Citroen describes the interior of its Cxperience hybrid concept car as “a haven of well-being where occupants can relax and decompress” on memory foam seats amid walnut wood trim and bright lemon yellow upholstery.
It’s all part of the carmaker’s Advanced Comfort programme, that includes hydraulic cushions in the suspension system and also focuses on filtering out external noise. The suspension set-up alone, says Citroen “significantly improves the filtration system regardless of the defects in the road.”
Cxperience will be unveiled at the Paris motor show next month and showcases future models from Citroen. It is 4.85m long, 2m wide, 1.37m tall and its short front and rear overhangs allow for a wheelbase of 3m. The Citroen C6 had a wheelbase of 2.9m.
Exterior highlights include adjustable air intakes on the front bumper, an aerodynamic concave rear window and rear-hinged ‘suicide’ doors for easy access. Cxperience features sharp arrow-like LED headlights that merge with the familiar chevron-formed grille. Additional LEDs fill the flanks.
Door-mounted cameras replace the exterior mirrors and send pictures to small digital screens on the inner door panels. Along with front and rear cameras, the driver gets a 360deg view around the car. The concept also features the ConnectedCAM camera, which records the road ahead.
The plug-in hybrid powertrain comprises a petrol engine delivering between 110kW and 150kW and an electric motor providing up to 80kW. Citroen claims an all-electric range of 60km. An eight-speed automatic transmission is sandwiched between the petrol engine and the electric motor, and a compact battery under the cabin delivers electric power to the rear axle.
But Cxperience’s party piece is the cabin. Inspired by “architecture, decoration and furnishings”, it’s a mix of clean design with premium materials and cutting-edge technology. A 19-inch, 16/3 format rectangular screen on the dashboard is the vehicle’s control center, grouping functions like air-conditioning, driving aids, navigation and media sources.
The split screen allows a front seat passenger to watch a film on two-thirds of the screen while the driver uses the remaining third for navigation. The rear passengers have access to a tablet that lets them adjust their seats, climate control and media playing.
The most interesting element is the entertainment system. Citroen provided each seat with its own set of speakers and microphones. This allows passengers to speak to each other without the intrusion of road noise, or tune into their own selection of music.