Citroën is revealing a new-look C3 Picasso at the Paris Motor Show, painted in colours suggesting purity. This show car confirms the newcomer’s environmental prowess with latest-generation Stop & Start technology and a six-speed electronic gearbox system that reduce CO2 emissions to just 110 g/km, underscoring Citroën’s commitment to developing this technology. 

Citroën’s latest arrival, the C3 Picasso, boasts particularly impressive environmental credentials with some of the lowest CO2 emissions in its category. So it seems logical that the new-generation Stop & Start system be showcased on a C3 Picasso show car, painted in pearlescent white and orange and based on the theme of purity.

Citroën was one of the first brands to market Stop & Start technology, on the C2 and C3. This system cuts out the engine just before the vehicle comes to a halt (at red lights and stop signs, for example) and then brings the engine smoothly back to life as soon as the brake pedal is released. Stop & Start technology reduces fuel consumption and also improves acoustic comfort for all passengers.

The Marque is introducing a new-generation Stop & Start system in 2010, one that will be fitted widely across its range on petrol and diesel models. The new micro-hybrid system will retain the alternator-starter set-up, which provides the quickest and smoothest engine restarts, and bring further cuts – of around 15% – in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

To improve performance, new-generation Stop & Start will also recover energy during braking and deceleration to recharge the vehicle battery without consuming fuel.

Fitted with second-generation Stop & Start and Citroën’s six-speed electronic gearbox, the C3 Picasso show car boasts impressive fuel consumption and emissions figures, with just 110 g/km of CO2 and 4.2 l/100 km over a combined cycle.