The PSA Group 1.2 litre Puretech takes Engine Of The Year for the third year running.

During the 18th International Engine of the Year Awards held in Stuttgart, an international jury of journalists awarded the prize of ‘2017 Engine of the Year’ to the PureTech 1.2L 3-cylinder turbo petrol engine in the 1L to 1.4L category.

An industrial and commercial success

For the third year in the row, the ‘2017 Engine of the Year’ prize confirms the commercial success of this accomplished petrol engine, which is available in 110 and 130hp (PureTech 110 S&S and PureTech 130 S&S). 

The facts:

• With over 850,000 units already produced in the industrial facilities of the Française de Mécanique manufacturing site in Douvrin (France) and in Xiang Yang (China) since its launch in 2014, this engine will also be manufactured at the Trémery plant (France) at the end of 2017 in order to meet the increase of the demand and double the production capacity for this engine in France. Annual production will exceed 1 million units by 2019.
• The PureTech 1.2-litre engine, in 110 and 130hp versions is fully deployed on over 90 vehicles applications in 70 countries. In 2017, it contributed to the commercial success of PSA group’s new products that included the all-new Peugeot 3008 SUV – European Car of the Year 2017 and the new Citroën C3.
• On the European market, the PureTech 1.2L 3-cylinder modular family represents a third of PSA Group’s total petrol and Diesel engines.

A greater performance and environmentally-friendly power unit

Recognised for its all-round driving performance, even at the lowest rpm, the PureTech 1.2L 3-cylinder turbo continues to evolve and will benefit from significant improvements before the end of 2017, with enhancements in efficiency, performance and fuel consumption (up to 4%):

• introduction of a petrol particulate filter to reduce emissions particles by more than 75% in anticipation of future 2020 regulation standards in Europe and China;
• optimisation of efficiency, due to the combustion cycle evolution and a 250bar fuel injection pressure;
• reduction in mechanical friction and introduction of a new turbocharger;
• making the engine more compact to optimise body aerodynamics (SCx gains).

Commenting on the award, Christian Chapelle, Vice-President, Powertrain and Chassis Engineering, PSA Group, said: "Receiving this award confirms the exceptional quality and performance of our petrol engines. We are continuing to optimise our internal combustion engines to make them more efficient and ever more environmentally friendly, thereby better addressing the challenges of energy transition."

The all new DS7 Crossback is now open to place your reservation - and this is one car to have !!!

• DS7 CROSSBACK is first available with an exclusive highly-specified Limited Edition model, only available to order in 2017
• Available to view in high quality to see every detail in DS Virtual Vision at DS Stores
• Configurable online, with saved-code identity to save re-entering details to permit re-acquaintance and viewing online, in Store and for placing orders
• Exclusivity and high-end attention-to-detail assured

Potential customers of DS 7 CROSSBACK are being given unprecedented early access to this new SUV by DS. ‘La Première’ Limited Edition DS 7 CROSSBACK will be first model delivered to customers from 2018 with a high-specification, which is only available to order in 2017, up until 31 December.

This highly-specified first edition model is available to review online via the DS brand website: www.DSautomobiles.co.uk where the specific vehicle choices can be configured and selected.  

DS 7 CROSSBACK La Première, and the entire DS range, is also available for specific viewing in every detail exclusively with DS Virtual Vision - the very highest-quality virtual reality experience, the first of which is available now at the DS Urban Store at Westfield London, the high-class shopping centre at Shepherd’s Bush. 

With this innovation, customers will be able to use a headset to view in high quality definition the new SUV ‘full-size’ in 3D as part of a dynamic, interactive and captivating experience.

Orders can also be placed at a DS Store or DS Salon (part of the DS network of Dealerships), with or without a pre-configured specification with selected options or via the website. 

A dedicated online site: 

https://reservationlapremierefinance.ds7crossback.co.uk/ 

allows clients to configure the precise chosen specification and even make payment adjustments to personalise their preferred repayment terms.

DS 7 CROSSBACK La Première includes features of charismatic design with advanced technology; Elegant proportions, DS ACTIVE LED VISION, Hypnotic 3D rear lights and two 12-inch instrumentation screens with an innovative interface. French luxury know-how is clearly evident with the ‘Art Rubis’ leather upholstery interior trim – unique to La Première – with an obsession for detail and magnified interior roominess.

Cutting-edge equipment

This innovative approach goes hand-in-hand with the cutting-edge features of DS 7 CROSSBACK La Première with the latest technologies that will subsequently be available across the range: DS CONNECTED PILOT - paving the way for autonomous driving through Active Cruise Control and Lane Keeping Assist, DS NIGHT VISION - considerably improving visibility for driving at night, and DS ACTIVE SCAN SUSPENSION - the 21st  century DS suspension system, which uses a camera to anticipate bumps and undulations in the road for optimising ride comfort.

Distinctive styling

DS 7 CROSSBACK La Première stands out for its chic, exclusive styling: an elegant, charismatic allure with a choice of colours; Cumulus Grey metallic, Pearl White or Perla Nera Black pearlescent contrasting with a unique Nappa leather upholstery in a shade called Art Rubis, for a deep, welcoming environment. The refined watchstrap leather design of the seats is accentuated by pearl top-stitching, and the Nappa leather features a patina effect. Further, the exclusive B.R.M R180 timepiece displays the colours of the interior environment, while the dashboard and protective floor mats carry La Première identity.

Reflecting an obsession for detail, touches of the characteristic Art Rubis shade can be seen on the vehicle’s exterior, on the DS monogram badging at the front, the badges on the side and even on the sculpted 20-inch ‘Paris’ gloss black Onyx diamond-cut alloy wheels. This Limited Edition model magnifies a wealth of specification highlights available on the new DS SUV range, which is set to delight its first drivers.

To ensure optimised dynamic performance, DS 7 CROSSBACK La Première is available with a choice of the two most powerful engines in the range: Diesel BlueHDi 180 S&S and Petrol THP 225 S&S, both mated to the latest new-generation Efficient Automatic Transmission with 8-speeds (EAT8).

In the UK, DS 7 CROSSBACK La Première is available with the choice of the two power units, one petrol, one diesel, both priced at £42,650 on-the-road and with every one carrying the number 1 badging.

TMW - The C4 from Citroen is a brilliant car, so, why does it not sell better than it does ?

When you develop a car in the hotly contested family hatchback segment, you have a vast amount of great cars to compete with the Golf and Focus along with the Astra and Peugeot 308 are just a small amount of cars that you would be competing with.

So, you really have to have something special to draw sales away from those market leaders, and sometimes you develop a car that is good, very good in fact, yet does not sell in the numbers that you would like it too, this car is one of those, the Citroen C4 hatchback is a brilliant car.

The current C4 is part of a range of products, in name if not in build, the C4 Cactus, C4 Picasso and Grand Picasso, these cars are very successful, which begs the question why is the standard car not as popular, could it be that it it not as beautiful or dynamic as other cars in this segment, could it be that the car does not offer the same tech as others, or, maybe, its just a car that does not float peoples boat, i dont know why.

The C4 is a great car, regardless of what other magazines and online motoring sites say, the C4 is a must when you're considering a new car, yes the car might not have the most modern of looks, but as you sit inside the car, the outside is of little concern, but inside the car is right up there, modern, great looking, nice soft touch materials, easy to reach switchgear, easy to use touchscreen and far more besides.

This model we tested is the C4 Flair PureTech 130 S&S 6-Speed Automatic, so a step up the scale, the Touch is the entry-level trim for the Citroen C4. It comes with 16-inch steel wheels with plastic hubcaps, heated door mirrors, a black cloth interior, a multi-function steering wheel with buttons to control the radio on it, six airbags, cruise control and storage drawer under the front passenger seat.

You then move up to the Feel trim level which adds 16-inch alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel and gearknob, cruise control with a memory function for your most regularly used speeds, stop/start to save fuel in traffic and DAB digital radio. You also get Bluetooth to let you make hands-free phone calls, and there's a USB socket to let you play music from your mobile devices.

And lastly you come to the top trim level, the Flair takes everything the Feel model has and adds tinted rear windows, chrome-look door mirrors, rear parking sensors, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, a noise-reducing windscreen and a seven-inch touchscreen to control the DAB digital radio.

The interior has some nice touches like being able to change the colour of dash dials, something simple but a nice touch, the auto gearbox display shows which gear you are in, and if you move it into selectable, it shows which gear you're in and whether you need to move up or down the gear range.

The exceptionally comfortable seats offer suitable bolstering where needed, the nice sized steering wheel, decent and proper hand brake lever, nicely damped buttons and soft feel stalks as well as well weighted doors, so that they close without needing to be slammed all make for a nice interior.

There is loads of space for the driver and passenger, and once the seats are in place, the rear passengers are well catered for, again with really comfortable seating, which then brings us to the boot, this is superb in available space, the car also comes with a number of cubby holes and spaces for oddments all around.

The drive is equally as good and quiet, the car tested is the 1.2 litre PureTech turbo, it goes really well, and grips to the road equally as good, being a large car with a smallish engine, does affect the fuel consumption where the manufacturer's claimed figures being :-

• Urban 46.3mpg
• Extra Urban 67.3mpg
• Combined 57.6mpg

Not the best mpg in the world, but also far from the worst, the car swiftly get to its top speed of 122mph, with a 0-62 time of 10.9 seconds, quite sedate, but should you give the car some "beans" you wont feel left wanting, it really does get up and go.

Being that it is the top spec car you can be assured that it will come well equipped, and you wont be disappointed here either :-

• Cruise Control with Speed Limiter
• TPMS
• Stop & Start
• Rear Parking Sensors
• ABS
• EBD
• EBA
• ESC
• Traction Control
• Auto Activation of Hazard Lights in Rapid Deceleration
• Power Steering
• DAB Digital Radio
• 7" Touchscreen
• Panoramic Sunroof

Just a short selection of the available equipment that is fitted as standard on the car, along with many safety features giving the C4 a Euro NCAP Five Star rating, something that many people regard as a must have these days.

The car also comes with 113g/km CO2, and is rated in the "B" road fund licence, together with a one year or 16,000 mile service length and a three year 60,000 warranty that the car comes with, making this a really good car to have.

OVERALL

The C4 is an extremely good car to own, ot goes very well, and stops equally as well, has comfortable seating along with nice touch plastics and fabrics, easy reach soft touch buttons, well weighted power steering and a raft of standard equipment.

The car is great around town, with the start & Stop system helping to save a few pennies on fuel, and at motorway speeds, you can cruise along at 70mph and have a conversation with your passengers without having to raise your voice.

The glass area makes for a brilliant all around view, with the addition of the panoramic sunroof, with multi position cover, means you can position the cover where you want it, to block out sunlight or have it right open to allow a very light and airy interior.

Yes you could buy a Golf or a Focus, a Megane or Astra or maybe the sister brands 308, but with a little checking online, you will see that you can locate the C4 with thousands of pounds off retail, bringing the asking price down to a really ow level..

Citroen announces pricing and Specs for the new updated C4 Picasso and Grand Picasso.

New Citroën C4 Picasso and New Grand C4 Picasso are on sale from 1 September, bringing even more style and comfort to the MPV segment leader.

• New C4 Picasso range boasts a distinctively Citroën front end, new lighting surrounds and 3D effect rear lights
• The class-leading interior space offers greater personalisation possibilities, with four interior  ambiances and three new trim levels: Touch Edition, Feel and Flair
• Latest generation connectivity with upgraded touch screen  Citroën Connect Nav and new intuitive technologies including a Hands-Free Tailgate
• Two new petrol engines: PureTech 130 S&S EAT6 automatic and a PureTech 110 S&S 6-speed manual offering better fuel economy, and CO₂ emissions plus a uniquely pleasurable driving experience
• Priced from £19,635 OTR for New C4 Picasso and £21,935 OTR for New Grand C4 Picasso

New C4 Picasso and New Grand C4 Picasso will be on sale in the UK from 1 September, with prices starting from £19,635 ORT and £21,935 OTR respectively.

With 19,700 C4 Picassos and 25,700 Grand C4 Picassos registered in the UK since 2013, the latest generation 5-seat Citroën C4 Picasso and the larger 7-seat Grand C4 Picasso look to build on the success associated with this class leading MPV model.

 

 Available in three trim levels; Touch Edition, Feel and Flair, New C4 Picasso and Grand C4 Picasso both feature restyled exterior faces, a host of new interior trims, award winning engines, the latest generation connectivity and driver assistance technology.

Exterior

New C4 Picasso and New Grand C4 Picasso share a more dynamic front end, keeping the three-tiered light signature at the front, which is synonymous with Citroën’s contemporary design language. The daytime running lights are intensified with a chrome trim, whilst the wider, lower front bumper and gloss black central moulding gives both cars a stylish, yet more purposeful look.

New 3D-effect rear lights come as standard across the range whilst new rear chevrons, finished in gloss black with chrome surround, give a more modern look. Two new body paint colours are available to refresh the colour palette; Lazuli Blue and Soft Sand.

Other changes on the New C4 Picasso include the Mamba 17-inch diamond-finish alloy wheels standard on the Feel trim level, whilst New Grand C4 Picasso features new integrated roof bars and Aluminium side profile on the Flair trim level.

Interior

New C4 Picasso and New Grand C4 Picasso offer several different interiors including a new standard trim on the Feel version and option on the Touch Edition.

Trims	Touch Edition	Feel	Flair
Slate Grey and Black 'Milazzo' cloth with Functional ambience	●
Levanzo Blue cloth upholstery with Wild Blue ambience	O	●
Yatago Grey cloth upholstery with Dune Grey ambience	O	O
Slate Grey half leather with Black Ondulice cloth with Hype Grey		O	●
Amber/Black full "Nappa" leather with Dune Grey ambience			O

Latest Generation Connectivity

New C4 Picasso range features an upgraded 3D Citroën Connect Nav system, which adopts capacitive touch screen technology for the first time, and enables taps and gestures to be more responsive. It also recognises multiple contact points, allowing for a wider range of gestures (e.g. pinch zoom). TomTom mapping data provides real-time traffic information and alternative route suggestions as well as local weather forecasts, display of car parks and petrol stations with prices and local point-of-interest searches via the Internet. For simplicity and safety, voice recognition is now available for interaction with the navigation, telephone and media functions.

All New C4 Picasso and Grand C4 Picasso versions will be equipped with the USB-connected Mirror Screen functionality, comprising Apple CarPlay™ and MirrorLink® for Android phones. Mirror Screen brings drivers a smarter, safer and more enjoyable way of experiencing all the personalised features of their smartphone and compatible apps (Parkopedia, Fuel, Weather Crave and RockScout) on the car’s 7-inch touchscreen or via voice control.

New PureTech Engines

From launch, two new petrol powertrains will be available, alongside the PureTech 130 S&S 6 speed manual, awarded “2016 Engine of the Year” for the second consecutive year.

The PureTech 130 S&S EAT6 automatic will be available on the Feel and Flair versions, whilst the PureTech 110 S&S 6 speed manual will be available on the New C4 Picasso Touch edition.

Driver Assistance Packs

Two new optional driver assistance packages are available, which introduce Citroën first active safety systems such as Active Lane Departure Warning and Active Blind Spot Monitoring.

Driver Assistance Pack One contains: active lane departure warning system, active blind spot monitoring system, speed limit recognition, intelligent beam headlights and driver attention alert. Driver Assistance Pack Two includes all of the above as well as active radar guided cruise control.

Owners will also benefit from hands-free tailgate technology on New C4 Picasso and New Grand C4 Picasso Flair, allowing the boot to open by simply waving a foot under the rear bumper.

On sale in the UK from 1 September, prices for New Citroën C4 Picasso start from £19,635 and from £21,935 for New Grand C4 Picasso.

CODES AND PRICING

New Citroën C4 Picasso

Edition	Engine	CO2 (g/km)	On the Road MRRP (£)
Touch Edition	PureTech 110 S&S 6-speed manual	115	19,635.00
	PureTech 130 S&S 6-speed manual	115	20,235.00
	BlueHDi 100 S&S manual	99	20,690.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S 6-speed manual	100	21,450.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S EAT6 Auto	100	22,800.00
Feel	PureTech 130 S&S 6-speed manual	116	21,535.00
	PureTech 130 S&S EAT6 Auto	115	22,885.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S 6-speed manual	100	22,750.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S EAT6 Auto	101	24,100.00
	BlueHDi 150 S&S 6-speed manual	107	23,950.00
	BlueHDi 150 S&S EAT6 Auto	112	25,300.00
Flair	PureTech 130 S&S 6-speed manual	116	23,895.00
	PureTech 130 S&S EAT6 Auto	115	25,245.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S 6-speed manual	100	25,110.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S EAT6 Auto	101	26,460.00
	BlueHDi 150 S&S 6-speed manual	107	26,310.00
	BlueHDi 150 S&S EAT6 Auto	112	27,660.00

New Citroën Grand C4 Picasso

Edition	Engine	CO2 (g/km)	On the Road MRRP (£)
Touch Edition	PureTech 130 S&S 6-speed manual	115	21,935.00
	BlueHDi 100 S&S manual	99	22,390.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S 6-speed manual	105	23,150.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S EAT6 Auto	103	24,500.00
Feel	PureTech 130 S&S 6-speed manual	116	23,235.00
	PureTech 130 S&S EAT6 Auto	115	24,585.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S 6-speed manual	106	24,450.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S EAT6 Auto	105	25,800.00
	BlueHDi 150 S&S 6-speed manual	107	25,650.00
	BlueHDi 150 S&S EAT6 Auto	112	27,000.00
Flair	PureTech 130 S&S 6-speed manual	116	25,595.00
	PureTech 130 S&S EAT6 Auto	115	26,945.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S 6-speed manual	106	26,810.00
	BlueHDi 120 S&S EAT6 Auto	105	28,160.00
	BlueHDi 150 S&S 6-speed manual	111	28,010.00
	BlueHDi 150 S&S EAT6 Auto	115	29,360.00