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22 May 2003: The Citroen Pluriel will cost E21,000 and E23,500 when the two versions arrive in Irish Citroen showrooms in June.

The more expensive version will have a 1.6-litre engine with Sensodrive transmission, a mix already familiar in the C3 hatchback on whose platform the multi-format Pluriel is based.

Longer and taller than the C3, with which it doesn't share any body panels, the Pluriel can be a funky pickup, cabriolet, spider or saloon depending on what is the humour of the owner, or his/her needs or the weather.

The Pluriel, which was the Paris Motor Show 2002's 'Cabriolet of the Year', has a fully-retractible electric roof, demountable roof arch supports, electric mirrors and windows, and CD player. At the safety level it also has ABS with EBD, four airbags, and a strengthened structure that allows it retain a torsional stiffness close to that of its C3 sibling in any of its formats.

The designers emphasise that the Pluriel is a car 'for everyday use', and have not identified any particular segment in the car-buying demographic as a target market.

"Anyone is a potential customer," we were told at last night's European launch for Irish motoring journalists in Malaga. "It is for people who need a saloon for their everyday use, but would like to have one or two or more other cars in their driveway for other times."

The emphasis was also made that the Pluriel, though it has some sporty characteristics, 'is not designed as a sporty vehicle, but as a leisure vehicle'. A brief drive yesterday showed a car that is compose, fun, and a real attention-getter.

In the Irish market it will compete with the Ford StreetKa, though it is priced more competitively and its flexibility in use is likely to attract a wider buyer range than the StreetKa, whose sales will also be limited through restricted supply.

Citroen plan to build 75,000 units a year of the new car, which is the second variant on the C3 platform. The third, the C2 replacement for the Saxo (pictured below in a surprise reveal at Malaga last night), will be available in Ireland in time for the January buying period of 2004.

The C3 sold 180,000 copies in its first year.

	May 2003 - by Brian Byrne
Pluriel leisure car Irish prices announced 22 May 2003: The Citroen Pluriel will cost E21,000 and E23,500 when the two versions arrive in Irish Citroen showrooms in June. The more expensive version will have a 1.6-litre engine with Sensodrive transmission, a mix already familiar in the C3 hatchback on whose platform the multi-format Pluriel is based. Longer and taller than the C3, with which it doesn't share any body panels, the Pluriel can be a funky pickup, cabriolet, spider or saloon depending on what is the humour of the owner, or his/her needs or the weather. The Pluriel, which was the Paris Motor Show 2002's 'Cabriolet of the Year', has a fully-retractible electric roof, demountable roof arch supports, electric mirrors and windows, and CD player. At the safety level it also has ABS with EBD, four airbags, and a strengthened structure that allows it retain a torsional stiffness close to that of its C3 sibling in any of its formats. The designers emphasise that the Pluriel is a car 'for everyday use', and have not identified any particular segment in the car-buying demographic as a target market. "Anyone is a potential customer," we were told at last night's European launch for Irish motoring journalists in Malaga. "It is for people who need a saloon for their everyday use, but would like to have one or two or more other cars in their driveway for other times." The emphasis was also made that the Pluriel, though it has some sporty characteristics, 'is not designed as a sporty vehicle, but as a leisure vehicle'. A brief drive yesterday showed a car that is compose, fun, and a real attention-getter. In the Irish market it will compete with the Ford StreetKa, though it is priced more competitively and its flexibility in use is likely to attract a wider buyer range than the StreetKa, whose sales will also be limited through restricted supply. Citroen plan to build 75,000 units a year of the new car, which is the second variant on the C3 platform. The third, the C2 replacement for the Saxo (pictured below in a surprise reveal at Malaga last night), will be available in Ireland in time for the January buying period of 2004. The C3 sold 180,000 copies in its first year.
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