Capped price servicing for expanded Citroen DS range

NEW Australian Citroen importer Sime Darby will introduce capped-price servicing on an expanded premium DS range while repositioning the mainstream C models to add new price leaders and increase competitiveness.

Under the new Citroen Assured service plan that applies to any DS model sold from February 1 this year, each service interval during the first three years or 60,000km will cost $330 including parts, labour and valeting.

Sime Darby also plans to introduce greater differentiation for the DS line-up in Citroen showrooms to “create a brand within a brand” with special fit-outs and a bespoke sales and aftercare service aimed at “the discerning customer”.

Further expansion of the DS range this year will come with the DS3 cabriolet and possibly the all-wheel-drive diesel-electric DS5 Hybrid4.

It is all part of a plan to boost Citroen sales volume in this country by 35 per cent this year, followed by 20 per cent growth in 2014 and 2015 – by which time the dealer network is expected to have grown from 23 outlets to 37.

The C3 and DS3 light cars, the C4 and DS4 small cars and Grand Picasso people-mover all get new price-leading entry variants and the base Attraction trim level is dropped from the C5 mid-sizer, while the DS5 is the only model to receive a price hike at entry level.

A standard reversing camera is added to the C4 Aircross compact SUV range without pricing changes, and a 1.6-litre petrol engine is set to replace the Mitsubishi 2.0-litre unit.

Entry to a brand-new Citroen will become considerably more affordable with the addition of a new 1.2-litre petrol manual Seduction variant at $17,990 plus on-road costs, while the list price of the previous opener, the Seduction 1.6 automatic, has dropped $2000 to $21,990 without any change in specification.

Sime Darby will also add a new Seduction 1.6-litre diesel manual variant to its light-car range, priced at $22,990.

Meanwhile, Citroen’s entrant to Australia’s competitive small-car segment, the C4, gets a shot in the arm with a sharp $19,990 starting price for the new Attraction 1.6 manual variant, transforming it into one of the most affordable small cars on the market.

And $1000 has been snipped from the automatic version that previously opened the range.

Apart from the deletion of the Exclusive 1.6 diesel manual and a $500 price rise to Exclusive turbo petrol and diesel automatic variants, in exchange for standard sat-nav, the rest of the C4 range remains unchanged.

Price cuts of between $1800 and $3300 have been applied across the C5 range, resulting in an entry price just $200 higher than the deleted Attraction trim level for the better-specified Seduction 1.6 turbo-petrol automatic at $36,190.

A new 2.2-litre diesel Exclusive variant has been added to the C5 range, sitting between the 2.0 four-cylinder and flagship 3.0 V6 diesel, priced at $51,190.

The seven-seat C4 Picasso gains a new 1.6 turbo-petrol automatic base variant priced $500 lower than the diesel it replaces at $37,490, while the 1.6-litre diesel automatic has been hiked $1500 in return for a claimed $4820 of additional equipment comprising sat-nav, a split tailgate and a sunroof.

Kicking off the enlarged DS range is a new $25,240 entry-level variant for the light-sized DS3 hatch, replacing the outgoing 1.4-litre petrol with EGS automated manual transmission (that had an RRP of $26,990) with a 1.2-litre engine and manual gearbox.

A new mid-level 1.6 turbo-petrol automatic has been added at $27,740, while the flagship Sport manual receives standard sat-nav and a price trimmed by $250 to $29,740.

The DS4 starts $4000 lower at $31,990 for a new 1.6 petrol manual entry variant, while the previous opener, the 1.6 turbo-petrol, moves from EGS automated manual transmission to a traditional torque-converter system and is priced $1000 lower.

The 1.6 diesel engine has been dropped and in its place is a 2.0-litre diesel automatic at $37,990 for the Style trim level and $40,490 in new Sport guise, while the cost of a 1.6 turbo-petrol Sport variant drops $500 to $39,490 and gains an automatic transmission for $37,490.

Bucking the trend with a $1000 price rise and no extra equipment is the DS5 1.6 turbo-petrol D Sport variant at $48,990, joined by a new 2.0 diesel automatic variant that costs $51,990.

The Berlingo van range remains static at $19,990 for the 1.6 petrol manual and $22,990 for the 1.6 diesel manual.

2013 Citroen pricing*

C3
Seduction 1.2 petrol	$17,990 (new)
Seduction 1.2 petrol (a)	$21,990 (-$2000)
Seduction 1.6 diesel	$22,990 (new)
C4
Attraction 1.6 petrol	$19,990 (new)
Attraction 1.6 petrol (a)	$21,990 (-$1000)
Seduction 1.6 petrol	$22,990
Seduction 1.6 petrol (a)	$24,990
Exclusive 1.6 turbo petrol (a)	$32,490 (+$500)
Seduction 1.6 diesel (a)	$27,990
Exclusive 1.6 diesel (a)	$33,490 (+$500)
C5 Sedan
Seduction 1.6 turbo petrol (a)	$36,190 (-$3300)
Exclusive 1.6 turbo petrol (a)	$42,190 (-$2800)
Seduction 2.0 diesel (a)	$39,190 (-$2300)
Exclusive 2.0 diesel (a)	$45,190 (-$1800)
Exclusive 2.2 diesel (a)	$51,190 (new)
Exclusive 3.0 diesel (a)	$57,190 (+$200)
C5 Tourer
Seduction 2.0 diesel (a)	$41,190 (-$2300)
Exclusive 2.0 diesel (a)	$47,190 (-$1800)
Exclusive 3.0 diesel (a)	$59,100 (-$2890)
C4 Grand Picasso
Seduction 1.6 turbo petrol (a)	$37,490 (new)
Seduction 1.6 diesel (a)	$39,490 (+$1500)
DS3
1.2 petrol D Style	$25,240 (new)
1.6 turbo petrol D Style (a)	$27,740 (new)
1.6 turbo petrol D Sport	$29,740 (-$250)
DS4
1.6 petrol D Style	$31,990
1.6 turbo petrol D Style (a)	$34,990 (new)
2.0 diesel D Style (a)	$37,990 (new)
1.6 turbo petrol D Sport	$39,490 (-$500)
1.6 turbo petrol D Sport (a)	$37,490 (new)
2.0 diesel D Sport (a)	$40,490 (new)
DS5
1.6 petrol D Sport (a)	$48,990 (+$1000)
2.0 diesel D Sport (a)	$51,990 (new)
C4 Aircross
Exclusive 4x2 1.6 petrol (a)	$31,990
Exclusive 4x4 1.6 petrol (a)	$33,990
Berlingo
1.6 petrol	$19,990
1.6 diesel	$22,990

*Plus on-road costs