Citroen’s Space Tourer Concept Gets Down and Dirty

GENEVA – Citroen is banking that blending of practicality of the old-school MPV with the current SUV heartthrob will pay off as it presents the SpaceTourer 4X4 E Concept at next month’s Geneva auto show.

Inspired by the brand’s “E” lifestyle-product range unveiled at last year’s Paris auto show, the new concept boasts some off-road and bad-weather-grip capability with a full all-wheel drivetrain developed by Automobiles Dangel.

To take on dirt tracking, the SpaceTourer 4X4 E Concept features front and rear protective skid plates plus roof bars with a satin aluminum finish and, appropriately for the wintertime show near the foothills of the Alps, sport tires with snow chains.

It is presented in three body sizes, XS, M and XL, to meet varying consumer demands, with the XS model offering compact dimensions of just 15 ft. (4.6 m) in length and 6.2 ft. (1.90 m) in height to help easy access into height-restricted parking structures.

Sliding side doors open to reveal an interior with warm, soft upholstery, light enhanced by large windows and a broad glass sunroof with two separate and coverable sections.

Citroen claims the cabin can accommodate up to nine people, although in its 5-seat configuration the concept has two individual front seats fitted with armrests.

White leather accents the upper part of the seatbacks and headrests while the lower two-thirds of each seat are in mottled-gray Alcantara and leather.

The concept also showcases Citroen's latest technology suites, including a 3-D navigation system controllable by voice recognition and a rear camera covering the area behind the vehicle with a 180-degree “seen-from-above” field of view.