Frankfurt 2009: Citroen REVOLTe is... exactly that
Citroen REVOLTe – Click above for high-res image gallery
Between storming the Bastille and a national rejection of the Venus razor, the French certainly know the meaning of the word "revolt". Interesting, then, that Citroen knowingly used the word – albeit Francofied with a superfluous E for its hybrid electric drivetrain – for its latest concept car.
The REVOLTe concept is a throwback to the 2CV of yore, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year. But while the Tata Nano might carry the flame of the bare-bones four-wheeled transport today, the REVOLTe simply borrows the basic shape of its forbearer and gives it a modern twist. That bit comes courtesy of an unspecified "small-capacity conventional combustion engine combined with an electric motor and a battery re-charging function." Measuring just twelve feet long, the REVOLTe seats three – one offset up front and two in the back – accessed by suicide doors. We could go on, but Citroen has waxed poetic enough in its press release after the jump, so we'll let them pontificate and have you skip straight to the photos below.
Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Citroen REVOLTe
Gallery: Citroen Revolte concept
PRESS RELEASE:
REVOLTE: Luxury, ecology and a touch of cheek!
Citroën is once more proving its credentials as a bold forward-looking brand with the concept car REVOLTE, an ultra-chic city car combining luxury with a touch of cheek.
A compact city car, REVOLTE sidesteps the difficulties of dense urban traffic with a totally new approach to small car design. This bold, chic car opts for luxury with a touch of cheek, technology and glamour, power and verve.
With its iridescent, glossy colours, silky smooth textiles, and subtle, sophisticated materials, REVOLTE places passengers in a feminine, cosmetic setting, of bold and elegant design.
Spirited and lively, REVOLTE also has an eye on the future with its rechargeable hybrid drivetrain. This ecologically sound technology makes maximum use of electric mode and also contributes to the concept car's agility.
Gloom, conformism and dullness are just not in REVOLTE's vocabulary. Its personality and qualities lend colour to the city and to the world of luxury.
More broadly, REVOLTE reflects a concern with topical issues. Increasing urbanisation, new means of communication and the growing variety of mobility solutions show that we can expect the use of small cars to develop considerably. Mirroring changing social trends and lifestyles, small cars are taking on a new status and expanding their scope of action. Whether as economical cars, second cars, liaison vehicles or fashion accessories, small cars are attention-pullers that dare to be different. They offer particularly fertile ground for progress in automotive technology.
Citroën has long been a key player in the segment of small cars and has made them a preferred medium of expression. The latest events at the Marque are once more turning the spotlight on the small-car segment, with the launches of the new C3 and DS3.
REVOLTE, superbly transgressive, clearly distinctive
With its forceful lines and compact dimensions, REVOLTE could simply content itself with being a conventional small urban vehicle. Living up to its name, however, REVOLTE has set its sights higher. This concept car takes a highly contemporary approach. It shares some of the characteristics of executive vehicles but, at the same time, it transgresses the codes of the luxury world as we know them to include references that are far removed from those usually associated with cars.
Far more than just a small, functional vehicle, REVOLTE is a high-spirited performer. Its character is illustrated by its size (3.68 m long, 1.73 m wide and 1.35 m tall), and also by its bodywork which shuns the strict, austere codes of conventional luxury to drape itself in an intense and radiant shade of violent.
A low-set vehicle sitting squarely on its four wheels, REVOLTE makes light work of urban driving. An impression confirmed by its proportions.
With its strongly marked wheel arches, curving bonnet, and sculpted sides matching the line of the roof, REVOLTE is sleekly muscled and ready to pounce.
The rear-hinged doors provide easy access to the cabin, revealing a multicoloured interior that resembles a box of make-up. This unusual idea of associating bright colours with luxury styling reflects Citroën's bold creativity. Like the Hypnos concept car before it, REVOLTE reflects efforts to modernise the traditional notions of luxury.
The main materials featured in the cabin are: woven black leather, thick crimson velvet and gleaming aluminium. Out go conventional materials such as wood, and conventional colours. The onboard ambience of REVOLTE aims for a bold but luxurious feel.
REVOLTE also dares a three-seater cabin design, designed to resemble a lounge with seats similar to those found in home furnishings.
The passenger area includes a meridian sofa of contemporary design whose flowing lines cover the entire rear area of REVOLTE as well as the space usually reserved for the front passenger. The passenger sitting in this last space can stretch out his or her legs and enjoy the sensations offered by the cosy, luxurious ambience.
It is also possible to install a rearward-facing childseat.
REVOLTE thus boasts an architecture never before seen on this type of vehicle, with original and distinctive forms.
REVOLTE: intelligent technology in action
REVOLTE's approach to innovation reflects its standpoint on luxury. The two are clearly indissociable. It is difficult to see whether the luxury of the vehicle inspired its high-tech content or if the technology is a medium for the luxurious design. REVOLTE immediately subjugates onlookers. Inside, technology and luxury form an ideal match, as illustrated by the following:
- the tactile screen of REVOLTE is encased in a crystal beam. The superbly crafted deep red crystals literally project the tactile screen into the cabin for an eloquent and original effect. This is not their only function, since they also serve to recycle air on board REVOLTE, like a respiratory system;
- chic and elegant, the rear bench of REVOLTE is not only a brilliant demonstration of style. It also houses the concept car's electric batteries. This clever stowage solution improves the look of the cabin as a whole;
- on the outside, the bonnet of the car is covered in photovoltaic cells carrying out the electric functions linked to onboard comfort, including when the vehicle is stationary. This makes it unnecessary to use the resources of the electric batteries;
- at the front of REVOLTE, the observer's eye is drawn to a curved glass shape underlining the generous lines of the grille. The backlit translucent bottom of the glass brings out the chevrons to original effect, subtly identifying the concept car as a Citroën vehicle.
The powertrain of REVOLTE also shares the concept car philosophy, in terms of technology, sophistication and ecology.
REVOLTE, a modern activist
The powertrain of REVOLTE shatters the view traditionally associating "small" with "basic". The contemporary, sophisticated character of REVOLTE is also reflected in its powertrain, which has the future clearly in its sights.
Striking a distinctive note in the automotive industry's ongoing quest for "all-electric" solutions, REVOLTE features a solution that is both exciting and credible: a rechargeable hybrid drivetrain.
The characteristics and features of the drivetrain are as follows:
- a small-capacity conventional combustion engine combined with an electric motor, both able to drive the wheels;
- the ability to run in all-electric ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) mode, i.e. without emissions;
- a battery recharging function that supplies the electric motor.
This rechargeable hybrid drivetrain places the emphasis on "all-electric" running. As well as producing no CO2 emissions, this mode delivers a quiet ride with a high level of driving comfort.
Even with this drive system, REVOLTE is not about to give in to boredom and indolence. Although we need not go into detail about its high top speed, this concept car is a lively performer with strong acceleration. REVOLTE respects the ecological constraints of urban driving in every way while also delivering an agile and spirited ride.
REVOLTE turns conventions on their head!
Citroën decided to take a bold approach to revolutionising the conventional image of small cars. The modern character of REVOLTE is therefore expressed through provocative styling inspired by one of its most illustrious ancestors: the 2CV. What car better embodies the small vehicle concept than that motoring icon, the 2CV?
Adopting a heretic stance, REVOLTE reviews all the codes of the 2CV, systematically transforming all the values that made the 2CV the myth it remains today.
the 2CV was plain and neutral, REVOLTE is luxurious and colourful;
the 2CV was basic and simple, REVOLTE is intelligent and high-tech;
the 2CV was slow and bouncy, REVOLTE is lively and spirited.
In this way, REVOLTE expresses the creativity and dynamic vitality of Citroën, a brand in touch with its past but continuously in search of progress.
Citroën is currently celebrating 90 years of automotive success, technology and innovation that will serve as sources of study and inspiration for the decades to come.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
RachelKat 12:36PM (9/16/2009)
Sounds like great technology, but that front chassis is, how you say, le suck: a cross between Divine in Pink Flamingos and the Carcinopunk noise in The World Ends With You
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Tim 1:07PM (9/16/2009)
How very French.
It belongs in GAY Paris or in Chicago carrying a pimp or one of their union-mafia backed corrupt politicians.
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Matt 1:44PM (9/16/2009)
OMG :(
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Throwback 2:35PM (9/16/2009)
Even the Chinese design better looking cars than the French. It's a shame, many French pre-war cars where stunning.
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Alan 3:52PM (9/16/2009)
Actually I think the French production cars these days are pretty nice, usually a bit out there to be interesting but not too much. However I'd never buy a French car, my other half had two Peugeots and they both had issues at a fairly young age. The build quality might appear to be ok, but mechanically they're not built to last and they're expensive to repair in our experience.
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matte 6:18AM (9/17/2009)
agree, a friend of min had a renault (i think it was atleast) that had 90 000km (55-60k miles). When handing the car in to a mechanic, the latter was genuinely surprised of how far the car had gone... The car had loads of problems having gone 'so far' though... as where a german or swedish car would just barely be braking the 'new car'-feeling
shlompsen 5:07PM (9/16/2009)
"..national rejection of the Venus razor"
I'm assuming this means French women don't shave. Is that really a stereotype, like Jewish people being clannish, cheap and shrewd in business, and all that?
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Abri 10:27PM (9/17/2009)
""..national rejection of the Venus razor"
I'm assuming this means French women don't shave. Is that really a stereotype, like Jewish people being clannish, cheap and shrewd in business, and all that?"
The American folks made it up because they hate France. It's in fact absurd, France is the world capital of good looks, cosmetics, perfumes, and French women certainly do shave!
Southern Italy is a different story, however..........
mike 6:42PM (9/16/2009)
Actually, If you take away the garish paint color and the whack-a-doodle interior the car itself is very, very nice I think.
I would be interested to see a more production ready leaning of this.
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Chris M 7:15PM (9/16/2009)
This is a concept that will never be produced. Any concept that has certain characteristics won't go into production, and this one has suicide doors and an odd steering wheel and a garish color scheme and weird headlights.
tina juarez 8:25PM (9/22/2009)
I don't get it. The Citreon shown at a recent EV show & tell looked totally appropriate as did the pinafarina car and surprize Fiat, not the fiat toy NEV. Of course they seemed to be equally unobtainium thought several delivery companies in Paris have been using really nice and decently priced EV truck for the lqst two years.... I am an hours drive from Monaco but the Venturi Fetish seems to be vaporware as even a promised return call never happened and no one answered the phone for the rest of the week...Were they all at Frankfort ????
The E.U. seems as bogus as the U.S.A. outside of one-offs from home garages.
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