5 September 2002: Citroen will debut the C3 Pluriel at the 2002 Paris Motor Show at the end of this month, a car which can morph from a four-seater saloon into several other configurations. The car will go on sale in Ireland in 2003.

At the touch of a button the full length, full width sunroof of the C3 Pluriel Saloon can be opened to eight set positions, whilst the absence of centre pillars means that the four electric windows can be lowered to create an open sided vehicle – the C3 Pluriel Panoramic. The sunroof and rear window can then be neatly retracted under the boot floor to create an open top vehicle - the C3 Pluriel Cabriolet.

The C3 Pluriel’s side pillars can be simply removed in a matter of seconds, transforming it into the C3 Pluriel Spider. In its final guise, the boot lid of the C3 Pluriel can be opened downwards and the rear seats folded flat to create the C3 Pluriel Spider Pick-up, with a useful and flat space for loading and carrying long and awkward shaped objects.

The C3 Pluriel will feature a single trim level and a choice of two petrol engines, a 75hp 1.4i unit and a 110hp 1.6i 16V version, the latter equipped with Citroën’s acclaimed Formula 1 style paddle change ‘SensoDrive’® gearbox. Four airbags and seatbelts fitted with pretensioners and force limiters combine with a specially stiffened body shell, reinforced windscreen pillars plus strengthened seat backs and headrests to help the C3 Pluriel perform as well as a saloon in the event of an impact or rollover.