![]() No chance for boredom on this two-hour roadtrip. No longer simply avant-garde or whimsical, the C3 exhibits the importance placed upon technology in a modern Citroën modern design brief. Fonts from the gauge cluster to the head unit were modern, clear and coordinated across the cabin a feat that even the latest Toyotas have yet to achieve. The navitainment system offered clear and easy setup, with nothing particularly remarkable or offensive about the touch panel graphic interface. #hmCitroënC3 #hmCitroën #hmWorldTourĪ post shared by adam barrera on at 12:52pm PDTĭarting out of tunnels into sharp exits, I noticed that the C3 was still kitted with all the modern active safety conveniences: blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning and automatic braking debunk the idea that a manual must be analog. From the door panels to the headliner, the Airbump squircle repeats, tying exterior and interior together in a theme that could be seen in a concept car. High-impact accents and contrasting textures catch your eye, and in true French tradition, intricate stitching draws you in. Collectively, we've forgotten the richness of high-quality fabric. Somewhere between denim and tweed, fabulous gray fabric becomes the centerpiece of the Citroën C3. ![]() I marveled that Citroën engineers somehow still understood this elemental automotive truth, all but forgotten in the automatic CUVs teeming across the US. When an engine sharply reacts to your shoe, the satisfaction of a gear change increases all the more. Immediately, I noticed sharp throttle response at tip-in, all too rare in an era of lazy or efficiency-focused throttle-by-wire calibration. On we went, bravely into the middle lane and soon the left. Through a mechanical handshake, I knew I had a partner in this car. It didn’t matter I was in a foreign land and didn’t speak the language. As it turned out, being genuinely connected to the car through the transmission tamped down the geographic unfamiliarity. Merging onto the motorway, not yet aware of Switzerland’s ubiquitous and vicious speed cameras, the rhythm of gear changes became a familiar bridge to learning both the car and a new set of rules for the road. Behind the wheel of the C3, industry-standard ergonomics made it all the easier to adapt to new traffic signs captioned in a foreign language dotting roads as narrow as they were smooth. But as I settled in by knocking the knob left and right from neutral, every legend about Europe being the mecca of workaday hot hatches proved true.Īs I’ve traveled the world to trace the history of cars, I’ve always been struck by the cultural sameness across continents. Truthfully, any pint-sized high-style compact car from a marque unavailable in the US would have charmed me from the start. #hmcitroën #hmcitroënc3 #highmileageWorldTour #TMGPSĪ post shared by adam barrera on at 4:53pm PST More thoughts on the C3 coming Monday to the Journal. ![]() Remember the old Honda H22/H23 products with satisfyingly fat squares? Citroën may have used them as a benchmark here, right down to the bright trim that adds a bit of sparkle to what becomes a console centerpiece. Hertz Guy was wrong: this C3 was a stick. I glanced downward, and there it was: a palm-filling square knob imprinted with a shift pattern. A little too much switch torque, and then - a lurch!Įvidently, European safety regulations don’t mandate a clutch pedal interlock to start a car. And for the next thousand kilometers, this is actually my car. I took my helm and studied the chrome chevrons on the key.Īrrested in my steps, it finally hit me: yes, I’m actually in Europe. I surveyed the red dash bezel, traced the cloth seat cushion with a finger and inhaled the new car scent. #TMGPS #highmileageWorldTour #hmcitroën #hmcitroënc3Ī post shared by adam barrera on at 7:48pm PSTĪfter steeping for a moment, I popped the door to climb inside. That was, of course, before I found the surprise between the front seats. Seeing a brand-new Citroën in the metal blurred the line between real life and an exotic virtual garage.
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