On top of the spec for the regular VTR+ model, the C3 Picasso Code adds a ‘Look Pack’ featuring 17 ‘Clover’ alloy wheels, chrome bumper inserts, roof bars, black vent surrounds among other features. This adds to the standard spec for the VTR+ which already includes air conditioning, a Connecting Box (Bluetooth® system with USB socket), curtain airbags and cruise control with speed limiter.

There are four body colours to choose from – Polar White, Cherry Red, Belle Ile Blue and Thorium Grey.  The Polar White wheels are available with the Belle Ile Blue or Cherry Red body colours and add Polar White painted side rubbing strips and a white rear number plate surround with chrome detailing.  The Cherry Red alloy wheels are available with the Polar White or Thorium Grey body colours and bring Cherry Red painted side rubbing strips and a Cherry Red number plate surround with a chrome insert.

The new model’s refined and efficient diesel HDi 90 powerplant returns an impressive 61.4mpg on the combined cycle and is eligible for free VED in the first year thanks to its sub-120g/km CO₂ emissions.

The C3 Picasso Code special edition is ‘on sale’ now priced from £15,695, which is just £300 more than the HDi 90 manual VTR+ version on which it is based.

The shoot was part of an initiative by the ‘C-Forum’ Citroën fan club and plays on the aviation theme that inspired the design of DS5.

With pilot-style overhead switches inspired by plane cockpits, a head-up display and a roof divided into three light wells, the aviation design cues are clear to see. Having already claimed Top Gear Magazine’s ‘Family Car of the Year’ accolade in the publication’s 2011 awards, DS5 will be launched in the UK in March 2012.

Extra specification included in the new special editions include air conditioning, 16” ‘Valonga’ alloy wheels, front fog lights, white dashboard and white door mirrors, body colour door handles and chrome insert on lower front bumper.

Befitting the special edition names, the C3 Black comes in a stylish Obsidian Black body, whilst the C3 White stands out in Polar White. The C3 White is priced at just £11,990, £300 less than the outgoing 1.4i VT.

The C3 Black is priced at £12,430, which is £300 less than the 1.4i VT when specified with optional black paint.

The C3 Black and C3 White special editions have an official ‘on sale’ date of 1 January 2012.

From the New Year, the LEZ scheme charges will apply to; larger vans between 1,205kg unladen weight and up to 3,500kg gvw; minibuses of less than 5,000kg gvw; ambulances and motorcaravans, all registered before 1 January 2002, which do not meet Euro 3 emissions standards.  Registered keepers of vehicles potentially affected by the extension of the LEZ scheme will have received a letter from Transport for London (TfL) to notify them of the changes, which will prevent them from using their vehicles in the LEZ, unless they pay a charge of £100 per day. 

LCV operators affected by the changes could well be keen to change their vans in time to avoid incurring the fines, and that is where Citroen’s offers could come in handy.

Scott Michael, Citroën UK’s Commercial Vehicle Operations Manager, commented: “The award-winning Citroën LCV range is one of the greenest and cleanest available in the UK, with low CO₂ emissions from just 109g/km and exceptional fuel efficiency of up to 68.9 mpg.  The Citroën ‘Go Green & Clean Allowance’ is yet another practical demonstration of the brand’s affordable, environmental policy.  It provides a subsidy of up to £3,500 towards a new, low emission, fuel efficient Citroën LCV and plays an important part in supporting TfL’s London air quality improvement programme, while customers benefit from greater operational, financial and efficiency gains.”

The Citroën ‘Go Green & Clean Allowance’ of up to £3,500 towards a new Citroën LCV is available to any operator who can produce the above letter from TfL, referring to a vehicle that was registered before 1 January  2002 and which has a current Vehicle Excise Duty licence and an MOT.

The Citroën ‘Go Green & Clean Allowance’ will provide these operators with:

£1,750 ‘Go Green & Clean Allowance’ towards a new Nemo LCV

£2,500 ‘Go Green & Clean Allowance’ towards a new Berlingo LCV

£2,500 ‘Go Green & Clean Allowance’ towards a new Dispatch Combi

£3,500 ‘Go Green & Clean Allowance’ towards a new Dispatch LCV

£3,500 ‘Go Green & Clean Allowance’ towards a new Relay LCV

Citroën ‘Go Green & Clean Allowances’ are applicable to customer orders declared and registered by 31 March 2012.

The e-HDi Airdream micro-hybrid drivetrain incorporates the latest Euro 5 HDi 90 diesel engine, which develops 90hp @ 4,000rpm and a peak torque of 159lb.ft @ 1,500rpm.  This engine is equipped with Stop & Start technology, which uses a micro-hybrid starter/generator to restart the engine quickly and smoothly.  The system also benefits from regenerative braking to recover and store energy that would otherwise be lost when slowing down or braking.

The e-HDi Airdream Berlingo vans, which are priced from £12,795 MRB, are available as L1 625 X and LX or L2 750 X and LX models, and are available with a choice of either 5-speed manual or 6-speed automated manual EGS6 transmission – which provides the benefits of two pedal driving convenience.

Scott Michael, Citroën’s Commercial Vehicle Operations Manager said; "Citroën has developed its unique 5 Star Euro 5 LCV programme to maximise the environmental and productivity potential of its advanced HDi technology.  The e-HDi Airdream micro-hybrid drivetrain in the Euro 5 Berlingo LCV range will provide customers with even more cost saving and environmental advantages thanks to their improvement in combined cycle fuel economy by up to 19% and an amazing emissions reduction of up to 17.5%."

It will be the first time the UK public will get to see the new car, the latest to join Citroen’s upmarket DS line. Joining the DS3 supermini and DS4 coupe, the DS5 will take Citroen into the premium executive sector for the first time.

It will also be the first time the car maker has offered full hybrid diesel technology on a production car too, with the DS5 boasting emissions as low as 99g/km CO2. 

The DS5 will launch in the UK in the first quarter of 2012. More details are expected to released at a later date.

Starring Clarkson, Hammond, May and The Stig with a host of celebrities and special guests, Top Gear Live runs from 11-13 November at NEC Birmingham and 24-27 November at ExCeL London. For more information visit www.topgearlive.co.uk.

The special edition sporty model is featured in the new music video for Pixie Lott’s latest single called ‘What do you take me for’.

In the video, the triple-platinum selling singer-songwriter takes the DS3 Racing for a spin. Featuring US hip-hop artist Pusha T, the new track, out 7 November, is taken from Pixie’s forthcoming second studio album, Young Foolish Happy. The first single, All About Tonight, debuted at number one in the UK Singles Chart – Lott’s third UK number-one.

Directed by Declan Whitebloom, the video features contemporary dancing with both Pixie and Pusha T putting their best feet forward in an explosive and upbeat performance.

Pixie fans wanting to be among the first to watch the video can head to Citroën UK’s Official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/citroenuk).

Marc Raven, Citroën Communications Director, commented: “Citroën’s association with Pixie is a great way to introduce DS3 to a younger generation of music lovers. Having the video on our Facebook channel is also a fantastic way to reward our loyal fans – almost 70,000 of them and still growing. The new single is a stand-out track, full of energy and fantastic performances – the ideal environment for DS3 Racing.”

Developed by WRC winning team Citroën Racing, the special edition DS3 Racing features a turbo-charged 207hp engine, that delivers a 0-62mph time of just 6.5 seconds, yet it still achieves 44.1mpg and emits just 149g/km CO₂emissions.

Pixie Lott is a 20-year old multi-award-winning artist from London. She rose to fame with her June 2009 debut single ‘Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)’, which went straight to number one in the UK charts. Her debut album produced five consecutive Top 20 singles.  In February, Pixie was awarded Hottest Female in the 2011 Virgin Media Music Awards.

DS4Seekers is accessible from Citroën’s official UK Facebook page – http://www.ds4seekers.citroen.co.uk – and will be playable over a 15 day period, either online or via a smartphone.  Players both hide and seek virtual Citroën DS4s across the Google Maps and Google Streetview worlds, earning points for hiding and finding cars.  Each point gains an entry into a draw to win a top of the range new Citroën DS4.  The more points players collect, the more chances they have to win.  Players are given more DS4s to hide each day.

The game uses an innovative combination of well known platforms – Facebook, Google Streetview & Google Mobile Maps.  Players can move seamlessly between mobile and online thanks to real-time, back-end integration.

Wayne Roberts from Teignmouth in Devon was the winner of the first instalment of  DS4Seekers in July.  He was presented with a brand new Citroën DS4 DSport worth over £25,000 on his 40th birthday.  Wayne successfully collected a total of 3,371 cars – 22 of which were ‘gold’ DS4s worth 50 points each.  After receiving the keys Wayne commented; "This is just the best birthday present you could ask for.  It looks great and I didn’t think I had a chance of winning, but I’m over the moon, I really am." 

Jules Tilstone, Citroën UK’s Marketing Director, commented; "The first round of  DS4Seekers received a fantastic response.  Over 300,000 cars were hidden during the 10 days the game was live, with a total of 163,488 points going to the top 50 players.  I hope they’ll all be playing again with lots more getting involved.  As we’re making the game five days longer, it gives even more people the chance to play along and win a stylish new DS4."

For a glimpse of what’s in store from 13 September, click http://youtu.be/leKi3c3P3Og

Called the DS3 Racing shoe, the shoe takes inspiration from the car’s high quality materials and styling cues such as its alloy wheels and sporty orange grille. Likewise the shoes are black and orange with black full grain leather with a soft finish. The soft leather lining, foam padded tongue and flexible rubberised sole are designed to add to the comfort of the shoe, ensuring that it flexes perfectly with the movement of the foot while driving.

The combination of black leather and black mesh on the collar was borrowed from the car’s leather seats, while the pattern on the sole is a re-interpretation of the curves in the alloy wheels and the grid pattern on the front of the car. Gio-Goi branded lace-tips in a choice of two distinct colours adds the finishing touch to these stand-out high-tops.

The DS3 Racing Shoe by Gio-Goi is a strictly limited edition line of footwear with just 100 pairs being produced, some of which will be available to purchase.  With a recommended retail price of £120, the shoes will be sold on Gio-Goi’s website www.gio-goi.com/ds3racing and at a pop-up store in East London.  The store will be open for three days only on 13, 14 and 15 September and will host a party on Wednesday 14 September featuring performances from some of the hottest new music acts.  Tickets are free and available via www.gio-goi.com/ds3racing

Adam Ward, Footwear Designer for Gio-Goi said; “It’s the perfect partnership – both Gio-Goi and Citroën DS3 Racing are synonymous with the fast pace of urban life.  The car’s unique lines, with the striking flashes of colour, hi-tech details and luxury comfort, have inspired me to create this stand-out premium shoe design.”

Jo Bohling from Gio-Goi added; “The DS3 Racing Shoe by Gio-Goi is for those who like to live life in the fast lane. Inspired by the Citroën’s performance and the Gio-Goi attitude, this is a rare opportunity for people to get their hands on a uniquely designed and stylish piece of limited edition footwear.”

Mark Lloyd, Chief Designer of Citroën’s International Projects, said; “Citroën DS3 Racing was built for performance, style and exclusivity.  Gio-Goi has added its signature creativity to produce a perfect compliment to the model with this great footwear design.”

Developed by Citroën Racing – the winning team behind six WRC Manufacturers’ titles and seven Drivers’ titles for Sébastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena – Citroën’s special edition DS3 Racing fuses sporting pedigree into the DS3 supermini.The turbo-charged 207hp engine delivers a 0-62mph time of just 6.5 seconds, and at the same time manages a respectable 44.1mpg fuel efficiency and emits 149g/km CO₂ emissions.

The value of the free fuel offered equates to 10,000 miles based on the engine with the lowest mpg fitted in the customer’s chosen Citroën LCV model.  The average cost per litre is based on the July 2011 AA Fuel Price Report and is paid to the customer on a Citroën branded prepaid debit MasterCard^® card.  The offer excludes national fleets, as the campaign is designed to develop Citroen’s popularity with small and medium businesses (SMEs), among whom this year the French marque has enjoyed huge success. In the first seven months of 2011, Business Centres sold 81.7 per cent of the 6,100 total Citroën LCVs acquired by companies in this sector.

With the “Citroën LCV ‘Free Fuel for a Year’ customers will also be able to gain maximum advantage from their free fuel, thanks to Citroën’s Trafficmaster Smartnav telematics package fitted as standard to Berlingo, Dispatch and Relay panel vans too. 

Martin Hamill, Citroën’s Head of Commercial Vehicles and Business Sector, said: “Through the Business Centres, Citroën has enhanced its offering to the key small and medium sized businesses that are integral to the success of UK industry.  We are able to treat them with the same level of professionalism that is offered to larger National Fleet customers, not only within the sales process, but for their aftersales requirements as well.  This focus has lead to a significant year on year increase in sales to this sector of the market.”

Citroen vans to buy and lease on TheVanWebsite.co.uk

Citroen road test reports 

Scott Michael concluded; “2011 has shown that Citroën is adopting the right LCV sales path.  We are gaining SME business across the UK thanks to a combination of reliable, economical and competitively priced products, innovative offers on all of our LCVs and a dedicated network of highly professional dealers.”