Citroën C4
The Citroën C4 is a car produced by Citroën, part of Stellantis. It was positioned to be the successor to the Citroën Xsara. The first generation production started in September 2004. For its first two generations, the C4 was a compact car/small family car, but it was redesigned as a subcompact crossover SUV for its third generation.
In June 2020, the third-generation C4 was released in the form of coupé SUV, abandoning the traditional C-segment hatchback/saloon body style.
First generation (B5; 2004)
Debut
To cope with the market, Citroën was dedicated and committed to building a new model that would appeal to many customers. At the Geneva Motor Show in 2004, a concept from the Citroën line's definitive made-bodied coupé revealed the willingness of the French company to employ it in competition. The car was finally unveiled at the 2004 Paris Motor Show, after being officially launched to retail on September 2, 2004. However, that version was a more domesticated hatchback coupé or five-door.Design
The C4's design was created by a team that included Donato Coco, Jean Pierre Ploué and Bertrand Rapatel. Building on the floor of its cousin, the Peugeot 307, the C4 was immediately made available in two body variants: five-door hatchback and three-door coupé. The front is common to both versions, with the grille formed from virtual extensions of the central crest. The saloon is much more rounded and features softer shapes, so they can boast a Cd of just 0.28, while the coupe is more angular, with a rear split into two parts, including lights.The rear window of the coupé is reminiscent of the older Honda CR-X from the early 1990s, as well as the last three-door Mazda 323C. These two versions of the C4 Picasso are more detached, taking over the grille of the saloon and coupe, but the cut of the headlamps are different, aesthetically combining corners and curves. The rear lights incorporate the design as in those of the saloon but were adapted to the different shape of the body. Internally, the dashboard features a central instrument panel that centralizes all heating and cooling controls, audio, and a satellite navigation screen. The instrument panel contains digital and analog displays of the speedometer, petrol levels, and other gauges. Lighting can be customized to change color from white to blue.
The revolution, however, is placed in canonical position, behind the wheel. The latter is multifunctional and characterized by having a fixed hub. The cabin is equipped with numerous storage compartments and the luggage compartment is regular in shape, with a capacity of 352 liters, increasing to 1,200 after lowering the rear seat backrest. The load threshold is quite high, hitting loads of heavy objects. There are laminated side windows and exterior mirrors, with a casing specially designed to prevent wind noise and improve the comfort inside.
The saloon version is manufactured in Argentina, where it is sold alongside the five-door and the imported three-door version. The C4 Saloon is exported from there to Brazil and Hungary as the C4 Pallas and to Spain, Turkey, and Greece as the C4 Sedan. A longer four-door saloon version with a different rear end is also built and sold in China as the Citroën C-Triomphe. A panel van based on the coupé bodyshell is available in some markets, including Ireland.
Technology
A major selling point of the C4 was its extensive use of technology. For example, the car features the "lane departure warning system", which alerts the driver if he or she crosses a road marking without using the turn signals; directional headlights; perfume dispenser integrated into the ventilation system; translucent dashboard; transparent glass roof; electronic stability program, and a fixed steering wheel hub, which lets the driver operate several functions of the car without removing their hands from the wheel.The fixed hub also allows for the first production use of a "shaped" driver airbag. Because the hub maintains a constant position, the airbag can be optimally shaped to spread the load across the greatest possible area of the driver's body in a collision, thus reducing the chances of serious injury. In addition, the car features an innovative centrally mounted translucent LCD speedometer display that remains clearly visible in all lighting conditions.
The car's in-car entertainment, integrated into the car's information system via VAN bus, is not Digital audio broadcasting ready. MP3 playback is supported by the entry level audio system and high-end audio, with double-layer sound-insulated windows and integrated navigation system available as extras. In September 2007, a USB box accessory was released to enable full iPod connectivity with the standard RD4 radio.
The C4 does not feature Citroën's Hydractive suspension, which is reserved for higher class models, such as the C5 and C6. The Picasso version can feature a pneumatic rear suspension. The C4 breaks with the past on other fronts, in particular by removing the rear autodirezionale solution, used up to that time on the Xsara and ZX. The suspension is the usual type MacPherson strut front suspension with coil springs, while the rear has interconnected wheels with torsion beam and torsion bars. The braking system includes ventilated discs on the front, and rear solid discs with ABS and ESP. The steering is rack and pinion with electro-hydraulic power steering.
2008 facelift
At the 2008 Moscow International Automobile Salon, Citroën presented a facelifted Citroën C4. Both hatchback and coupé were subject to a slight cosmetic makeover that involved the front end, which now sported a "mouth" and larger trapezoid shape. The grille was redesigned, making it slightly curved. There were also minor updates at the back. The redesign led to a slight lengthening of the car body, and was the occasion for more news: from the mechanical point of view was the arrival of the 1.6 Prince, with variable valve timing and aspiration, and turbocharged and direct injection, already mounted on the Peugeot 207 and 308, as well as the Mini. Ride comfort was improved, and the more simplified saloon and the coupe were offered for the same price. In addition, the diesel versions were available with Airdream pack, which allowed for slightly reduced emissions and consumption.C-Triomphe / C4 Pallas / C4 Sedan
The saloon version was introduced as the Citroën C-Triomphe, a mid-size saloon automobile produced from April 2006 for the Chinese market by Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile, a joint venture between the French PSA Group and the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng.This new model range was designed to supplement other Chinese models, such as the Fukang and the Elysée, rather than being a direct replacement.
In April 2007, Citroën announced that the four-door C4 would be built in Argentina. The Argentinian and Brazilian versions are sold as the C4 Pallas and C4 Sedan in some South American and European markets.
The car is a notchback saloon version of the European C4 model, since the Chinese market prefers traditional three-box saloons over hatchbacks. It did not keep the designation, however, because in Chinese, the number "4" is unlucky. The saloon is much larger than the hatchback: its length is over the hatchback's and its wheelbase measures against of the hatchback. This caused the C-Triomphe saloon to be classified in the large family car class. The C-Triomphe has a number of unique features, such as an integrated air freshener, which allows the driver to choose the scent of the interior.
C-Quatre
In 2009, in China, the C-Triomphe was accompanied by the Citroën C-Quatre, a smaller, cheaper, and more fashionably styled saloon version of the C4. A hatchback C-Quatre was also manufactured et sold locally. Late 2011, the hatchback got an offroad-looked variant called C4 Cross. In 2012, Citroën unveiled a new facelift version of the whole C-Quatre range at the Shanghai Motor Show.C4 saloon (BZ3; 2015)
In China, a saloon version simply called Citroën C4 was available from 2015 to 2019. The Citroen C4 was based on the original Citroen C-Quatre, with the same old platforms and the same wheelbase, and both cars also share the 1.6-liter base engine. Unlike the C-Quatre, the C4 was a failure in China, with 102,597 vehicles manufactured during its whole career. More 4-door C-Quatre were sold during the year 2012 alone.Picasso version
The C4 Picasso is the MPV version of the C4 range. It has been made available since 2006 in two versions: 5-seater C4 Picasso and 7-seater C4 Grand Picasso. The C4 Picasso received a facelift in 2010, with updated engine, headlights, and mechanics. The engine range is composed largely of the same version of the engine as used on the hatchback and coupé, plus the petrol 1.8, and was also available in bi-fuel in many markets.Advertising
The car's advanced technology was the focus of a well-known television advertising campaign showing the car transforming into a giant dancing Transformer, accompanied by the song "Jacques Your Body " by Les Rythmes Digitales. At the end of the sequence, the robot transforms back into a car, over the slogan "Alive With Technology". The dance moves were based on the concept of a Transformers break dance routine, developed from moves recorded by the agents from Justin Timberlake's choreographer Marty Kudelka. Although the advertisement was produced by a music group from Canada, and the scenery was downtown Vancouver, the car is not available in North America. The entire sequence and scenery were digitally created. Apple Shake was used to digitally generate visual effects. This commercial has since been credited to District 9 director Neill Blomkamp.The follow-up ad featured a similar transformer robot ice skating at high speed across a frozen lake, dodging around obstacles and executing a hockey stop in front of a group of engineers before transforming back into a car. It featured the song "Walking Away " by The Egg.
The third ad broadcasting shows a third transformer robot sprinting along a road, changing to car form and back to robot form during the run. It features the song "Hungarian Dances" by Brahms. It is not on the Citroën C4 website.
The fourth ad featuring yet another transforming robot is being aired in Europe for the revamped C4. The robot struts through town showing off, accompanied by a cover version of the Bee Gees song "Stayin' Alive" by MC Lita.
In July 2007, filming began in São Paulo, Brazil, for a commercial for South America, starring North American actor Kiefer Sutherland and Argentine actress Araceli González. One month early, a controversial advertisement announcing the collision of an asteroid with planet Earth, given the appearance of real news, was used in Brazil to promote the release of C4 Pallas, and there is an asteroid named 2 Pallas.
A video game titled Citroën C4 Robot was developed by Istanbul-based developer 2GEN Studio and released on April 21, 2008. It is a free racing advergame in which the player can either create an account and try to beat another player's record or can play offline.