Citroen Refreshes Slow-Selling Cactus Compact Hatch

MADRID – Citroen releases images of an extensively refreshed C4 Cactus compact hatchback that will be assembled in the automaker’s Madrid plant, where the slow-selling current version is produced.

The C4 Cactus is being built at a yearly rate of 50,000 units in a plant with the capacity to assemble 150,000 units per year with two work shifts. Citroen, which has temporarily idled 430 workers, hopes to make 90,000 units of the new-generation Cactus in the first year of production.

Annual production will continue increasing as the Cactus, initially conceived as a product for Europe, will be exported next year to markets including Australia and Japan, Citroen General Manager Linda Jackson says.

Jackson also confirms the C5 Aircross compact SUV, currently only available in the Chinese market, will arrive in Europe in 2018, followed one or two years later by a plug-in hybrid version.

The new Cactus to debut in Europe features what Citroen calls a “Progressive Hydraulic Cushion” suspension as well as Advanced Comfort seats using special high-density foams to provide comfort even on the longest trips.

Four gasoline and three diesel engines will be offered by Citroen, whose parent PSA Group is one of the biggest diesel defenders – and assemblers.

PSA plans to invest €144 million ($168 million) in the Madrid plant under its OptiMAD program that seeks to concentrate production of Peugeot and Citroen models and functions including aftermarket, financial and customer support in the Spanish capital.

PSA wants to assemble a second model at Madrid starting in 2021 that will use its Common Modular Platform for compact vehicles. An electric version of this model also will be assembled there.