn't French enough (Renault has sold under 3,800 examples this year).
Renault may yet provide an answer for its displaced countrymen in the form of a new Initiale Paris-branded flagship offering that would be developed on Mercedes-Benz E-Class britches, but it has not yet decided whether it will move forward with the car. The alternative, to follow Citroën and Peugeot in leaving the segment, is probably looking quite appealing now, especially with Europe's continued economic malaise.

Stellantis and Foxconn's new joint venture will focus on connectivity

MILAN — Carmaker Stellantis and TaiwanÂ’s Foxconn announced plans to develop a jointly operated automotive supplier focusing on technology to make vehicles more connected, including artificial intelligence-based applications and 5G communications. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said the services that will be developed through the tie-up “will mark the next great evolution of our industry,” alongside fully electrified and hybrid powertrains. The deal brings together Stellantis, the worldÂ’s 4th-largest automaker formed this year by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Peugeot, and Foxconn, a major supplier of iPhones. The companies said the venture would focus on such services as infotainment, the integration of telecommunications and computer systems, artificial intelligence-based applications, 5G communications, e-commerce channels and smart cockpit integration. The companies announced a non-binding memorandum of understanding to form a 50-50 joint venture called Mobile Drive, which will be based in the Netherlands and function as an automotive supplier also to other carmakers. The new venture will combine advanced consumer electronics, Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI) to create new services “that will exceed customer expectations,” the companies said in a release. “Customers today and, in the future, demand and expect ever-increasing software-driven and creative solutions to connect the drivers and passengers with the vehicle inside and out,Â’Â’ Foxconn Chairman Young Liu. Alfa Romeo Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Jeep RAM Citroen Opel Peugeot 5g Connectivity Stellantis Foxconn