It might be considered as a Mini Cooper S rival on this side of the pond, but in reality the Fiat is cheaper and was originally conceived for a different kind of clientele in its home market, people more likely to buy cars like the Toyota Aygo, VW Polo and Opel Corsa.

In order to help counter the 500′s success in Europe, French manufacturer PSA is looking to introduce an archrival from it’s Citroën brand, since currently, that automaker doesn’t have one (the bigger DS3, shown above, is the nearest thing it’s got).

As a result, a smaller DS1 model, which will sport a range of three-cylinder engines, is planned as a 500 fighter and could even spawn a performance oriented version with 130 hp or more, especially given the availability of the 500 Abarth.

Slated for an introduction at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March the new DS1  might just give the Fiat a run for its money. And if it does indeed offer a performance oriented version, there’s every indication that car could end up as a somewhat spiritual successor to the  early 1990s Citroën AX GT/GTi; a bantam of a hatchback that even today, is still known for it’s scrappy handling and fun to drive qualities.

[Source: World Car Fans]

As part of a $1.1 billion cost-cutting effort, PSA, the parent company of both Peugeot and Citroen, will shed 6,000 jobs in Europe, with 2,500 white collar jobs, 2,500 contract worker jobs and 1,000 blue collar jobs expected to be cut in 2012.

PSA claimed that their car-making operations would barely turn a profit in the coming year and that the company’s cash flow would be negative. ”The competitive environment has become more challenging due to pricing pressure, which has intensified in Europe since September, and the unfavorable impact on the country mix of the falloff in demand in southern Europe,” the company said in a statement released to Automotive News.

One bright spot for PSA was that sales outside of Europe have risen 41 percent, with China in particular acting as a bright spot for the company.

[Source: Automotive News]

In recent years, sales of Mitsubishi vehicles have been on a global decline. Some feared that this Japanese automaker could one day be forced to close its doors for good, if demand does not increase.

In recent years, Mitsubishi has been given a lifeline by the PSA group, which owns Peugeot and Citroen. Both of these French companies have made their own versions of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and the Outlander SUV.

Now is the turn of the Outlander Sport to put on some new clothes. For 2012, buyers in Europe will be able to pick up a Peugeot 4008 (pictured) or a Citroen C4 Aircross. Both these French models are identical to the Mitsubishi under the skin, but the skin is radically different, and also quite attractive.

Hopefully this continued partnership with the French will keep Mitsubishi afloat for a long time, so it can work on bringing us the next Evo model.

[Source: Car and Driver]

Gallery: Mitsubishi Outlander

It’s that time of the year again as Car of the Year begins the laborious task of whittling down new Car of the Year contenders for 2012.

A total of 59 journalists, representing automotive authorities across 23 European countries, have been recruited for the task of choosing top car. The number of journalists to represent each country is based on the relative size of the said country’s car market. Countries like Spain, Germany, Italy, and Great Britain have a well established market, and each will be represented by six journalists.

As for cars, only completely redesigned new models that have launched within the twelve months before the contest are counted. Each car must be available in at least five European countries and must have an expected sales volume no less than 5,000.

Categories considered include design, safety, performance, and price. This year, says the judging committee, technical innovation and value will be especially influential. What also makes Car of the Year unique is the absence of separate genres for its candidates. Rather than selecting the best of the compacts or the best trucks, vehicles with all sorts of engine size and body types will be vying for the same allotment of points.

Comparison testing of the vehicles will be performed in Sweden.

The following 35 candidates selected for the 2012 Car of the Year award include:

Continue Reading…

When it comes to bizarre concept cars, the Tokyo Auto Show might be the traditional winner, but when it comes to production time, often things end up looking like a Camry. Not so for those baguette-loving Frenchmen (and women). From Citroen, to Renault, to Peugeot, their production cars are plenty strange and the concepts that inspire them look straight out of science fiction.

Just back from the Frankfurt Auto Show, we’ve assembled a gallery of snap shots of some of the strange and very strange production and concept cars on display by French automakers there. Enjoy the originality, scratch your head or just have a good chuckle at the pictures below.

GALLERY: French Cars of the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show

French automaker Citroën has teamed up with award-winning fashion brand Gio-Goi to create some cool new kicks based on Citroën’s DS3 Racing supermini. The limited edition DSC Racing Shoes will kick your style into high gear.

These black and orange high-top shoes take its inspiration for the car’s interior, as well as its wheels and grille. They are made using black tumbled full grain leather, giving the shoes luxurious, soft feel. They also come with a soft leather lining, foam padded tongue and flexible rubberised sole, so it gives you optimal flexibility while you’re driving. Taking its cue from the car’s leather seats, the DS3 Racing Shoes feature a combination of black leather and black mesh on the collar, and its soles are patterned with the same curves found on the car’s alloy wheels and the grid pattern on the car’s grille. To finish off the look, Gio-Goi has added its branded lace-tips in a choice of two distinct colors.

“It’s the perfect partnership – both Gio-Goi and Citroën DS3 Racing are synonymous with the fast pace of urban life,” said Adam Ward, Footwear Designer for Gio-Goi. “The car’s unique lines, with the striking flashes of colour, hi-tech details and luxury comfort, have inspired me to create this stand-out premium shoe design.”

There will only be 100 pairs of the limited edition DS3 Racing Shoe available and will cost £120 (that’s about $190). If you want to snag a pair, you can order them through Gio-Goi’s website.

This is by far one of the most interesting concept cars in a very long time. Previewed ahead of its Frankfurt Auto Show debut, French automaker Citroen claims it is “designed to making travel meaningful again.” We have our doubts as to when travel stopped being meaningful, but it looks as if Citroen wants to add luxury, comfort and fun back into road trips. The Tubik is a “high-tech executive shuttle” and Citroen wants everyone to join in on a “shared, intelligent, connected and eco-friendly journey.”

Few details have been released on the concept car, but a huge collection of photos are available and in this case a picture is truly worth a thousand words. It’s clearly a very futuristic design and something we’d probably expect out of Hollywood. The designers at Citroen even went out of their way to show off all the variety of configurations they wish to integrate with the interior. We’re guessing we’ll see and hear more about the Tubik Concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

GALLERY: Citroen Tubik Concept

After years of Citroen dominating the World Rally Championship, Fiat is getting ready to challenge the French automaker’s dominance with their own entry, based on the Punto Abarth.

The Abarth has been racing in the International Rally Challenge and national rally championships with the Punto S200. The S2000 has done considerably well in a number of lower-tier motorsports campaigns, and a WRC campaign would mark the first time the Punto Abarth has competed in a high level race series.

If the Punto Abarth does compete, it  will likely be adapted to WRC specifications, which now closely mirrors the S2000 spec used in the IRC.

[Source: Autoblog]

Citroën was once the company bizarre enough to dabble in hydraulic suspensions, power steering, and swiveling headlights before anyone else. It’s good to see that legacy of damn-it-all innovation carry through to today, where the Gallic carbuilder has mounted the brakes in the passenger side.

Not on purpose, anyway. Turns out that the C3 Picasso is interesting enough to be sold in England, and upon its right-hand conversion, the brake hardware was left in the, uh, left side. If a passenger pushes down hard enough, he or she can actually stop the car, leading to side-splitting spousal sitcom shenanigans.

20,000 examples of the French breadbox are currently being recalled, and the company hasn’t seen any other examples of this practical joke issue in other British-converted vehicles. Remember: it’s not broken, it’s “quirky.” You know, like Amélie.

[Source: Autoblog]

A MINI Cooper S fitted with an experimental hybrid all-wheel drive system was spotted testing in winter climates, a surprise move for BMW, which has given no indication it was developing such a car.

Sharp-eyed readers will not the electric motor mounted between the rear wheels, as well as the “hybrid” stickers mounted on the vehicle. A traditional gas engine provides power to the front wheels.

Considering MINI has their All4 AWD system already, it could become superfluous if the hybrid AWD setup becomes a fixture during the 2013 revamp of MINI’s lineup. With BMW developing hybrid technology in collaboration with Peugeot and Citroen, the cost of such a system would be spread across a large number of models, and thus make it an affordable option for MINI cars.

[Source: Left Lane News]