Stellantis Group company Citroen has begun the commercial production of the C5 Aircross SUV - the brand's first offering for India - at its manufacturing facility in Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu. The new Citroen C5 Aircross comes to India as a Completely Knocked Down Kit (CKD) and is being locally-assembled for the Indian market. The automaker says that the start of production began after the SUV was rigorously tested for over 2.5 lakh kilometres across different terrains and weather conditions across India.
Also Read: Citroen C5 Aircross Compact SUV Set For India Debut On February 1, 2021
(L-R) Eric Apode, Sr. VP Stellantis & Raj Kalyanarajan, Sr. Dr - Manufacturing, PCA India with the new C5 Aircross
Commenting on production rollout, Emmanuel Delay, Executive Vice President, Stellantis & Chairman, PCA Automobile India & PSA AVTEC Powertrain said, "We are excited to officially rollout the first Citroen C5 Aircross SUV, which will be the first of many differentiating products for India from the brand. There is lot of market anticipation for the new Citroen C5 Aircross SUV, which will set a benchmark in style, comfort and innovation in its segment in India. I would like to congratulate all our employees at the plants who have worked tirelessly to achieve this key milestone despite the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic. We are looking forward to welcoming the customers to the La Maison Citroën dealership network, which means 'the home of Citroen' in a few weeks from now, across key cities of India."
Also Read: Citroen To Launch One New Model In India Every Year
The new Citroen C5 Aircross will be the brand's halo offering for now and will compete in the same space as the Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Compass facelift and the likes. The model gets a quirky design language that sets it apart from most offerings on our roads, while the focus of the brand is to offer comfort to the customers. In fact, Citroen follows the "unique comfort" signature element across all its cars and markets, which sets it apart from the rivals.
The Citroen C5 Aircross will come to India via the Completely Knocked Down (CKD
On the Citroen C5 Aircross, you can expect to feel the flying carpet effect that makes for a supple ride quality that comes from the Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension system developed by the automaker. The cabin is cocooned for enhanced comfort with an acoustic windscreen and front window glasses, more comfortable seats with memory foam and three individually adjustable, reclining and modular rear seats that fold flat too.
The SUV will also come with a panoramic sunroof on the top-end variant, apart from features like the Grip Control System that offers better traction on different terrains. There are a bunch of active and passive safety systems including Blind Spot Monitoring, Park Assist, foot-operated electric tailgate, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a host of other features.
Also Read: Citroen To Open 10 Showrooms In 10 Cities Ahead Of C5 AirCross Launch
Prices are expected to be around Rs. 25 lakh (ex-showroom) for the new C5 Aircross
The Citroen C5 Aircross is likely to the 2.0-litre diesel engine that will develop about 177 bhp and 400 Nm of peak torque, while paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The new SUV will make its India debut on February 1, 2021, and that's when we expect the automaker to announce more details about the launch. Meanwhile, the company has opened its first showroom in Ahmedabad in India, and plans to open 10 dealerships in 10 cities ahead of the launch.
