Citroën C4 Grand Picasso now seats 7

For French carmaker Citroën, following the success of the C4 Picasso, this is the first time that it is launching a seven-seater in this segment of the market.

Citroën is aiming high, targeting the top level, not only in terms of pricing but also in terms of equipment and build quality. Louis Dalli, sales manager for Citroën at local agents Muscats Motors, said the C4 Grand Picasso, which had its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show last year, is a "new concept".

The concept is a Visiospace, characterised by a wide angle panoramic windscreen, a commanding driving position, and a pleasant and secure drive. The C4 Grand Picasso has a unique character with a strong personality and comes with a choice of two petrol and two diesel engines.

The 1.8- and 2.0-litre 16-valve petrols produce 127 and 143 bhp, respectively. The 1.6- and 2.0-litre HDi diesels produce 110 and 138 bhp, respectively. All are Euro IV and the diesels come with particulate filters as standard.

The front of the C4 Grand Picasso is particularly uncluttered - there is no traditional handbrake but a little button in the middle of the dashboard below the large central digital instrument panel.

The steering wheel, as in the C4, rotates along a fixed 'arm' and there are a lot of switches around the steering wheel and to the light of the dashboard, leaving the central part of the dashboard very clean.

The top part of the dashboard ahead of the driver has a large storage compartment (similar to one on the front passenger side) and the seats can be quickly folded to seat up to seven passengers.

Other features are a pneumatic rear suspension system, class-beating interior space and boot volume, ABS brakes with ESP and driving aids that are either new or rarely seen in the compact MPV segment.

Prices start at Lm14,300 for the petrol and Lm14,500 for the diesel. For more information go to www.citroen.com.mt or call 2326-4585/9989-8936.