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Roadtest: Lounging around
For a company with a pretty impressive motorsport record, Citroën has filtered very little of its fast and furious side into its road cars.
The French company's road car emphasis is, on the whole, solidly focused on space, comfort and an increasing use of high technology.
Outrageous body kit, spoilers and hugely-powerful engines do not form the backbone of the Citroën pitch to buyers.
So it is something of a surprise to see a C4 Picasso - a happy-go-lucky, family-friendly vehicle if ever there was one - positively growling at you across the car park.
Eighteen-inch 'Krakatoa' chrome wheels, a mesh grille, tinted 'superstar' glass and a rear spoiler make it clear that this is no ordinary compact people carrier.
Created exclusively for the UK market, the C4 Picasso Lounge has been devised for people who want luxury travel, and are not too concerned about the cost.
The sleek exterior is more than matched by the luxurious interior.
Full black leather upholstery for the four large individual armchair-style seats and a vast panoramic sunroof ensure the Lounge stands out.
The individual chairs, complete with adjustable head and armrests, offer maximum space and comfort for everyone on board.
Powering this leather-lined cocoon of comfort is a 138 horsepower, turbo-diesel 2.0 HDi engine, linked to a six-speed automatic gearbox.
The car is even quieter than before, with laminated windows to reduce road noise and a Philips-designed sound system with flat-panel speaker technology.
At night, the interior is alive with adjustable lighting. The main dashboard display glows blue, the air conditioning system is illuminated in orange, and a grey panel on the dash delivers messages on everything from whether the automatic headlights and rain-sensitive wiper systems are operating, to whether there is a risk of ice. There are also LEDs in the door handles, reading lights for rear passengers and 'adjustable mood lighting strips' in the front console and door panels.
As you might expect, Citroën has thrown all the toys at this model, so you get cruise control, speed limiter, front and rear parking sensors and automatic digital air conditioning, but no satellite-navigation system.
Even with the high level of equipment, the Lounge is likely to be a very exclusive vehicle. With recommended prices for the C4 Picasso range starting below £15,000, there are unlikely to be many folk willing to spend another £9,000, even for this level of pampering.
Auto facts Citroën C4 Picasso Lounge
Price: £23,995
Ins group: 9E
Fuel consumption (Combined): 38.2mpg
Top speed: 118mph
Length: 447cm/176in
Width: 183cm/72in
Luggage capacity: 17.6 cu ft
Fuel tank capacity: 13.2 gallons/60 litres
CO2 emissions: 195g/km
Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles
6:06am Friday 2nd May 2008
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