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CITROËN
C5 BY CARLSSON
DISTINCTION,PERFORMANCE AND EXACTING STANDARDS
At
the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, Citroën is presenting
the C5 by Carlsson
in its definitive form. This car, which will be sold
through the German
network from this autumn, is the result of a
cooperation project with
Carlsson, Germany’s renowned tuning firm. The
prototype unveiled at the
2001 Frankfurt Motor Show marked the first phase in
this cooperation,
which could be extended to other projects in the
future.
The
Citroën C5 by Carlsson is designed for motoring
enthusiasts of exacting
standards, who are looking for a car that sets them
apart from the
crowd – and also from the many other tuned vehicles
that tend to be
produced by the same brands. The C5 by Carlsson
continues the tradition
of great Citroën vehicles that have always enjoyed the
favours of an
elite group of connoisseurs in Germany. People who
place a premium on
advanced technology and original styling. These cars
always set the
driver apart. The choice of vehicle expresses the
taste and
connoisseurship of its owner.
Like
past great Citroëns of just renown, the C5 by Carlsson
is a comfortable
tourer and a champion of long journeys on the
motorway. However, it
also boasts an additional quality. The technical
modifications made to
the suspension, engine and steering give the car an
agility and a level
of performance that make you forget its weight.
A
sporty tourer in the guise of an estate, with a smooth
yet aggressive
demeanour, the C5 by Carlsson nevertheless maintains
the legendary
comfort of a Citroën car.
The
good taste and discernment of the connoisseur are also
reflected in the
discreet external modifications that have turned the
C5 V6 estate into
a C5 by Carlsson. Looking at the car from the front,
the observer’s eye
is drawn by the bumper with its additional built-in
lights and the wide
air intake with its grille of metal crosspieces.
The
side profile takes on a more streamlined,
sophisticated air with
colour-coded lower body parts. The roof bars are also
colour-coded,
while the rearview mirror housings are painted black.
The 17-inch
satin-finish wheels with 225/45 tyres fill the wheel
arches and express
the dynamic qualities of the running gear. Viewing the
C5 by Carlsson
alongside a normal C5 Estate, the connoisseur will
immediately see that
the ground clearance is 15 mm lower at the front and
12 mm lower at the
rear.
At the rear of the
C5 by Carlsson, the look of the bumper reinforces the
impression of a
car with a strong on-road stance. But the feature that
immediately
catches the eye of those who enjoy a sporting drive is
the double
exhaust with its promise of driving thrills and its
tone that is
throaty yet pleasant to hear. A small discreet logo,
“C5 by Carlsson”,
identifies the author of the changes.
The
passenger compartment shares the same sporty yet
sophisticated air,
expressed a design of remarkable quality. The seat
upholstery is in
Carlsson black and blue leather, with a Carlsson logo
embossed on the
front headrests. The facing of the door inner panel
sports a luxurious
trim in the same high-quality blue leather. On the
dashboard, a blue
carbon cubic decor echoes the colour of the seats.
NEW DRIVING SENSATIONS
The
C5 by Carlsson brings all the driver’s senses into
play. The C5’s
excellent road manners, typical of a Citroën car, are
combined with an
agility and a level of performance that give rise to
new sensations. A
sporty and original drive, the C5 by Carlsson
nevertheless remains
eminently smooth and easy to handle at all times. This
objective was
the guiding criterion for the modifications made to
the engine,
automatic gearbox, running gear and steering.
In
modern traffic conditions, sheer power no longer
suffices as a
guarantee of driving pleasure. But in a car such as
this, with its
excellent response at all speeds and its spontaneous
reaction to
pressure on the accelerator pedal, the driver can take
advantage of
every opportunity to regain a sense of sheer driving
enjoyment. For
this reason, the changes made by Carlsson to the
engine primarily
concerned an increase in engine torque and
driveability.
The
modifications made to the intake, air filter and
engine control
software endow the 3-litre V6 with more torque and
more power at low
engine speeds. The final touch is provided by the
specially designed
exhaust whose distinctive and agreeably throaty sound
is pleasant on
the ear. And since the connoisseur who buys a C5 by
Carlsson would
prefer to lift the bonnet out of desire rather than
necessity, the
underbonnnet layout has been made more visually
attractive. However,
the changes have no impact on reliability.
The figures at a glance:
C5 by CARLSSON C5 3.0 V6 Automatic
Max power / speed 173 kW (235 bhp DIN) at 5,900 rpm
152 kW (210 bhp DIN) at 6,000 rpm
Max torque / speed 320 Nm at 3,650 rpm 285 Nm at 3,750
rpm
Top speed 235 km/h 226 km/h 0-100 km/h 8.9 sec. 10.6
sec.
The transmission has been adapted to the sporting
character of the car
and the modified torque curve through a number of well
targeted changes
to the software controlling the ZF four-speed
automatic gearbox. The
speedy response of the gearbox underpins the swift
reaction to driver
input on the C5 by Carlsson.
However, the most striking feature concerns the
changes made to the
suspension. Unlike on a conventional suspension
system, the underslung
design relies on changes to the control software
rather than on the
addition of modified parts, and it has no great impact
on vertical
comfort. The C5 Carlsson is slightly stiffer, but this
can be
attributed to the tuning of the suspension system,
adapted to suit
sporty handling while maintaining the comfort
typically provided by a
Citroën over long distances.
Compared with a normal C5 V6, however, the C5 by
Carlsson undergoes a
transformation on mixed city/motorway journeys and on
country roads.
The new tuning of the suspension and the extraordinary
grip of the wide
low-profile tyres gives the car surprising agility.
The weight of the
vehicle is hardly felt. Thanks to the new
power-steering control
software, the C5 by Carlsson boasts the response of a
sports car when
it takes a series of bends.
This Citroën for connoisseurs will be available from
Citroën dealers as
a limited series in the coming years. In the first
instance, it will be
sold in Germany only. The fully equipped cars will be
produced in the
body colours Obsidien Black, Orageux Grey and Alu Grey
and will be
converted by Carlsson at Merzig.And if the car is
successful, it could
be followed by other Citroëns aimed at motoring
connoisseurs and
enthusiasts…
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